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Puri Rath Yatra
Context: The Odisha government has made extensive arrangements for the festival, typically a one-day event, now extended to two days due to celestial factors, a first since 1971.
Jagannatha Rath Yatra Overview:
- Significance: Jagannatha Rath Yatra is a major Hindu festival with great religious significance, celebrated in Odisha, dedicated to Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balbhadra, and Goddess Subhadra.
- Date: The festival will be celebrated on Dwitiya Tithi of Shukla Paksha in Ashadha, which is July 7, 2024.
- Historical Context: The festival started between the 12th and 16th centuries and is associated with various stories and legends.
Religious Importance:
- Divine Manifestation: Lord Jagannatha, a manifestation of Lord Krishna, along with his siblings Subhadra and Balabhadra (Balarama), blesses devotees who are unable to enter the temple.
- Symbolic Journey: The yatra represents Lord Krishna’s journey from Gokul to Mathura and symbolises the divine’s desire to bless followers.
Annual Pilgrimage:
- Pilgrimage: The event commemorates the yearly pilgrimage of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from the Jagannatha Temple to the Gundicha Temple, believed to be their Mausi’s residence.
- Return Journey: The yatra concludes when the deities return to the Jagannatha Temple after nine days.
Rituals and Traditions:
- Chariot Construction: Every year, three enormous chariots are constructed for the deities using specific materials and dimensions based on ancient specifications.
- Pahandi Procession: The deities are taken out of the temple in a grand procession known as Pahandi, accompanied by singing, dancing, and chanting.
- Chariot Pulling: Devotees pull the chariots through the streets of Puri while singing bhajans and reciting hymns, an act considered highly auspicious.
- Gundicha Temple Stay: The deities spend nine days at the Gundicha Temple, where numerous ceremonies and celebrations are held.
- Return Journey (Bahuda Yatra): The deities return to the Jagannatha Temple in a similarly grand procession.