"Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2021: History and Cultural Significance"
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2021: History
and Cultural Significance
Jai Jagannath.
Introduction
India is a land of spirituality and
faith. The people over here have deep faith on Almighty and their religion. It
is a land of festivity and every state of its has major festivals of their own.
These festivals are unique and hold much importance.
The festivals are observed with
enthusiasm and splendor. To know the true colors of India and the concept behind the
festivals one should visit India at the time of festivals, when the country
possess a different outlook, when the people gets indulged in offering prayers
and remain happy.
When
was Jagannath Rath Yatra in 2021?
Odisha, previously known as Orissa
celebrated its major festival Jagannath Rath Yatra every year at the holy city
of Puri. As per the traditional calendar, the
Puri Rath Yatra begins on the Dwitiya Tithi in Ashadha, Shukla Paksha. This year the Rath Yatra or Car Festival
was celebrated on 12th July 2021. The Dwitiya Tithi began at 07:47 on July 11, 2021 and
ended at 08:19 on July 12, 2021. Next
Chariot Festival will be held on 1 July 2022 at Puri. It is considered as a
part of the Char Dham pilgrimages. The Puri Rath
Yatra displays three majestic chariots possessing the idols of the deities-
Lord Jagannath, Lord Balrama and Devi Subhadra.
This religious festival is attended
by millions of devotees and travelers from across the globe in Jagannath dham
Puri. It is believed that attending the Rath Yatra is a gateway to
heaven. It is either held in the month of June or July every year.
Honorable Supreme Court of India Direction
regarding Rath Yatra 2021
The
Jagannath Temple administration on 9 July informed that like the previous year,
this year's Ratha Yatra festival would be organised without the participation
of devotees and in strict adherence to safety protocols to contain the spread
of coronavirus.
Like last year this year also Rath Yatra will be
held without devotees on July 12, 2021, as per the order of the Supreme Court
and SOP issued by the Odisha Government. No devotees were allowed to
participate in Rath Yatra. Chariot pullers who test RT-PCR negative and have
been fully vaccinated will be permitted to attend the yatra.
As per the
Administrator, 3000 servitors and 1000 temple officials will be allowed to
perform all rituals.
Rath Yatra
is a festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri annually in the state
of Odisha.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021 : भव्य जगन्नाथ यात्रा शुरू । Puri Rath Yatra Festival । रथ यात्रा
History of Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra
The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra festival is dedicated to
Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), his sister Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra
or Balaram, his elder brother. Jagannath Rath Yatra is widely celebrated and
one of India’s largest festivals, where millions of devotees arrive and take
part in the Rath Yatra processions and seek Lord Jagannath’s blessings.
Jagannath Rath Yatra is organized
in Odisha, in Puri on the 2nd day of Ashada Shukla. It’s believed Lord
Jagannath wants to visit his birthplace every year. The journey passes through
different parts of the city and creates a mesmerizing scene.
Why
is Jagannath Rath Yatra Celebrated?
The festival marks the annual visit
of Lord Jagannath to Gundicha Temple via his maternal aunt's home (Mausi
Maa Temple) located near Balagandi Chaka in Puri with his elder
brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. .
Every year the Rath Yatra or the
journey begins from the Jaganath Temple of Puri. A grand procession of the
deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are taken out in
huge ornamented chariots to reach Gundicha Temple, where they stay for nine
days. Then the return Yatra or journey of the deities to the Main temple takes
place, which is known as Bahuda Yatra.
How
is Jagannath Rath Yatra Celebrated
Several fascinating rituals are
involved with this festival. The most important part of the ritual is Chera
Pahara, where the street has to be cleaned by Gajapati King with a
golden-handled broom then only the chariots arrive. Then the ceremony of
Pahandi Vijay begins, where the dwarf forms of the deities are installed on
these huge and beautifully decorated chariots. The Yatra of the
Chariots then begins from the main doorway Singhdwara (the Lion’s Gate) to the
main destination (Gundicha Temple).
What
Rituals are Performed During the Festival
1. Brahma Paribartan
The main theme of
the festival is reincarnation. To symbolize reincarnation, the temple’s old
idols are destroyed and new idols are inaugurated. The creation of the new idols is an
interesting ritual, by itself. The idols are created by carving neem wood.
During this sculpturing, Vedic prayers and songs are chanted from outside the
area. Once they are completed, the idols are taken into the inner sanctum of
the temple. The procession of chanting will follow the idol. The old idols are
placed in front of the new idol, face-to-face. Then, chanting and prayers are
performed to transfer the supreme power of the old idol into the new one.
This ritual is done in sheer
privacy. Even the priest performing the ritual will be blindfolded. His hands
and legs will be wrapped with cloth so that he will not sense the transfer.
This ritual is called as the Brahma Paribartan, which means changing of soul.
2.
Koili Baikuntha Burial
Once this ritual
is completed, the new idol is inaugurated into the throne. The old idol is then
taken to the Koili Baikuntha. After a sacred ceremony, the old idols will be
buried. This ceremony happens before dawn. It is said that if any
commoner sees this ritual, it would be fatal. Only the priests who perform this
ritual could witness it. To avoid commoners entering the temple, the state
government will issue a complete blackout in Puri during the night of the
burial. After the burial ceremony, the lights will be switched on. Later,
flowers, foods will be served to the deity and worship rituals will start.
3.
Chariot Procession
During the
festival, the new idols will be taken out on a procession on a large chariot. This
chariot moves through the streets of Puri from the Royal Palace closer to
Jagannath Temple. If you are interested in the chariot construction festival,
you ought to visit Puri during Akshaya Tritiya.
4.
Ritual Bath (Snana Yatra)
18 days prior to
the festival, the idols will be given a ritual bath with 108 pitchers of fresh
water. This ritual is called as Snana Yatra. This ceremony
takes place on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month. It is a belief that the
idols would feel unwell after the bath and the idols are kept away from the
public until the Ratha Yatra festival.
After the chariot ride around the
city, the idols are returned to the temple. They are decorated with gold
ornaments and are placed inside the temple. Later, a comic enactment is
arranged. According to mythology, the Goddess Laxmi is angry that the God left
the temple without informing her and will close the gates of the temple, making
the God stuck outside. God will plead for her forgiveness with sweets and songs
and she lets him in.
What
were the Rath Yatra Ritual Dates for 2021?
July 12, 2021 -
Sri Gundicha (placement of deities on the chariot)
This was the time of the first
chariot move, which takes place to Gundicha Temple. The first chariot to leave
the temple was Lord Balabhadra. Then, Lord Subhadra and Lord Jagannath followed.
The chariot pulling started by 4 pm after the other rituals were completed.
July 16, 2021 -
Hera Panchami (Take Goddess deity to Gundicha temple)
The consort of Lord Jagannath, Lord
Lakshmi will be worried that her husband is missing. Since she is irritated by
his absence, she will visit Gundicha Temple to know what is happening. The
Goddess’ deity is taken on a palanquin to the Gundicha Temple from Jagannath
Temple.
July 20, 2021 -
Bahuda Yatra (Return of deity to Jagannath temple)
This was the grand return chariot
procession, which ended at the Lion’s Gate of the Puri Jagannath temple. The
specialty of the ritual was that the chariots were pulled in reverse direction,
inside the temple. The ceremony started from 4 pm.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021 | Bahuda Yatra | जगन्नाथ की रथ यात्रा 2021
July 21, 2021 -
Suna Besha (decoration of the deity)
The deities were decorated with gold
ornaments. This ritual had been in practice since 15th century.
The commoners could not watch this ritual. The decorated deities were opened
for pilgrims from 5 pm to 11 pm. During this ceremony, the deities were not be
placed inside the temple.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021 | Sunabesa | जगन्नाथ की रथ यात्रा 2021
July 23, 2021 -
Niladri Bijaya (deity was taken inside the temple)
This was the grand ceremony of
taking the deities inside the temple.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021 | Niladri Bije | जगन्नाथ की रथ यात्रा 2021
What
To Expect During The Festival?
This is the only
time during the whole year when non-Hindus are not allowed into the temple.
However, they can take part in the procession. Touching chariot
is not allowed by non-Hindus. Most of the rituals are considered very
sacred and are kept away from public’s eye. If a ritual is restricted, please
follow the instructions to avoid commotion and for personal safety.
During this festival, the crowd is
uncontrollable. Thus, if you are planning to visit with your children, please
be alert.
Interesting
Information About Lord Jagannath
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is the biggest
chariot festival for all Hindus and Indians. There are so many things that make
it unique and lovely. Let’s see some interesting facts about this grand
procession.
1. Deity has no
arms or legs
Do you know that
the deity does not have any arms or legs? According to
Mythology, the image of Lord Jagannath came in a dream of a king. The King
ordered his royal carpenter to carve the image of his dreams by explaining it
to him. The carpenter warned the king that if anyone sees the idol before it is
completed, the work cannot be finished. The king agreed with him and gave him
complete privacy. However, curiosity disturbed the king and he peeped into the
workshop. Thus, the idol remains incomplete. It is considered that this
presence of the statue shows that God is present in every human and reminds us
to be kind to everyone, including those who are different from us.
2. The flag on top
of the temple always flutters to the opposite direction of the airflow. The
flag is changed every day, for the past 1800 years. If the flag is not changed,
the temple will be shut down for 18 years.
3. The tip of the
temple is visible from every part of the city.
4. The government
has approved that nothing will fly above the temple. This includes any form of
aircrafts. Even birds are not found flying above the temple.
5. The temple’s architectural structure makes it impossible to cast shadow at any given point of the day.
6. Every year three separate chariots are made out of Neem tree for Lord Jagannath (ruler of the world), his elder brother Balbhadra (Balaram) and his sister Subhadra. No other wood can be used to make these grand chariots. It is one of the most interesting facts about Puri Jagannath chariot.
7. The highest chariot is made for Lord Jagannath with a
height of 44' 2" feet. His chariot is called Garudadhwaja or Kapiladhwaja.
It has a total of 16 wheels and is decorated primarily in red and yellow
colour. The height of Balaram’s chariot (Known
as Taladhwaja or Langaladhwaja) is 43'
3" feet and it has
14 wheels. It is primarily decorated in red and bluish-green colour. Subhadra’s
chariot, known as Darpadalana or Padmadhwaja, is 42'
3" feet tall and has
12 wheels. It is decorated primarily in red and black.
8. Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is an old-age ritual since
it has been mentioned in ancient scriptures like Brahma Purana, Padma Purana,
Skanda Purana and Kapila Samhita.
9. Devotees call this ritual of bringing the idols of
Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra out of the temple and installing them in
their respective chariots as ‘Pahandi‘. Before the Rath Yatra starts, the idols
are bathed with 109 buckets of water which is known as ‘Snana Purnima‘.
10. ‘Chera Pahara’ is a ritual involved in this
procession in which the King cleans the road with a golden-handled broom and
water scented with sandalwood paste.
11. Tens of thousands of devotees from all over the world
participate in this huge Rath Yatra which begins from the iconic puri temple.
12. A temple, called Gundicha temple, was built in the
memory of the famous Queen of King Indradyumna, who built the iconic Puri
Temple. The famous Rath Yatra starts from the Jagannath temple in Puri and ends
at Gundicha temple.
13. Goddess Laxmi, the wife of Lord Jagannath, comes to
visit her husband in Gundicha temple on the 4th day of the procession.
14. All the deities start their return journey on the
10th day of Ashada Shukla Paksha. This ritual is called ‘Bahuda‘ or
‘Dakshinabimukhi‘. Before returning to their places, they halt at Goddess
Ardhashini’s temple to pay obeisance to her.
15. There are two more concluding rituals called Suna
Besha, and Adhara Pana. Suna Besha is conducted on the 10th day
when the Gods are decorated with gold ornaments. Adhara Pana is
performed on the 11th and final day of the yatra when sweets are offered to the
gods.
About
The Grand Chariots
Rath Yatra in 2021: Name
of the three chariots
The names of the three
raths (Chariots) belonging to the three deities are:
Lord Jagannath: Nandighosa
Lord
Jagannath's chariot is made of approximately 16 wheels
Lord
Jagannath's chariot is about 44' 2"ft.
high
Lord Balabhadra: Taladhwaja
Lord
Balabhadra chariot is made of 14 wheels
Lord
Balabhadra chariot is 43' 3"feet
high
Goddess Subhadra: Darpadalana
Goddess
Subhadra's chariot is made with 12 wheels
Goddess
Subhadra's chariot is 42' 3"
feet high.
Jagannatha literally
means Lord of the Universe. It is believed that, if a person participates with
full devotion in the Rath Yatra will be free from the cycle of birth and death.
These grand chariots are built every
year by skilled craftsmen using wood of particular trees like dhausa and phassi
brought from Dasapalla. The logs come floating in the river Mahanadi, collected
near Puri and moved through the roadways. The process of constructing the three
chariots have been prevailing the same since centuries. These adorned chariots
that stand on the Bada Danda are roofed with bright canopies (of red cloth with
stripes of yellow, black and blue).
Each of the chariots has four horses
attached. These chariots have painted wooden images of many deities on its
sides. Each of the chariots is attached to four horses. Each chariot has a
charioteer. They are named as Daruka (Jagannatha’s charioteer), Matali
(Balarama’s Charioteer) and Arjuna (Subhadra’s Charioteer).
The chariots are fastened with ropes
and are enthusiastically pulled by devotees, coming from all over the world.
Cultural and Religious Importance of Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra
One can estimate the popularity of
this festival by looking at the crowd gathered during the festival. The pious
tourists seeking blessings from Lord Jagannath remain present there and enjoy
being a part of this majestic celebration.
Jagannath Rath Yatra symbolizes the
journey from Dwaraka, a kingdom that he ruled to Braj Bhoomi (modern-day
Mathura and Vrindavan), where Shri Krishna grew up. It is also expected to be a
recreation of the departure of Lord Krishna from Gokul when he was invited to
Mathura by Kansa.
Every Lord Krishna devotee is
interested in the Rath Yatra irrespective of who they are. The pulling of the
cart symbolizes clearing the mind and surrendering to the Supreme.
Each year, millions of Hindu pilgrims
flock to the Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra, one of the most important annual events
in Hinduism to witness the grand procession of the Lord of the Universe.
The Lord Jagannath is regarded as a
manifestation of Lord Vishnu and the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha,
is considered one of the ‘Char Dham’ pilgrimages and
worshipped by all Hindus. In fact, the temple is also called Puri Jagannath Dham. During the Chariot
festival, entry to the temple is only permitted for Hindus during the rest of
the day. Puri Jagannath temple is probably visited once in a lifetime by every
Hindu.
Due to the ISKCON Hare Krishna
campaign, the Ratha Yatra Festival has been a famous sight in most of the
world’s major cities since 1968. Now, this chariot festival is celebrated in
different cities including Moscow, New York, London, Rome, Zürich, Kolkata,
Mumbai, Karachi, Berlin, Sydney, Nairobi, Mexico City, Dublin, Manchester,
Birmingham, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Stockholm, Budapest, Auckland, Toronto, Kuala
Lumpur, Bangkok, etc.
Dr. Mayank Chandrakar is a writer also. My first book "Ayurveda Self Healing: How to Achieve Health and Happiness" is available on Kobo and Instamojo. You can buy and read.
For Kobo-
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The second Book "Think Positive Live Positive: How Optimism and Gratitude can change your life" is available on Kobo and Instamojo.
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