Did You Know About Puri's Eight-Century-Old Celebration Of Myth And Martial Arts?

For most travellers, Puri is synonymous with the Jagannath Temple and the spectacular Rath Yatra. Yet, beyond these celebrated landmarks lies another remarkable tradition that has quietly endured for over eight centuries. Every year, from Rama Navami to Baisakha Trutiya, the temple town transforms into a vast open-air theatre for Sahi Jata (also known as Sahi Jatra), where mythology, martial arts and community spirit converge. There are no elaborate stages or ticketed performances here. Instead, neighbourhood lanes become performance spaces, residents become mythological characters, and the entire city becomes part of a living cultural narrative that has been passed down through generations.