Jagannath Rath Yatra Puri
Jagannath Yatra is one of the
most-awaited festivals not only in Odisha but also in the entire country. This
annual event is celebrated in the month of June or July. Jagannath Yatra is a
religious procession which is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), his
sister Goddess Subhadra, and his elder brother Lord Balabhadra;. It is also
called as Chariot Festival.
The festival is celebrated on the 2nd day of the Shukla Paksha, Ashadh month according to the traditional Oriya Calendar.
Lord
Jagannatha is worshipped primarily in city of Puri at famous Jagannatha
temple. Lord Jagannatha is considered a form of Lord Vishnu and also revered by
the followers of Vaishnavism. Jagannatha literally means Lord of the Universe.
It is the oldest Rath Yatra taking
place in India and in the world. Jagannath Yatra is celebrated on the second
day of the Shukla Paksha as per the traditional Oriya calendar. This auspicious
festival is celebrated for nine days in Odisha. The festival commences with the
Rath Yatra and concludes on a ninth day with a return journey - Bahuda Jatra.
During Bahuda Jatra the Rathas visit the Mausi Maa Temple. The deities are
moved from their abode of Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple during the
procession.
On the first day of the procession,
the Raths of the deities reach the Gundicha Temple and remain there for the
next seven days. And on the ninth day, they return to the Jagannath Temple. The
three chariots are constructed and decorated for the deities to start their
Yatra. The chariot of Lord Jagannath is called Nandighosa, which is 45.6 feet
high with 18 wheels. Lord Balabhadra’s chariot is known as Taladhwaja, which is
45 feet high with 16 wheels. Devi Subhadra’s chariot is known as Dwarapadalan,
which is 44.6 feet high with 14 wheels.
All the chariots are pulled by
devotees with the help of ropes to the Gundicha Temple, which is situated 3 km
from Jagannath Temple. This festival is the perfect depiction of the rich
cultural and traditional heritage of the region.
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is
believed to be the oldest religious procession in the world. This annual
ceremonial procession marks the beginning of the 9-day long festival. There are
various legends associated with the Jagannath Yatra. All involve Lord Jagannath
who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and his siblings Subhadra and Balabhadra
or Balaram.
According to one legend, the
Jagannath Yatra symbolizes the journey of Lord Jagannath from Vrindavan to
Mathura to slay his evil uncle Kansa. Another legend states that the siblings
have just recovered from a severe fever and wish to visit their aunt Gundicha
for a celebration. And the third legend states that this is an occasion when
Lord Jagannath wants to step out to mingle with his devotees.
This festival holds a special
significance in Hinduism as the Rath Yatra is a mass movement for enlightening
people about the Krishna consciousness movement. It is believed that taking
part in the Rath Yatra takes you one step ahead towards self-realization. This
festival allows devotees to serve god. It is also assumed that those who pull
the chariot rope and also help others in doing so or merely touch the ropes get
the advantages of several penances.
The Chariots in
Ratha Yatra
The prime attractions of the Rath
Yatra of Jagannath are the Chariots. On the day of Akshaya Tritiya, the
preparation of the chariots starts. There are 3 main chariots, hand-pulled with
50 meters long ropes. The artists decorate these chariots in a beautiful manner
with designs, motifs, and paints.
Jagannath Rath Yatra or the Chariot festival is known to be one of the grandest procession festivals. It also finds its mention in Puranas of Hinduism such as Padma Puran, Brahma Puran, and Skanda Purana. The festival is known to have received rainfall every year on the day of the procession. As per the data, there has not been a single Rath Yatra without rainfall.
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