One of the most auspicious and anticipated Hindu festivals is the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, which attracts devotees not only from India but across the world. The grand celebration presents an awe-inspiring spectacle of the god being brought out of the temple amidst the resonating sounds of drums, bells, and conch shells. Lord Jagannath is worshipped as the reincarnation of Lord Krishna, who has chosen this place as his abode in the temple town of Puri in Orissa, along the Bay of Bengal.
Besides Puri being the main site of celebration, people throughout India also celebrate Rath Yatra in various ways. Each year, the Yatra begins with the worship of the idols of Balram, Subhadra, and Jagannath by millions of devotees. Much before the beginning of the actual celebration, devotees decorate the Puri Jagannath temple with flowers, lights, and various other decoration materials. The temple presents a mesmerising view during these days as a flood of devotees in various hues add to the ambience and enormity of the celebration. This festival provides ample opportunity for Lord Krishna worshippers to pay their obeisance to their god and seek his blessings.
Here are some of the important details, that readers should know about this grand festival, which attracts global attention each year and can be compared to India’s other massively popular festival, the Kumbh Yatra.
Date and time
Spanning over a period of 11 days, it is one of the largest religious congregations across the globe, as people dedicate these days to their favourite deity. This year, the auspicious Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra will commence on June 20 at 10:04 p.m. and reach its end on June 21 at 7:09 p.m. As usual, the preparations have been underway, and all the grand arrangements have been made to make this spectacle better than last year. Each year, this yatra offers somethi significant and better than its previous versions.
Celebration
The beginning of the Yatra marks the establishment of decorated chariots for all three deitis. All three chariots have been given names: Lord Jagannath’s chariot is called Nandighosha, Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja, and Goddess Subhadra’s chariot is known as Darpadalan. All three chariots are pulled by a huge number of devotees as a mark of their devotion to the deities.
Significance
These 11 days of celebration hold great importance for Lord Jagannatha’s devotees, as they converge to seek his blessings on this auspicious occasion. During the yatra, all three idols are taken to the famous Gundicha Temple and kept there for some time before devotees bring them back to the main temple. The history of Jagannath Rath Yatra dates back to the 12th century, and its details can be easily found in sacred Hindu texts such as the Padma Purana, Brahma Purana, and Skanda Purana. According to beliefs, Lord Jagannath, Lord Krishna, or the Lord of the Universe decided to visit Gundicha Temple on the day, when the Yatra begins. But he didn’t visit it alone; he took his sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra with him. Thus, the day is now celebrated each year to mark the day when Lord Krishna took that journey.
How do I reach Puri, Odisha, to be a part of the Jagannath Yatra?
Here’s how you can travel to the holy city of Puri, Odisha. You can reach the city via road, as it connected to the rest of country by via NH 203 and NH 215. There are many trains, that run from Puri and connect it with the rest of the country and all major cities, including Delhi and Mumbai. If you want to reach the venue by air, you first need to fly to the capital, which is 56 km away from Puri. You can travel to Puri from there via train, taxi, or bus.
Courtesy: economictimes.indiatimes.com
