Today is Asadha Shukla Dwitiya, the second day of the bright lunar fortnight of the month of Asadha.
It is celebrated as Rath Yatra or #RathaJatra.
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| A painting of the Rath Yatra |
This year, Rath Yatra is on 29th June.
The Rath Yatra festival began in the Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, India.
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| Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha ; Image Source |
Rath means Chariot/Car while Yatra means Travel.
Rath Yatra is a centuries-old cultural festival.
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| One of the oldest photos of Rath Yatra |
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| Rare Map |
These days the Rath Yatra is celebrated worldwide.
Lord Jagannath is the "Lord of the Universe."
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| Lord Jagannath |
Odias believe- He is a "living God" whose "round eyes are watching everything".
Lord Jagannath has fascinating tales and ancient history.
"I offer my humble prostrated obeisance to the eternal supreme personality of Godhead Lord Jagannatha, the supreme Soul."
- Swami Gaurangapada
In the Shri Jagannath temple, the three deities are three siblings- namely- Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra & Lord Balabhadra.
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| From L To R- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra & Lord Jagannath ; ImageSource |
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| From L To R- Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra & Lord Jagannath |
On Rath Yatra day, the trio emerge out of their abode- the Shree Mandir at Puri and embark on a journey to visit their aunt at the Gundicha temple. The siblings cover this distance of three kilometers thanks to their bright and amazing chariots that are pulled by their frenzied devotees.
It is celebration time as the deities are happy as they enjoy their annual outing.
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| Lord Jagannath being brought out of the Temple & proceeding to Rath ; Image Source |
Don't we love it when we go for trips, especially to our loved one's place?
The Gods also love it!
By emerging out, the Gods give darshan (sight) to all their devotees irrespective of any barriers like wealth-status, religions and nationalities.
Notice the body/skin-colour of the three idols. White, Yellow & Black represent all in our World...
In other words, the three siblings stand for the entire human-race with different skin-colours- fair, yellow & dark.
The criterion for entering the Temple is- only Hindus are allowed inside. Also, photography is not allowed inside the Temple.
Rath Yatra festival ensures Gods are accessible and also we can take photographs.
There are real-life stories of how the Gods delay their Rath Yatra, if a devotee is on the way...
The construction of the Chariots begins on the auspicious day of
Akshay Tritiya, two months before Rath Yatra, in the third day of the
bright fortnight of the month of Vaisakha.
On Akshay Tritiya, the sandalwood festival or Chandan Yatra begins, that lasts for three weeks.
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| Building of Chariots by expert craftsmen |
The Chariots are the fruits of the love and labour of skilled craftsmen.
The Chariots are awesome with fine details and paintings.
Some days ago, on Snana Yatra, Lord Jagannath and His siblings had fallen sick after taking a bath.
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Snana Yatra- The precursor to Rath Yatra |
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| Gajanana Besha of the Lord after Snana Yatra |
Rath Yatra is a celebration after the siblings have recovered from fever/sickness.
Aren't we happy when we feel hale and hearty?
The Gods are happy too!Now, Rath Yatra gives the Gods the chance to travel to their aunt's place and also reach out to their devotees, who want to connect...
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| Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha ; ImageSource |
A glimpse of Lord Jagannath on His Chariot is believed to be very auspicious as per ancient texts and scriptures.
"When Jagannatha is on His Rath Yatra cart and is moving along the road, at every step there is a loud presentation of prayers and songs chanted by large assemblies of brahmanas. Hearing their hymns, Jagannatha is very favourably disposed towards them. He is the ocean of mercy and the true friend of all the worlds."
- Adi Shankaracharya
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| From L to R- Nandighosha, Debadalana, Taladhwaja |
1. Taladhwaja - Lord Balabhadra's Chariot - Green & Red Colour
2. Debadalana - Devi Subhadra's Chariot - Black & Red Colour
3. Nandighosha - Lord Jagannath's Chariot - Yellow & Red Colour
Some TV Channels air the Live telecast of the Rath Yatra Puri.
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| Night View of the Rath Yatra Puri |
This cultural heritage advocates equality &unites everyone together.
What a master plan of the Lord of the Universe!
Jai Jagannath!
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| 2014 Rath Yatra Special Issue of Shree Mandir |
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| 'Simhadwara- Entrance to the Shree Jagannath Temple - Decorated for Niladri Bije |
For MORE PICS & Visual treat do check out my Post-
RATH YATRA!
You can also read my Post- SUNA BESA & get treated to the Gods in Gold!
Next year is special as there will be the "Nabakalebara" celebrations in which the Gods will attain new bodies, after a gap of 19 years.
In case you are yet to visit Odisha, India, do plan your trip & book your tickets for 2015.
All the pics with no source-credit above are courtesy Twitter- @arvindpadhee, @devasissarangi, @diana_sahu, and @BBSRBuzz & many of its enthu contributors.
Thanks all for sharing.
For ABC Wednesday - Y For Yatra. Yatra means Journey.
Wonderful informative post.
ReplyDeleteI have a query. Are new chariots built every year?
Thanks a lot :) Glad you liked it.
DeleteYes, new Chariots are built every year.
Hello Anita Ma'am
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton and I m very much greatful to you for giving us an rare oppourtunity to have a magnificant darshan of lord Jagannath... Really Thanks ..
Thanks Anita Ma'am for sharing
Have a fantastic day Ahead !!
Regards
Bhavikk Shah
Thanks Bhavikk! Glad you liked this :)
DeleteYou can switch on the TV & catch the live telecast now on DD National.
You can also view it online- Live Webcast at- http://jagannath.nic.in/
Thanks for your wishes!
Have a great day! Be blessed :)
This is so precious!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have a darshan here.
Thank you!
Thanks for reading & sharing, Indrani :)
DeleteDelighted that you liked. Yes, thanks to technology we can have darshan here :)
Do watch it live now on TV/online at- http://jagannath.nic.in/
Good stuff... insightful too
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Jithesh :)
DeleteDo check out Shri Jagannath Temple Administration's site for live videos - http://jagannath.nic.in/
Wow, quite a lot of information.
ReplyDeleteAnd really good use of pictures.
Liked it..
Thanks Lancelot!
DeleteEven I love the pics a lot & I had to share them for all :)
Delighted you liked it!
Glad to be part of the rath yatra through your comprehensive blog post.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know that. I loved sharing it. Thanks for reading, Kalpanaa :)
DeleteI was really expecting a post from you on this auspicious occasion of Rathayatra... a nice , informative post Anita...:-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful that I was able to meet your expectations, Mani :)
DeleteIt's a credit when we exceed expectations. May the Lord give us strength!
Thanks for the appreciation!
Much needed for me... It feels good to know about Lord Jagannath :) Very well presented Anita, just as to reach even a small kid :) Just want to ask you, are they making the chariots every year? If so, it is really interesting!
ReplyDeleteTC! Keep smiling :) Thanks for this post :)
Regards,
Sindhu
Tantu
The Arts & Me
Thanks for reading & for your appreciation, Sindhu.
DeleteYes, the Chariots are made every year.
But, not the bodies of the Lord. That happens in the occasion called 'Nabakalebar' every 12-19 years & the next Nabakalebar celebration is next year in 2015, after a gap of 19 years)
Glad you found this interesting :)
Do plan a visit to Odisha next year and be a part of this auspicious occasion.
Very interesting! Nabakalebar? Thanks for the info. I was not much aware of Odisha except for Pipli work, some information about Puri Jaganath temple and rice :) Recently came to know that it is no more Orissa. Must plan a visit to Odisha in future :) Thanks Anita :)
DeleteGreat that I was able to share some extra info for you about Odisha :)
DeleteYes, Nabakalebar is when the Gods will get new bodies. Many devotees will assemble from the world over to witness this rare event.
Pipli is a small town new Puri & is world-famous for its bright applique works. It is very much a part of Odisha :)
Am sure a creative person like you will love the arts & crafts of Odisha. Do visit.
Wonderful post, Anita. :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kiran. My pleasure. Delighted you liked it :)
DeleteAlways love your work sis...Keep up the good work..Give us more info!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nikhil for your encouragement and support :)
DeleteWow! Super post! That's an enormous compilation! Befits the Lord of the World wid enormous watchful eyes! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Amrita :) What can we possibly offer that will befit the Lord of the World? :)
DeleteThanks a ton Anita. I had my darshan of rath yatra here on your blog. Beautifully compiled.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sangeeta for such nice words :) Glad you liked it.
DeleteIt gives me goosebumps that there is continuity of tradition for centuries. This is India. Here life goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteVery true, Abhijitji.
DeleteIndian culture & festivals are amazing as they are still celebrated with gusto even after so many centuries. This speaks highly of our Incredible India.
Enjoyed reading the post, Anita and beautiful pictures:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Vishal! Pics are courtesy all the enthu Odias who shared them on Twitter. :)
DeleteSuch a wonderful post Anita...Thanks for sharing the amazing tradition. Have heard a lot about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Preethi. I loved presenting this. Delighted that you liked itI Appreciate your appreciation :)
DeleteLove how you have decoded the whole event in simple lines and with so many meaningful images.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my space, Chaitali :) Thanks for reading and sharing such beautiful words!
DeleteYou've rekindled my memories with Odisha, Anita...
ReplyDeleteLong time when I visited Puri for the Rath Yatra.
Seems like yesterday, though. :)
That's great to know, Poonam!
DeleteNever too late to plan a trip to Puri! Target next year then :)
I'm planning too! But, then it's believed that only those who are called/invited by the Lord can make it to Puri :)
Gr8 Post Anita !! I used to watch it evertime on TV in India. Sad I missed it today, but thanks to you had my darshan here :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Amruta.
DeleteYou could have watched the live webcast on the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration site...
Technology has made things easy for us!
Lots of videos available online. Don't miss them :)
Anita great Job !
ReplyDeleteVery informative post , old black n white pics are awesome.
Thanks Mahesh! Glad you liked this.
DeleteThe pics are thanks to the Odia community on Twitter :)
Wonderful post Anita.. Thanks for the detailed information and pics :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nagini! Delighted you liked this.
DeleteIt's my pleasure to share this by Lord Jagannath's grace :)
That's a mighty huge chariot. I am glad you enjoyed it Anita. Hopefully I can witness it someday :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Soumya. Three mighty Chariots for the three Gods.
DeleteDo plan a trip to Puri. It's His will. Hope it's in our luck soon :)
You have given a complete description of it. The old drawings and pictures shows how well organised the affair was.
ReplyDeleteThanks Haddock for reading & sharing your views.
DeleteYes, you are right. Rath Yatra has been systematically & religiously conducted for centuries in a careful, focused & methodical manner.
wowow beautiful.. you know I have been to puri now twice and have had some very beautiful memories .. that is a bigggggg chariot .. loved the pictures
ReplyDeleteBikram
That's so nice, Bikram! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteHope you had the awesome Mahaprasad in the Temple premises when you visited Puri.
Not just 1- there are 3 big Chariots of the Lord & His siblings :)
Frankly, I did not know anything about it. Informative post :)
ReplyDeleteAnmol, Glad that you are now aware about this centuries old festival of Odisha, India, that's celebrated worldwide now :)
DeleteVery interesting information and such detailed photos.
ReplyDeleteI liked seeing the building of the chariots.
Welcome to my Blog!
DeleteGlad you liked it!
Beautiful photos :) Thank you very much for sharing :) feeling happy to get darshan of Rath Yatra Puri, here. wish to visit in near future.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deepa :) The pleasure is mine.
DeleteLovely that you are planning a trip to Puri. Do visit :)
Very interesting culture you have! The photo of the wheels took my breath away!
ReplyDeleteLeslie
abcw team
Yes, Leslie, Indian culture is centuries-old, very incredible, precious & interesting.
DeleteDo plan a visit and see how the real Chariots move on the giant wheels :)
So festive!
ReplyDeleteROG, ABCW
Indeed Roger!
DeleteSuch unique festivals are intrinsic to India!
This is fascinating to me, and I love that it is a festival representing all races. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my Blog.
DeleteYes, Arnoldo! That's the greatness of Lord Jagannath- the Lord of the Universe.
Be blessed :)
Incredible and fascinating post - thank you so much for introducing me to the Rath Yatra festival.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Susan
Absolutely my pleasure, Susan!
DeleteWelcome to my Blog! Thanks for your kind words :)
Enormous! What a wonderful account!
ReplyDeleteThanks Amitji :) I compiled thanks to the grace of the Lord :)
Deletevery interesting.
ReplyDeletefrankly my dear
Thank you so much for visiting! Glad that you found this interesting :)
DeleteThe devotion expressed through loving labor is impressive.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my space here! Thanks for sharing such touching words :)
DeleteIt's all the grace of Lord Jagannath!
Great post Anita, you make it live. I had Lord Jagannath darshan here.... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Priyashi :)
DeleteSo you missed the LIVE Telecast on TV... Glad my post helped for the darshan :)
The trio seems very cute to me. I very recently read the mythological story of Jagannath ji. It speaks about the love lord Krishna, Subhadra and Lord Balram had among them. Sibling's love is the best and the cutest of all. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd this is a very detailed description about the famous Rath Yatra. I did not know this much about it. :)
Thanks Namrata. Glad that you found this informative :)
DeleteThe tales of Lord Jagannath are simply amazing.
Sibling love is exemplary :)
Wow! Super post! :)
ReplyDeleteinformative post... liked it...
ReplyDeleteVery amazing collection of antique photographs of lord Jagannath....I congratulate you and thank you ma'am for bringing this to us.
ReplyDeleteSuperb and colorful collection showing the vibrant place for the Yatra. I adore the black-and-white pics load. My heart goes to the victims of the stampede, though. Great post, Anita:)
ReplyDeletejagannath puri yatra is the thing that if we visits the yatra still we can't do proper darshan of bhagvan jagannath. but still i love to visit puri rath yatra and waiting for the 14th july 2018
ReplyDelete