Jagannath Rath Yatra: History, significance, and celebrations
The most anticipated Hindu festival in Odisha, Jagannath Rath Yatra is being celebrated on June 20 this year. Drawing nearly 500,000 pilgrims worldwide, this nine-day annual event is a vibrant procession where three Hindu deities are carried out of their temple to meet the devotees. The festival is marked by splendid pomp and grandeur, signifying a joyful celebration and reverence for the deities.
History
As per the holy Hindu scriptures, the sister of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra, was said to have wished to travel to Puri. To fulfill Devi Subhadra's wish, Lord Jagannath and his elder brother Lord Balabhadra drove a chariot to Puri. The pilgrimage of them from their home temple to the temple that is believed to be their aunt's dwelling has been symbolized by this festival.
The massive procession
The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra will see three gigantic 18-wheeled chariots pulling the deities through the alleyways of Puri by devotees using ropes. Chants and conches can be heard throughout the procession route as the raths move ahead steadily. Snana Purnima is the day when the idols are bathed in 109 buckets of water before the beginning of the yatra.
The nine-day-long celebrations
The deities' raths arrive at the Gundicha Temple on the first day of the procession and stay there for the following seven days. They go back to the Jagannath Temple on the ninth day. The next day the deities are once more brought into the sanctum sanctorum, bringing a conclusion to Jagannath Puri's Rath Yatra.
Significance of the chariots
The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is often considered the oldest and largest chariot procession in the world. The three chariots are built and embellished in preparation for the deities to begin their yatra. Since the chariots take longer than 42 days to construct, they are regarded as miniature beautiful buildings. These stunning chariots are constructed by expert carpenters known as "Maharana."
Where do celebrations take place?
Puri commemorates the Jagannath Rath Yatra with grand celebrations. Jharkhand and West Bengal also celebrate. The Jagannath Temple was created by Chodaganga Deva of the Ganga Dynasty in the 12th century AD and is considered home to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. Non-Hindu and foreign devotees, who are otherwise not permitted, are allowed to enter the Jagannath Temple during the festival.
Rath Yatra on the world map
The festival has become a common sight in most major cities across the globe since 1968 through the ISKCON Hare Krishna movement. Some notable Rath Yatra celebrations would be in Singapore, Moscow, Kuala Lumpur, New York, London, and Dhamrai in Bangladesh. Interestingly, western impressions of Puri's Jagannath Ratha Yatra as a display of unstoppable force are the origin of the English word "juggernaut."
