Rath Yatra at Puri-Odisha-India

Jagannath Rath Yatra at Puri, Odisha, India

The Rath Yatra at Puri is a significant event in the entire state of Odisha that is witnessed by numerous tourists both foreigners and Indians. During the Rath Yatra, Puri is colored in the most vivid hues of sheer joy & enjoyment and is flocked with devotees who wish to pay their honor to the deities and seek their blessings.

Sri Jagannath is a form of Vishnu and Sri Krishna; many of the rituals observed in Puri temple are associated with events in the life of Sri Krishna. Thus, this annual Car Festival represents Sri Krishna's Journey from Gokul to Mathura.

Car festival is one of the most awaited Hindu festivals of the state as well as the country. The celebration of this day starts much earlier that comprises the construction and decoration of the Raths or Chariot by numerous devotees & volunteers. The three chariots that are the highlights of the entire Yatra are pulled by strings.

·    The chariot of Lord Jagannath which is 45.6 feet high comprises 18 wheels and is referred as Nandighosa.

·         Balabhadra’s chariot is made 45 feet high with 16 wheels is called Taladhvaja.

·         The chariot of Subhadra known as Devadalana has 14 wheels and is 44.6 feet high.

All these chariots are decorated with various designs and colors by the artists of Puri that showcases their enthusiasm for the Yatra.

On the day of the festival, the wooden idols of Krishna, Balrama and Subhadra are taken out in procession in three chariots to their summer temple (Mausi Maa Mandir) for a week. The actual construction of the carts begins two months before the festival day, on the third day of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha (April-May). The famous festival is celebrated usually in the month of June or July commences when the chariots of Lord Jagannath accompanied by his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra are brought out on to the Main Street of Puri known as Bada Danda. The Chariots are then taken to the Shri Gundicha Temple to their aunt’s house where the deities enjoy a nine days stay and are served with sweet pancakes.

Chhera pahara is the most famous ritual associated with the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra. During the festival, the Gajapati King sweeps all around the deities and chariots. He then cleanses the road with a broom (gold-handled) and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder. The custom showcases that in the eyes of Lord Jagannath every devotee is equal be it the king or a commoner. This ritual is held on two days, firstly on the Rath Yatra Puri when the three deities goes to their aunt’s house and lastly on the day when they are ceremoniously brought back to the Puri Temple.

Fact of the Rath Yatra

Ratha Yatra Festival is said to have started in the time of Svarochisha Manu of the second manvantara and is predicted to continue until the end of the second half of Lord Brahma's lifetime. Even in the Valmiki Ramayana, it is mentioned that when Lord Rama was getting ready to leave this world, he told Vibhishan, Ravana's younger brother, to worship Lord Jagannatha, the Lord of the Iksvaku dynasty in His absence.

The Skanda Purana also fixes the date of the Ratha Yatra as the second day of the bright fortnight if the month of Ashadha, a day called Pushyami Nakshatra by astrological calculations. The Padma Purana describes that in Purushottama-Kshetra, or Jagannatha Puri, the supremely blissful Personality of Godhead pretends to be made of wood. In this way, although the Lord takes on what appears to be a material form, it is completely spiritual by the causeless mercy of the Lord for the conditioned souls who cannot perceive the transcendental domain of His.

The Rath Yatra at Puri

Weekday	Date	Year	Name	Holiday type
Tue	Jul 13	2010	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Sun	Jul 3	2011	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Thu	Jun 21	2012	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Wed	Jul 10	2013	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Sun	Jun 29	2014	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Sat	Jul 18	2015	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday
Wed	Jul 6	2016	Rath Yatra	Restricted Holiday