Rath Yatra – 2018

RAJA MAHOTSHAV
RAJA MAHOTSHAV
June 13, 2018
Makar Sankranti – 2019
Makar Sankranti – 2019
January 14, 2019

Jay Jagannath. Today is the day for which our state gets a very special honour in spiritual world. It is Rath Yatra (Car Festival of Jagannath Maha Prabhu at Puri). I am glad to view another colourul and disciplined Rath Yatra today in Puri. The Trinity Gods are usually worshipped in the Sanctum of Sri Mandir but once in the year in the month of Aashadha (July), They are brought out onto the Bada Danda (Grand Road) and travel three kilometres to the Sri Gundicha temple on Charoits allowing the devotees to take a Darshan. The festival is known as Rath Yatra means the journey of chariots (Rath). The Rathas are huge-wheeled wooden structures built anew every year and pulled by the devotees. Chariot of Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 feet square and takes about two months to be constructed. Artists and painters of Puri decorate the cars and paint flower petals and other designs to the wheels, the wood covered charioteers and horses and the inverted lotuses well behind the throne. The Rath Yatra is also called as Sri Gundicha Yatra. The most significant ritual associated with Rath Yatra is the Chheraa Pahanraa. During the estival the Gajpati Maharaj wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and the chariots with a golden broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with utmost devotion. The Gajpati cleanses the road before the chariots. Asper the custom, although the Gajpati is considered to be the most exalted person in the Kalingan kingdom, still he renders the menial service to Lord Jagannath. This ritual signifies that under the leadership o Jagannath, there is no difference between the powerful Gajpati and a humble devotee. Cheraa Pahanraa is held on two days, on the day of Rath Yatra when the deities are taken to Garden House at Mausi Maa temple and again on the last day off the festival when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Sri Mandir. As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out of the Sri Mandir to the chariots at in Pahandi Bije disgruntled devotees hold a right to offer kicks, slaps and derogatory remarks to the images and Jagannath Maha Prabhu behaves like a commoner. In the Rath Yatra, the three deities are taken from the Jagannath temple by chariots to Sri Gundicha temple where they stay for seven days. Thereafter the deities again ride chariots back to Sri Mandir in Bahuda Yatra. On the way back the three chariots halt near Mausi Maa temple and the deities are offered with Poda Pitha, a kind of backed cake which is generally consumed by poorer sections. Observance of Rath Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of Puranas. Vivid descriptions of the festival are found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana and Skandha Purana. Kapila Samhita also refers to Rath Yatra. In Mughal period also King Ram Singh of Jaipur, Rajastan is  described to have organized Rath Yatra in 18th century. In our Odisha, Kings of Mayurbhanj and Paralakhemundi were organizing Rath Yatra. Moreover, Starza notes it that, the ruling Ganga dynasty instituted Rath Yatra at the completion of the great temple in 1150 AD. This festival was one of those Hindu festivals that was reported to the western world very earlier.  Anyway, this great Rath Yatra shines our unity and integrity and I expect flourish of Odisha in coming days by grace of Jaga Kalia. Jay Jagannath.