Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) is one of the most famous festival in India. It is celebrated widely in the country. It is considered as the most significant festival. The most famous & largest Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) is held in the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. A huge procession is taken place where in a chariot Bhagwan Jagannath (Bhagwan Krishna) along with his elder brother Balabhadra (Balram) & younger sister Subhadra are taken for the tour of the city. The large number of devotees take part in this procession at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) is more than five thousand years old & the most spiritual thing is, till date the celebration follows all the same rituals from the starting. Apart of celebrating this Rath Yatra in Puri, other cities also organize such procession & devotees take part in that too.
Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) is the Sanskrit sentence where Jagannath (जगन्नाथ) is another name of Bhagwan Krishna, Rath (रथः) means chariot & Yatra (यात्रा) means a journey; the meaning of the whole sentence is “a chariot journey of Bhagwan Jagannath”. Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) is held every year on the 2nd day of bright fortnight of the Aashadha (आषाढः शुक्लपक्षे द्वितीया). The Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) is a symbol of unity, brotherhood & peace. Thousands of devotees travel from all over the country to participate in this Yatra & consider it a good fortune if they get a chance of pulling the Bhagwan's chariot.
King Indradyumna of Avanti first build the Jagnnath Temple at Puri and the present temple was rebuild by the king of Ganga Dynasty named Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev in the 12th century at the seashore of Puri. The temple is constructed in the Kalinga architectural style. On this day, Bhagwan Jagannath, Balabhadra (Balram) & Subhadra ride in separate chariots to their aunt's home, the Gundicha temple, three kilometers away from the Puri temple. At Puri it is an eight-day festival where on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the Aashadha month (आषाढः शुक्लपक्षे द्वितीया) the procession of the Rath Yatra starts & later on the same day it reaches the Gundicha temple & return back on the 10th day of the bright fortnight of the Aashadha month (आषाढः शुक्लपक्षे दशमी). 10th day of the bright fortnight of the Aashadha month (आषाढः शुक्लपक्षे दशमी) is considered as the homecoming day of Bhgwan Jagannatha, Balbhadra & Subhadra.
Significance of the Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) –
Bhagwan Jagannath (another name of Bhagwan Krishna) is an eighth incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu & also revered (highly admired) by the followers of Vaishnavism. The name Jagannath literally means the Lord of the Universe. According to the scriptures, Jagannath temple is one of the four main Hindu pilgrimage centers known as Chaar Dhaam pilgrimages that a Hindu is expected to visit in one's lifetime. Bhagwan Jagannath is worshipped along with his brother Bhagwan Balabhadra (Balram) & his sister Goddess Subhadra.
The chariots used during Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) are built every year. The carpenters begin the construction of chariots on the Akshaya Trutiya (अक्षय तृतीया) (वैशाखः शुक्लपक्षे तृतीया) (3rd of the bright fortnight of the Vaishakha month). The chariots are painted with bright colours & the tops are covered with red, black, yellow & green canopies (covering). For Bhagwan Jagannath’s chariot, red & yellow-coloured canopies are used, for Bhagwan Balabhadra’s (Balram) chariot, red & green-coloured canopies are used, while for Goddess Subhadra’s chariot, red & black-coloured canopies are used.
All the three chariots have separate features to distinguish from each other. Also, all the Chariots has different names like, Bhagwan Jagannath's chariot is known as Chakradhwaja or Nandighosa (also known as Garudadhwaja, Kapiladhwaja), which simply describe about loud & blissful sound. It is 45 feet tall with 65 tons weight having 16 wheels & Garuda on its crest (top) along with four white wooden horses, these are the specific features of Bhagwan Jagannath's chariot.
Bhagwan Balabhadra's (Balram’s) chariot is known as Taladhwaja or Langaladhwaja, which means the sound of significantly powerful rhythm. It is 43 feet tall, having 14 wheels & having four black wooden horses along with Hanuman on its crest. These are the specific features of Bhagwaan Balabhadra’s chariot.
Goddess Subhadra's chariot is known as Padmadhwaja or Darpadalan, which means destroyer of pride. It is 42 feet tall, having 12 wheels & having four red wooden horses along with a lotus on its crest. These are the specific features of Goddess Subhadra’s chariot.
Three massive wooden chariots for the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) are made out of a particular type of the Neem tree. It is stated in the scriptures that, the one who takes part in the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) would be blessed with pleasure & riches.
According to the Katha Upanishad's spiritual significance of the chariot that - This festival signifies the human body as the Chariot (रथः) & God as the charioteer (driver of the chariot) (सारथि), who drives the chariot of the body to the journey (यात्रा) of material existence. Classically it is signifiesd as - The soul which drives the body is signifies as the chariot, intellect which is devoted to God is the charioteer of the chariot which is moving towards the material existence. The wheels signifies the valor (courage). The horses signifies as determination. The horses are the synonyms of strength, self-discipline, tolerance & discrimination; whereas pity, calmness & forgiveness are the reins of horses.
Historical account of the Jagannath Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) –
There are different legends which are connected to the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा). According to the great epic Mahabharat, the queen Gandhari was devastated by the death of her sons & she believed that Bhagwan Krishna would have avoided the battle with his divine abilities, but he did not, thus she cursed Bhagwan Krishna that in coming 35 years he & his Yaduvansh would come to destruction by killing each other & Dwarka would be flooded.
In the due course of time this actually happened. The sorrowful Bhagwan Krishna was sitting on a river bank when a hunter named Jara attacked him, thinking him to be a deer, and killed him. Realising his mistake, Jara performed the last rite of Bhagwan Krishna as per the Hindu traditions. His whole body turned into ashes except for his heart. Not knowing what to do with it, Jara immersed the heart in the river. That heart floated and reached Puri.
One night, the ruler of Puri, the King Indradyumna, saw a dream that he was walking down the beach of Puri and saw something inexplicable (mysterious). He woke up from his dream and went to the beach where he found a log of wood. When he came back to his palace, he met an 80-year-old artisan, who was none other than Bhagwan Vishwakarma (the God of Architecture) disguised as the artisan. He asked the King that he wanted to make idols from that log of wood and also asked the king to provide him a chamber where he would stay and make the idols for 21 days, without food and water & no one will enter that chamber until he comes out of the chamber. The king provided everything that artisan had asked for.
Two men guarded the door of the chamber so that the artisan was not disturbed. On 14th day, the guards informed the king that sound of hammer that used to come from the chamber had stopped. The worried queen forced the king to open the door, fearing that the artisan might have died without food and water. The door was opened, the artisan got angry and he vanished, leaving the three idols of Bhagwan Jagannath, Bhagwan Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra incomplete. These idols were just human sketches with red lips. wide eyes like circles & one the arms extended from neck.
The King, looking at this was taken aback & realized his mistake & begged Bhagwan Vishnu for forgiveness. Bhagwan Vishnu then urged him to put the incomplete idols in the temple. As a result, King Indradyumna established a temple near the ocean of Puri. He placed the incomplete idols in the temple. This is how the heart of Bhagwan Krishna has its place as a log of wooden idol.
According to the another legend from Shrimad Bhagwad Purana, the Rath Yatra festival is associated with Bhagwan Krishna, Balaram & Subhadra in Dwarka. Once upon a time, seven wives from 16,108 wives of Bhagwan Krishna wanted to listen to some divine tales related to Krishna & Gopi's from the first wife Rukmini. But Rukmini was not willing to narrate the story. After a long request, she agreed but on the condition that Subhadra would guard the door so that no one overhears. While the stories are being narrated by Rukmini, Subhadra got so captivated & meantime Bhagwan Krishna & Balabhadra arrived at the doorway & Subhadra stopped them by standing in between them with her hands wide apart. That time sage Narad arrived & saw three siblings together & he prayed for the three of them to give blessed them that they will stay together forever & from that day onwards; Bhagwan Krishna, Subhadra & Balabhadra reside in Puri's Jagannath temple eternally.
According to the yet another narration from Shrimad Bhagwad Purana, once Bhagwan Krishna got conjunctivitis & because of which Bhagwan Balabhadra & Goddess Subhadra got infected by the same. So, a Vaidya (Ayurvedic Doctor) was invited to Bhagwan Krishna’s palace to examine their eyes. Vaidya said that it is conjunctivitis & this will spread to other family members so it is advisable to put the cotton pads dipped in a raw milk on the eyes & wrap it with a cotton cloth & do not go out for 14 days. Bhagwan Krishna along with his brother & sister started the treatment as suggested by the Vaidya.
14 days passed & Bhagwan Krishna did not visit the people/devotees of his kingdom & they were getting desperate for the sight of Bhagwan Krishna. That’s when Bhagwan Krishna decided to visit the them in a chariot along with his brother Balabhadra & sister Subhadra keeping the cotton cloth tied on their eyes so that others does not get affected by the eye disease. From this day onwards there is a tradition going around that every year Bhagwan Krishna visit his devotees along with his brother Balabhadra & sister Subhadra.
Ritual ceremony of the Jagannath Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) –
According to the Brahma Purana, Padma Purana & Skanda Purana, the Jagannath Rath Yatra (जगन्नाथ रथयात्रा) of Puri, Odisha is the oldest Rath Yatra whose description is stated in these Puranas. Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) honors Bhagwan Jagannatha's annual visit to Goddess Gundicha (गुंडीचा) temple. It is said that, to honor the devotion of Queen Gundicha, wife of the legendary King Indradyumna, who built the Puri Jagannatha temple; the Bhagwan Jagannatha, Balabhadra & Subhadra leave their regular abode of the main temple & spend a few days in this temple built by Gundicha in their honor.
The fourth day after Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) is celebrated as Hera Panchami (हेरा पञ्चमी) when Goddess Lakshmi- the consort of Bhagwan Jagannath, visits Gundicha temple in search of Bhagwan Jagannatha. Hera Panchami should not be confused with Panchami Tithi as Hera Panchami is celebrated on the fourth day after Rath Yatra & it is observed on Shashthi Tithi (6th day of the bright fortnight of Aashadha month).
After resting eight days in Gundicha temple, Bhagwan Jagannatha returns to his main abode. This day is known as Bahuda Yatra (बहुदा) or return journey & is observed on the ninth day after Ratha Yatra on Dashami Tithi (आषाढः शुक्लपक्षे दशमी) (10th day of the bright fortnight of the Aashadha month). During Bahuda Yatra Bhagwan Jaggannath along with his brother & sister, makes a short stoppage at the Mausi Maa temple (Maternal aunt’s temple) which is dedicated to Goddess Ardhashini.
It should be noted that, Bhagwan Jagannatha returns to his main abode just a day before Devshayni Ekadashi (देवशयनी एकादशी), when Bhagwan Jagannatha goes to sleep for four months.
The rituals of Ratha Yatra start much ahead of the Ratha Yatra day. Approximately 18 days before of Ratha Yatra Bhagwan Jagannatha, his brother Balabhadra & his sister goddess Subhadra are given famous ceremonial bath which is known as Snan Yatra (स्नान यात्रा) (a bathing journey). Snan Yatra (स्नान यात्रा) (a bathing journey) is observed on full moon day of Jyeshtha month which is popularly known as Jyeshtha Purnima (ज्येष्ठः पूर्णिमा).
The procession of Bhagwan Jagannath along with his brother & sister is held by other cities too like Dwarka, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Jaipur, West Bengal, etc. The ritual ceremony of the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) of other cities may differ from the Jagannath Puri temple, but the ritual ceremony of commencing the Rath Yatra remains same. The procession of Bhagwan Jagannath along with Bhagwan Balram & Goddess Subhadra is taken out in a chariot where the chariot is decorated with flowers, devotees visit the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा) for the sight of Gods & Goddess. Devotees also participate in pulling the chariot. Some devotees make arrangements of playing different instruments during the Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा). Devotees also chant “Jay Jagannath” during the whole procession. Prasad is distributed to each & every devotee during Rath Yatra.
Thus, a simple procession of Gods & Goddess holds a significant place in our culture which is celebrated with great enthusiasm. This Rath Yatra is the symbol of love, peace, unity & brotherhood. Devotees believe that during Rath Yatra (रथयात्रा), Bhagwan Jagannath sanctifies the city by showering his blessings to the city as well as to his devotees. This festival is considered as the heart of Puri as it is the main abode of Bhagwan Jagannath. May Bhagwan Jagannath sanctify your heart, soul, mind & body with his blessings.
चैत्रः शुक्लपक्षे १०, २०७८