Sukhoi fighter jet tyres for Lord Jagannath's chariot in Kolkata
Telegraph | 2 June 2025
Kolkata is set to witness a smoother and stronger Rath Yatra this year, thanks to a unique upgrade to Lord Jagannath’s iconic chariot.
After two decades of searching, Iskcon Kolkata has finally replaced the old wheels, once sourced from a Boeing 747, with tyres originally designed for Sukhoi fighter jets.
The chariot, which will roll out on June 27 for the annual Rath Yatra, now rides on high-performance MRF-manufactured tyres capable of bearing the massive weight of both the chariot and its devotees.
Radharamn Das, vice-president and spokesperson of Iskcon Kolkata, shared the extraordinary journey that led to this aviation-meets-devotion crossover.
“The old tyres had served us for many years but were clearly nearing the end of their life. The real challenge was finding replacements that could carry not just the nine-tonne chariot, but also an additional seven tonnes during the Yatra, once devotees climb aboard,” Das told NDTV.
The Rath Yatra in Kolkata began in 1972 with modest means. By 1977, Iskcon had upgraded to larger chariots, with Lord Jagannath’s being fitted with used aircraft tyres.
Over the years, the tyres were patched up annually until, in 2005, Mr Das flagged the need for a full replacement. What followed was a two-decade search that touched all corners of India's tyre manufacturing scene.
Initially, Iskcon approached Dunlop, only to find that the tyre model was no longer in production. Attention then shifted to MRF and its Sukhoi-compatible tyres.
“We first contacted MRF in 2018, but didn’t get a response. To our surprise, they got back to us six years later. In December 2024, they sent a team, we agreed on a price, and they delivered the tyres earlier this year,” said Das.
The four high-grade tyres cost Rs 1.80 lakh. Before final approval, a 24-kilometre dry run was conducted to test the chariot's performance.
“The MRF team was taken aback when we first approached them with our request. They said the only other client for these tyres is the Indian Air Force,” Das added.