JULY 16, 2026 (IMP): The annual festival of ‘Kang,’ or Manipur’s grand version of the Ratha Yatra, began in the state with thousands of devotees thronging the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple at the Palace Compound in Imphal on Thursday, joining the auspicious occasion of ‘Kang Chingba,’ or the pulling of the grand chariots.
The celebration was marked by rituals, chants, and a grand procession in which the idols of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, were taken to the elaborately decorated chariot, or Kang. Later, devotees pulled the sacred chariot amid traditional hymns and chants in praise of the deities.
At the Govindaji Temple, one of the most prominent Vaishnavite shrines in the state, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, along with First Lady Jyoti Bhalla, joined in pulling the sacred chariot of Lord Jagannath.
The festival, rich in cultural significance, reflects Manipur’s unique blend of Vaishnavite tradition and local customs, uniting people in devotion and communal harmony.
The festival, celebrated with fervent devotion across Manipur’s valley districts, saw its central observance at the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple.
The festival typically begins on the second day of the Engen month in the Manipuri lunar calendar (usually falling in late June or early July) and concludes with a closing procession known as Kanglen (or Purna Yatra).
