Bhubaneswar: Demonstrating their enduring commitment to selfless service, over 1,560 dedicated Swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been actively involved in providing a wide range of humanitarian services during the renowned Ratha Yatra festival in Puri. As in previous years, the RSS, in coordination with the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti, has implemented nine structured service activities, garnering admiration from devotees and the public alike.
True to the spirit of the Sangh, RSS Swayamsevaks have been the first to respond to needs, offering timely assistance in the midst of massive crowds, managing critical situations, and ensuring medical help reaches those in distress. The Swayamsevak work during the Ratha Yatra is a longstanding tradition rooted in compassion and discipline.
The service operations officially began at 8:30 AM on the day of the Ratha Yatra in front of the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti’s primary medical center near Bholanath School. The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior Sangh leaders, including Jagadish Prasad Khadanga, Sah-Kshetra Pracharak of RSS, Kshetra Sampark Pramukh Vidyut Mukherjee, VHP Odisha President Prafulla Kumar Mishra, and Samiti President Akshay Kumar Bit, who together lit the ceremonial lamp to signify the start of this noble endeavor.
निज स्वार्थ से परे, लोककल्याण की भावना ही सनातन धर्म की आत्मा है और यही भावना आज पुरी की पवित्र रथयात्रा में फिर प्रकट हुई।
रथयात्रा के दौरान @RSSorg के स्वयंसेवकों ने एम्बुलेंस के लिए एक विशेष ‘सेवा-पथ’ बनाया है। यह अद्वितीय पहल सुनिश्चित करती है कि किसी भी अस्वस्थ श्रद्धालु को… pic.twitter.com/R6YOshTTKP
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) June 27, 2025
Rudranarayan Mahapatra, the Ratha Yatra Seva Sanyojak (service coordinator) of the Samiti, provided a detailed overview of the service plan. He noted the frequent incidents of devotees fainting or getting injured due to the immense crowds and heat during the festival, prompting the implementation of a comprehensive emergency response plan.
Swayamsevak teams assisted in transporting injured and unconscious devotees to hospitals using stretchers and ambulances. Human chains were formed to create emergency corridors, allowing ambulances to navigate and evacuate patients from the dense crowds along the Bada Danda (Grand Road). Upon arrival at hospitals, the Swayamsevaks coordinated with doctors to ensure prompt and appropriate medical treatment.
The nine major services provided during this year’s Ratha Yatra included managing ambulance corridors, ambulance assistance, stretcher services, traffic control, drinking water distribution, water sprinkling, hospital facilitation, cleanliness drives along the Bada Danda, and primary medical assistance.
The manpower distribution for the event was meticulously organized. A total of 20 Swayamsevaks operated in two shifts across two ambulances to transport patients. For water distribution, 25 Swayamsevaks were assigned in two shifts at five key locations. Water sprinkling was managed by 40 Swayamsevaks using ten sprayers, while 80 Swayamsevaks provided stretcher services in two shifts.
Approximately 200 Swayamsevaks were stationed at two medical centers, another 200 were engaged in cleaning the Bada Danda, and primary medical services were delivered by a team consisting of five doctors, two pharmacists, and four assistants. Additionally, 100 Swayamsevaks were deployed for traffic management, and an impressive 884 Swayamsevaks created and maintained the ambulance corridor stretching from the Ratha site to Medical Chhak.
Senior RSS leaders supervising and supporting the entire operation included Bipin Prasad Nanda (Prant Pracharak, Odisha (Purv)), Asit Kumar Sahu (Saha-Prant Pracharak), Shantanu Majhi (Prant Seva Pramukh), Ranjan Maharana (Vibhag Seva Pramukh), Chandrasekhar Mahapatra (Vibhag Pracharak), Bamidev Nayak (Vibhag Sah-Sampark Pramukh), Sarbeshwar Bishoi (Zilla Karyavah), and Rudranarayan Mahapatra. Under their able leadership, these service efforts were successfully coordinated. On the day of the Ratha Yatra alone, 750 devotees received medical assistance through the primary medical camps, with services continuing until Bahuda Yatra (the return journey of the chariots).
In addition to the RSS and Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti, several other Sangh-affiliated organizations are actively involved in service. These include the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Jagran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh,.
ପୁରୀ ରଥଯାତ୍ରାରେ ଏବିଭିପିର @SFDIndiaOrg ଗତିବିଧି ତରଫରୁ 'ପ୍ଲାଷ୍ଟିକ୍ ମୁକ୍ତ ରଥଯାତ୍ରା' ଅଭିଯାନ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକର୍ତ୍ତାମାନେ ପୁରୀ ବଡ଼ଦାଣ୍ଡରେ ସଫେଇ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିଛନ୍ତି।#ABVPForSociety#ABVPOdisha #ABVP pic.twitter.com/gyEIGJlyPB
— ABVP Odisha (@abvpodisha) June 28, 2025
ABVP’s Contribution
ABVP Swayamsevaks played a crucial role in crowd management, assisting in escorting ailing devotees to ambulances and forming human chains to facilitate ambulance navigation through the crowd. Additionally, ABVP’s medical wing, ‘Medivision,’ operated ambulance services and temporary health camps, where affiliated doctors provided primary treatment and distributed essential medicines to devotees. The camp was formally inaugurated by Odisha Health Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, who commended ABVP’s efforts in ensuring healthcare access for pilgrims.
ସେବା ପରମୋ ଧର୍ମ!
ପୁରୀ ବଡ଼ଦାଣ୍ଡରେ ରଥଯାତ୍ରାର ଭିଡ଼ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମାନବିକତାର ପରିଚୟ ଦେଇ ହଠାତ୍ ଅସୁସ୍ଥ ହୋଇ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ଜଣେ ମହିଳାଙ୍କୁ ଆଶୁ ଚିକିତ୍ସା ପାଇଁ ଚିକିତ୍ସାଳୟକୁ ନେଉଛନ୍ତି ଏବିଭିପି ଓଡ଼ିଶା ପୂର୍ବ ପ୍ରାନ୍ତର ପ୍ରାନ୍ତ ସଙ୍ଗଠନ ସମ୍ପାଦକ @BaghBuddhadev ।#ABVPinRathaJatra#RathaJatra2025 #ABVPOdisha #ABVP pic.twitter.com/K7XEGgd1e5— ABVP Odisha (@abvpodisha) June 28, 2025
ABVP also launched a Plastic-Free Ratha Yatra campaign and participated in cleanliness drives along the Bada Danda, reinforcing their commitment to environmental and public hygiene.
ଅଖିଳ ଭାରତୀୟ ବିଦ୍ୟାର୍ଥୀ ପରିଷଦ (@abvpodisha ) ଏବଂ MeDe Vision ତରଫରୁ ରଥଯାତ୍ରା ଉପଲକ୍ଷେ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା କରାଯାଇଥିବା ଆମ୍ବୁଲାନ୍ସ ସେବାର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ କରିବା ସହ ଅସ୍ଥାୟୀ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟସେବା କ୍ୟାମ୍ପର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ କରିଛି। ଯୁବସାଥିଙ୍କ ଏ ପ୍ରୟାସକୁ ଅଶେଷ ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ ଜଣାଉଛି। #RathYatra #ରଥଯାତ୍ରା pic.twitter.com/KAqA1uCTGp
— Dr. Mukesh Mahaling (@MahalingMukesh) June 27, 2025
Organisations like Vishva Hindu Parishad and Hindu Jagran Manch set up food distribution stalls (Bhandaras) and engaged in various service activities aimed at providing a safe, clean, and spiritually fulfilling Ratha Yatra experience for devotees.
With such coordinated efforts, the 2025 Ratha Yatra has proven to be not only a grand religious celebration but also a shining example of disciplined, voluntary service. The tireless contributions of these Swayamsevaks, many of whom work behind the scenes without seeking recognition, have garnered praise and gratitude from devotees and the wider public alike.
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