Ratha-Yatra (Puri)

Rathayatra of Puri
Puri Rathayatra, 2007
Place	Puri, Odisha, India

Ratha Yatra (Odia: ରଥଯାତ୍ରା or Ratha Jatra or Chariot Festival) is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath (Odia:ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ )held at Puri in the state of Odisha, India. It is the oldest Ratha Yatra taking place in India and the World, whose descriptions can be found in Brahma Purana(ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ପୁରାଣ), Padma Purana(ପଦ୍ମ ପୁରାଣ ), and Skanda Purana(ସ୍କନ୍ଦ ପୁରାଣ ) and Kapila Samhita(କପିଳା ସଂହିତା ).

This annual festival is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (second day in bright fortnight of Ashadha month/ଆଷାଢ଼ ଶୁକ୍ଳ ପକ୍ଷ ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟ).

The festival commemorates Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha Temple(ଗୁଣ୍ଡିଚା ମନ୍ଦିର ) via Mausi Maa Temple (aunt's home/ମାଉସୀ ମା ମନ୍ଦିର ) near Balagandi Chaka, Puri.

As part of Ratha Yatra, the deities of Jagannath(ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ),his elder brother Balabhadra(ବଳଭଦ୍ର ) and younger sister Subhadra(ସୁଭଦ୍ରା ) are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple and remain there for nine days.They are also accompanied by Sudarshana chakra(ସୁଦର୍ଶନ ଚକ୍ର ). Then the deities or Ratha Yatra return to the Main temple. The return journey of Puri Jagannath Ratha Jatra is known as Bahuda Jatra(ବାହୁଡା ଯାତ୍ରା ).

Three richly decorated chariots, resembling temple structures, are pulled through the streets of Puri called Badadanda(ବଡଦାଣ୍ଡ). This commemorates the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt's temple, the Gundicha Temple which is situated at a distance of 2 km from their temple. This is the only day when devotees who are not allowed in the temple premises, such as non-Hindus and foreigners, can get their glimpse of the deities. During the festival, devotees from all over the world go to Puri with an earnest desire to help pulling the Lords' chariots with the help of other priests pulling the chariots with ropes. They consider this auspicious deed and risk their lives in the huge crowd. The huge processions accompanying the chariots play devotional songs with drums, tambourines, trumpets etc. Children line the streets through which the chariot will pass and add to the mass chorus. The Ratha carts themselves are some approximately 45 feet (14 m) high and are pulled by the thousands of pilgrims who turn up for the event; the chariots are built anew each year only from a particular type of tree. Millions of devotees congregate at Puri for this annual event from all over the country and abroad. It is also broadcast live on many Indian, foreign television channels as well as many of the websites telecast jagannath ratha yatra live.