Every year the occasion of Rath Yatra falls in the month of July and is celebrated in a grand manner. Rath Yatra at Puri begins on Saturday, 14th July and continues for ten long days. The Return Car Festival or ‘Bahuda Jatra’ is held on Monday, 23rd July. Devotees eagerly wait for this auspicious occasion of Rath Yatra which is also known to be Car Festival or Chariot Festival. Among the many known Hindu festivals, Rath Yatra is a very popular festival of Odisha and the country too. Rath Yatra is also celebrated by Odiyas residing in abroad countries too, including the US. Iscon temple across India and abroad take out their raths with Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra to visit the cities so that common people can have their darshan.

THree beautiful chariots on Rath Yatra occasion (Rath Yatra)

Jagannath Temple, Puri is one of the oldest & biggest Temple in India. The shadow of the main dome of Jagannath Temple is not visible whatever be the time of the day. The flag at the top of the temple has been observed always flaps in the opposite direction of air flow.

The Making of Chariots for Rath Yatra

  • Though logs of different species of trees are used to build the three chariots for Rath Yatra, only three logs are worshipped on Akshaya Trutiya.
  • Servitors touch a golden ax to the timber, setting the stage for the chariots to be built by skilled carpenters.
  • The majestic celebration for the Rath Yatra begins from much earlier, a month or two that covers constructing and decorating the three Raths or Chariots by several volunteers and devotees. They give days and nights in carving the chariots and decorating them beautifully.
  • The preparations for this special occasion takes long hours including creativity added on the chariot designing.
  • The three chariots are the main highlights of Rath Yatra that are pulled by strings.
  • Taladhwaja, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra is made of 45 feet high along with 16 wheels. That of the Nandighos, the chariot of Lord Jagannath is 45.6 feet high and includes 18 wheels. The Devidalan, the chariot of Goddess Subhadra is made of 44.6 feet high and has 14 wheels.
  • More than 75 carpenters are engaged to make the chariots. A staggering 13,000 wood will be required.
  • These three chariots are adorned with several beautiful designs and colors by the proficient artists of Puri and nearby areas who exhibit their expertise and enthusiasm for the Rath Yatra. Artists from Raghurajpur (near Puri) are called to decorate the chariots with different designs.

    Volunteers and Purohits get busy for Rath Yatra celebrations (NewsGram)

Rath Yatra Celebrations

On 14th July, the three chariots are placed in front of Jagannath Temple, Puri. Firstly, sister Devi Subhadra, followed by elder brothers Lord Balabhadra, and Lord Jagannath are brought out by the temple pandits (priests) on the Bada Danda (the main street of Puri). Lord Jagannath takes a lot of time to come out to his chariot. After the three deities are properly placed in their individual chariots, the most important ritual known to be chhera pahara is performed religiously every year on the Rath Yatra day. The significance of this Chhera Pahara ritual is that the Raja of Puri, Gajapati King, wearing the sweeper’s outfit, sweeps the steps of the three chariots and around the deities with a gold-handled broom. He even sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with full devotion.

Raja of Puri cleans the floor of the chariots of three deities (Lord Jagannath)

Then the volunteers and devotees pull the three Raths by long ropes as they move to Shri Gundicha Temple which is their aunt’s house from the Jagannath temple. Here the deities enjoy their nine-days stay as they are served with sweet delicacies. On the tenth day, the three deities ride back on their chariots towards Shri Mandir in Bahuda Yatra, making a halt at the Mausi Maa Temple where they are offered Poda Pitha (a kind of baked cake). After reaching in front of the Jagannath temple, sister Devi Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra, and Lord Jagannath are adorned in gold jewelry and huge people including men and women gather to pray. They look amazing in marvelous ornaments. It is a fact that these deities approach their devotees outside once a year so that they can shower their prayers to them wholeheartedly.

Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath adorned in gold on 10th/11th day (Lord Jagannath)

Few more details about Jagannath Temple’s Mahaprasad

The temple kitchen has the capacity to cook Mahaprasad for nearly one lakh pilgrims a day. Every day, food for nearly 15,000 people is cooked & sold at Ananda Bazaar, inside the temple premises. The holy kitchen prepares 56 dishes for the main course, including rice, dal, curry, kheer & an equal range of pancakes (pitha in local parlance). Food is cooked by steaming in earthen pots on wood-fired ovens (challahs). On a normal day, around 72 quintals of rice are cooked in the kitchen. While deities are offered Mahaprasad 4 times a day, devotees get prasad from lunch till dinner.

Mahaprasad of 50 dishes (Dandavats.com)

The mahaprasad or holy offering to the Lord is cooked on firewood in 7 vessels or pots kept one above the other. The miracle is that the food kept in the topmost vessel gets cooked first, followed by the second & so on till the seventh. The quantity of mahaprasad cooked inside the temple remains the same for the entire year. But that same quantity of prasad can feed few thousand people to a few lakhs of people, there has never been a shortfall. Mahaprasad is prepared by 600-700 cooks & partaken by up to 50,000 pilgrims generating a business of Rs. 8-12 lakhs per day.

The famous Puri Khaja (IndiaMART)

But for the ten days of Rath Yatra period, Jagannath Temple is closed; hence no prasad is prepared there. Otherwise, mahaprasad is made four times a day, on daily basis for the deities, and further distributed to the sellers in the temple. Anyone can buy that Prasad and sit in the temple premises and have it. It is said that getting mahaprasad is a big blessing for the devotees and pandits. Khaja prasad is available outside the temple in nearby temples during the Rath Yatra time.

Those people who are keen to watch Rath Yatra live can visit Puri on 14th July and 23rd and 24th July to get blessings from Devi Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra, and Lord Jagannath. Others can watch it live on OTV channel.

Rath Yatra darshan by people at night (Times of India)

Even Hindi and English News channels cover this Rath Yatra moment from Puri, Ahmedabad and other cities where chariots with deities visit the devotees. May Lord Jagannath bless you all with peace, prosperity, and happiness! 🙂




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Sanghamitra Roychoudhary

Sanghamitra Roychoudhary

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A proficient Web Content Developer (Technical and Non-Technical Writer), Blogger, and Freelance Content Writer. A happy author of www.w3buzz.in! She is a creative person, always eager to learn new aspects, and seeking new ways for improving skills in her field. She loves traveling & photography; also, a sports enthusiast!
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