One of India’s biggest religious festivals, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is being celebrated in the country.

Key details:

• Also known as the ‘Festival of Chariots’, this occasion begins in the month of Ashadha.
• The festival signifies the annual visit of Lord Jagannath, Balaram, and Subhadra to the Gundicha temple in Odisha.
• Every year, the Rath Yatra takes place for nine days and is known as the biggest chariot procession globally.

History

• As per the holy Hindu scriptures–Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Skanda Purana, and Kapila Samhita–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 from their home temple to another temple, which is believed to be their aunt’s home, has been symbolised by this festival.

Significance

• This is the only festival in the world where deities are taken out of temples to travel to devotees.
• The deities’ raths arrive at the Gundicha temple on the first day of the procession and stay there for the following days.
• They go back to the Jagannath temple on the ninth day.
• The three chariots carrying the deities are built and embellished in preparation to begin the yatra, and are constructed by expert carpenters known as ‘Maharana’.
• Each of the chariots has its own name.
  • Lord Jagannath’s chariot is called Nandighosh,
  • Lord Balabhadra’s chariot is known as  Taladhwaja and
  • Devi Subhadra’s chariot is named Darpadalana.
• These raths are carried by devotees and it is believed that being part of these celebrations brings prosperity and fulfillment of desires.
• Lord Jagannath is considered the ‘Lord of the Universe’ according to Hindu scriptures.
• He is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu and is deeply revered by the followers of Vaishnavism.
• Meanwhile, Jagannath temple is one of the four Hindu pilgrimage centers known as Char Dham, which Hindus are expected to visit in their lifetime