Jagannath Rath Yatra, famously known as Rath Yatra, is one of the most iconic Hindu festivals, deeply rooted in Odisha’s spiritual heritage. The festival is celebrated annually in Puri, the celebration revolves around the ritualistic procession of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The march is held from the Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Temple, around three kilometres away. The journey takes place on the Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashadha (usually in June-July).
The festival highlights the notion that deities step out from their sanctum to meet devotees, surpassing social and religious barriers. The Gajapti King of Puri personally performs the ceremonial ritual of ‘Chhera Panhara” which means sweeping the chariots. It signifies that worldly rank dissolves in the presence of divinity.
Significance of Rath Yatra and symbolism of the chariots
Each deity rides in a specially constructed wooden chariot. Jagannath’s rath name is Nandighosha, Balabhadra is Taladhwaja, and Shubhadra’s Darpadalan. These chariots are made annually by using neem wood and include intricate carvings on it along with big canopies. Each rath has its significance; for instance, the chariot of Jagannath has 18 wheels, and Balabhadra has 16. Artisans get involved in the construction of the rath a month in advance. There is also a ritual of harvesting sacred trees on Akshaya Tritiya for the rath.
History of Rath Yatra festival
The festival’s origin stems back to medieval Odisha under the Ganga dynasty. According to legends, the deities fall sick after the sacred Snana Purnima bath and then reappear in Navayuvan from before the yatra, highlighting the themes of death, rebirth, and spiritual renewal. One popular belief is that the incomplete idol of Jagannath is because the divine sculptor Vishwakarma left his work unfinished.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees take part in the pulling of the chariots, believing that such an act will remove all the sins and will bestow spiritual blessings. While Puri conducts the largest celebration, Jagannath Rath Yatras are replicated globally.