This year Kolkata’s Rath Yatra, organised by ISKCON, will have a special moment when the chariot that will be rolled out on the streets of the East Indian city will have brand new tyres designed for a Russian Sukhoi fighter jet.
The iconic Rath Yatra in the city first began its journey in 1972, giving people a chance to celebrate the procession dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Jagannath.
The epicentre of the celebration in India is in the neighbouring state of Odisha, which houses the Jagannath Temple.
The chariot previously featured old tires from a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.
Radharamn Das, vice president and spokesperson for ISCKON Kolkata, told NDTV: “We first spoke to Dunlop, but they had stopped manufacturing these tires. After extensive research, we found Sukhoi tires to be the best match.”
“We first tried to contact MRF in 2018, but could not get through. Eventually, they got back six years later. In December 2024, they sent a team, we worked out a price and they delivered the tires a month back,” he said.
Rath Yatra will be held on June 27.
