Lakhs of devotees witness divine journey
Chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra parked in Bada Dand or Grand Road in Odisha’s Puri. (DC)
PURI: The nine-day Rath Yatra, also known as Car Festival, of Lord Jagannath began in Odisha’s Puri amidst presence of lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad, — even as the state administration threw a tight ring of security around the pilgrim city to ensure smooth conduct of the grand festival.
Temple priests and other servitors associated with the festival have started performing one after another ritual in Srimandir, the abode of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra, before bringing the deities from Ratna Bedi or sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir onto the chariots.
After the deities are brought onto the chariots, Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb will perform Chhera Panhara or cleaning of the chariots with golden broomsticks, after which the devotees will pull the chariots from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple, covering a distance of three kilometres.
Srigundicha temple is the aunt’s place of the deities. The deities will spend nine days there.
The journey of the deities from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple is called Ghosha Yatra and the retreat trip is called Bahuda Yatra.
The Indian Railways has deployed 315 special trains for ensuring a convenient journey for pilgrims heading to Jagannath Puri. The state government on its part has pressed into service hundreds of buses to ferry devotees from the nook and corner of the province to enable them to have hassle-free journey to Puri.
President Droupadi Murmu, Odisha governor Raghubar Das, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, state ministers, judges of Odisha high court and many other dignitaries are present in Puri to witness Rath Yatra.
The state government has also declared the day after Rath Yatra a holiday as the pulling of chariots will continue the next day too.
“It is a unique and rare Rath Yatra which will be celebrated for two days (July 7-8) this year as to other major rituals — Naba Youvan and Netra Utsav — and are being performed simultaneously with the Rath Yatra. So, a decision has been taken to declare the day after Rath Yatra as a holiday," chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed.
CM Majhi has sought the cooperation of all the stakeholders including servitors, Puri district administration and the local public for smooth and hassle-free conduct of the Rath Yatra festival.
Director General (DG), fire service, Sudhanshu Sarangi told PTI that elaborate arrangements have been made by the fire service department as it is expected that a crowd of 10 to 15 lakh will be in Odisha for the festival.
“Altogether 46 modern fire tenders have been deployed in various parts of the town and along the sea beach for the Rath Yatra, said .As hot and humid weather may prevail, water will be sprinkled on the crowd,” he said
What is Rath Yatra?
The popular Rath Yatra is the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple. The annual three-kilometre journey is also called Ghosha Yatra. During the journey, people of all faiths and sections see the deities on the chariots. It is believed that a darshan of the deities on the chariots absolves devotees of their sins and helps them attain Moksha or salvation.
The return journey of the deities to Srimandir after their nine-day sojourn is celebrated as Bahuda yatra. The deities reach their own temple attired in new costumes and this new form of the idols is known as ‘Suna Vesa.’
The chariots used during Rath Yatra are built every year with newly cut trees. Carpenters begin the construction of chariots on the Akshaya Tritiya day. The chariots are painted with bright colors and the tops are covered with red, black, yellow, or green canopies. Lord Jagannath uses red and yellow, Lord Balaram uses red and green, while Goddess Subhadra uses red and black. All the chariots have separate features to distinguish from each other.
Temple priests and other servitors associated with the festival have started performing one after another ritual in Srimandir, the abode of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra, before bringing the deities from Ratna Bedi or sanctum sanctorum of Srimandir onto the chariots.
After the deities are brought onto the chariots, Gajapati King Dibyasingha Deb will perform Chhera Panhara or cleaning of the chariots with golden broomsticks, after which the devotees will pull the chariots from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple, covering a distance of three kilometres.
Srigundicha temple is the aunt’s place of the deities. The deities will spend nine days there.
The journey of the deities from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple is called Ghosha Yatra and the retreat trip is called Bahuda Yatra.
The Indian Railways has deployed 315 special trains for ensuring a convenient journey for pilgrims heading to Jagannath Puri. The state government on its part has pressed into service hundreds of buses to ferry devotees from the nook and corner of the province to enable them to have hassle-free journey to Puri.
President Droupadi Murmu, Odisha governor Raghubar Das, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, state ministers, judges of Odisha high court and many other dignitaries are present in Puri to witness Rath Yatra.
The state government has also declared the day after Rath Yatra a holiday as the pulling of chariots will continue the next day too.
“It is a unique and rare Rath Yatra which will be celebrated for two days (July 7-8) this year as to other major rituals — Naba Youvan and Netra Utsav — and are being performed simultaneously with the Rath Yatra. So, a decision has been taken to declare the day after Rath Yatra as a holiday," chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed.
CM Majhi has sought the cooperation of all the stakeholders including servitors, Puri district administration and the local public for smooth and hassle-free conduct of the Rath Yatra festival.
Director General (DG), fire service, Sudhanshu Sarangi told PTI that elaborate arrangements have been made by the fire service department as it is expected that a crowd of 10 to 15 lakh will be in Odisha for the festival.
“Altogether 46 modern fire tenders have been deployed in various parts of the town and along the sea beach for the Rath Yatra, said .As hot and humid weather may prevail, water will be sprinkled on the crowd,” he said
What is Rath Yatra?
The popular Rath Yatra is the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra from Srimandir to Srigundicha temple. The annual three-kilometre journey is also called Ghosha Yatra. During the journey, people of all faiths and sections see the deities on the chariots. It is believed that a darshan of the deities on the chariots absolves devotees of their sins and helps them attain Moksha or salvation.
The return journey of the deities to Srimandir after their nine-day sojourn is celebrated as Bahuda yatra. The deities reach their own temple attired in new costumes and this new form of the idols is known as ‘Suna Vesa.’
The chariots used during Rath Yatra are built every year with newly cut trees. Carpenters begin the construction of chariots on the Akshaya Tritiya day. The chariots are painted with bright colors and the tops are covered with red, black, yellow, or green canopies. Lord Jagannath uses red and yellow, Lord Balaram uses red and green, while Goddess Subhadra uses red and black. All the chariots have separate features to distinguish from each other.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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