Rath Yatra Festival Date Year 2016 to 2021
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2016 : July 6 Wednesday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2017 : June 25 Sunday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2018 : July 14 Saturday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2018 : July 14 Saturday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2019 : July 4 Thursday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2020 : June 23 Tuesday
Rath Yatra Festival Year 2021 : July Monday
About Rath Yatra Festival
The most important festival in summer is Rath Yatra Festival.Rath Yatra festival is held annually at 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the gujarati month of Ashad (also called as Ashad Shukla Dwitiya).Ratha Yatra festival is also known as the Festival of Chariot, Car Festival, Dashavatar Yatra, Gundicha Jatra. The Festival celebrates Lord Krishna's return to Vrindaban and is held
annually in the months of June-July to honor Lord Jagannatha.This festival is mostly grand Celebrated in Puri Orissa and Ahmedabad Gujarat and other places.This day is holiday in all over india.This festival is celebrated to commemorate the Lord Jagannath on annual
basis which involves the holy visit of the Lord Jagannath and completes
at Gundicha Mata temple passing through the Mausi Maa Temple of
Balagandi Chaka, Puri. The whole Ratha Yatra process involves the holy
procession of Hindu deities Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and
Lord Balabhadra to the Gundicha Mata Temple. After nine days people
bring Hindu deities with Ratha Yatra to the same place means Puri
Jagannath temple. The returning process of Ratha Yatra to the Puri
Jagannath temple is called as Bahuda Yatra.
Jagganath Rath Yatra Festival in Puri Orissa
In The Puri Orissa Rath Yatra Festival is Grandest celebration.Rath Yatra is begin Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Mata Temple through the Mausi Maa Temple.This holy festival is celebrated for nine days by the Hindu devotees to commemorate the holy journey of the Lord Jagannath.The huge, colourfully decorated chariots, are drawn by hundreds and
thousands of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the
Gundicha temple, some two miles away to the North. After a stay for
seven days, the deities return to their abode in Srimandira.hree richly decorated chariots, resembling temple structures, are pulled
through the streets of Puri. This commemorates the annual journey of
Lord Jagannath, Lord Balarama, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt's
temple, the Gundicha Temple.
Lord Jagannatha’s Chariot is called Nandighosa. It is forty-five feet
high and forty-five feet square at the wheel level. It has sixteen
wheels, each of seven-foot diameter, and is decked with a cover made of
red and yellow cloth.The Chariot of Lord Balabhadra, called the Taladhwaja, is the one with
the Palm Tree on its flag. It has fourteen wheels, each of seven-foot
diameter and is covered with red and blue cloth. Its height is
forty-four feet.The Chariot of Subhadra, known as Darpadalana, is forty-three feet high
with twelve wheels, each of seven-foot diameter. This Chariot is decked
with a covering of red and black cloth. The festival begins with the invoking ceremony in the morning and the
chariot pulling on the roads of Puri in afternoon is the most exciting
part of the festival. The 3 deities have 3 different chariots - the
chariot of Lord Jagannath, Nandighosa, has 18 wheels and is 45.6 feet
high, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, Taladhwaja has 16 wheels and is 45
feet high and the chariot of Subhadra, Devadalana has 14 wheels and is
44.6 ft high. Every year the wooden temples like chariots are
constructed newly. The idols of these three deities are also made of
wood and they are religiously replaced by new ones in every 12 years. On the next day the Bada Ekadasi, the three deities, are attired in costumes of glittering gold and are worshipped by thousands of devotees. This form of the deities is known as the famous Suna Vesa. On the Dwadasi day, the three deities go back to their original place, the Ratna simhasana, literally the jewelled platform,with theusual fanfare and the Pahandi style. Their arrival in to the Sanctum sanctorum marks the end of the Ratha Yatra the grand festival of Chariot.
The chariot of Lord Jagannath called Nandighosha has a cover of bright red and yellow. The basic design of all three is similar being a combination of narrow and wide stripes while on the four sides above the openings, there are applique mythical motifs like Rahu, Chandra as well as motifs from nature like flowers etc. It is these colourful applique covers which indentify the chariots of the three deities from far away by the millions of pilgrims thronging the Badadanda or the extrawide main road of Puri in which the lords make their annual sojourn in the car festival.
Seats and pillows in applique are also made for ceremonial use by the deities during the annual ritual of bathing festival (Snana Jatra) and is locally known as ‘Chakada Kama' with motifs of 27 stars and geometrical forms in applique work with motifs of fish, frog etc. on black cloth is used in the ritual dress of the Deities of Puri temple, locally known as the ‘Gaja Uddharana Vesha', incarnation of Rescuer of Elephant. Applique cover is also made for capparisoning the dummy horses in the ‘Horse Dance' or Ghoda Nacha during Chaitra Festival in Puri and other places.
The Three Chariots of Rath Yatra
The Trree chariots are built to different specifications.
Lord Jagannath's chariot, the largest of the three, is 45 feet in hight.It is known as 'Nandighosha, It is supported by 15 giant wheels, each seven feet in diameter.The chariot is yellow in colour.
Lord Balbhadra's chariot is called 'Paladhwaja'.It is slightly smaller than the Nandighosha, is 44 feet in high, and is supported by 14 wheels.The colour of Balabhadra's chariot is blue.
Goddess Subhadra's chariot is known as Darpadalana or 'Deviratha.' It is 43 feet in high and is supported by 14 wheels.It is painted a deep red colour.
The interesting feature is that the colour of each chariot matches the colour of the robes adrning the deities.
Significance of Ratha Yatra Festival
Intricate sentiments symbolise the grand Ratha yatra festivities connecting the event with the return of Lord Krishna to Vrindavana from His pompous life in Dvaraka to meet His heart throbs. The palace of Dvaraka represents the residence of Jagannatha, an enticing enactment of Lord Krishna's scintillating pastime. At Puri Krishna and His fraternal associates dwell as living Deities to wipe off the sufferings of His devotees in this mutilated age of kali yuga. The Gundicha represents the Vrindavana, where His eternal associates Radharani, the gopis and gopas dwell. The visit of Jagannatha to Gundicha symbolises the visit of Shyamasundara to meet His youthful associates of Vrindavana and the seven days stay there reminds His enchanting moments of rasa-lila with the loving company of their association. Many have enacted this colourful event and many have coined articulating words of gesture to glorify their touching love of Lord with the glories of Vrindavana.
Engrossed in separation with Radharani, Lord Krishna travelled to Kurukshetra from Dvaraka accompanied by Balarama and Subhadra and met Radharani, His ever loving friend in Goloka Vrindavan. Dragged in ecstatic love, Krishna was arrested in sentiments and His limbs dragged in His body. Lord Chaitanya was the manifest love of Radharani and He carrying Jagannatha to Gundicha reminds Radharani wanting to take away Lord Krishna from Dvaraka to Vrindavana.
The Trree chariots are built to different specifications.
Lord Jagannath's chariot, the largest of the three, is 45 feet in hight.It is known as 'Nandighosha, It is supported by 15 giant wheels, each seven feet in diameter.The chariot is yellow in colour.Lord Balbhadra's chariot is called 'Paladhwaja'.It is slightly smaller than the Nandighosha, is 44 feet in high, and is supported by 14 wheels.The colour of Balabhadra's chariot is blue.
Goddess Subhadra's chariot is known as Darpadalana or 'Deviratha.' It is 43 feet in high and is supported by 14 wheels.It is painted a deep red colour.
The interesting feature is that the colour of each chariot matches the colour of the robes adrning the deities.
Significance of Ratha Yatra Festival
Intricate sentiments symbolise the grand Ratha yatra festivities connecting the event with the return of Lord Krishna to Vrindavana from His pompous life in Dvaraka to meet His heart throbs. The palace of Dvaraka represents the residence of Jagannatha, an enticing enactment of Lord Krishna's scintillating pastime. At Puri Krishna and His fraternal associates dwell as living Deities to wipe off the sufferings of His devotees in this mutilated age of kali yuga. The Gundicha represents the Vrindavana, where His eternal associates Radharani, the gopis and gopas dwell. The visit of Jagannatha to Gundicha symbolises the visit of Shyamasundara to meet His youthful associates of Vrindavana and the seven days stay there reminds His enchanting moments of rasa-lila with the loving company of their association. Many have enacted this colourful event and many have coined articulating words of gesture to glorify their touching love of Lord with the glories of Vrindavana.
Engrossed in separation with Radharani, Lord Krishna travelled to Kurukshetra from Dvaraka accompanied by Balarama and Subhadra and met Radharani, His ever loving friend in Goloka Vrindavan. Dragged in ecstatic love, Krishna was arrested in sentiments and His limbs dragged in His body. Lord Chaitanya was the manifest love of Radharani and He carrying Jagannatha to Gundicha reminds Radharani wanting to take away Lord Krishna from Dvaraka to Vrindavana.
History of Rath Yatra
Ratha Yatra originated Five thousand years ago in India, on the East Coast state of Orrisa, in a city called Jagannatha Puri.According to popular legend, Lord Jagannath is said to have expressed his desire to visit his birthplace-Gundicha Ghat. Some Hindus believe that Jagannatha is an incarnation of Vishnu. Since Vishnu has four arms, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana represent Vishnu's four arms. Each deity has its own massive chariot, which are replicas of the temple. Jagannatha's chariot, Nandighosha, is yellow in color, 45 ft high and has 16 wheels, each one seven feet in diameter. About 4,200 devotees draw the chariot. Balabhadra's chariot is called Taladhvaja, is blue in color and has 14 wheels. Subhadra's chariot is the smallest, with 12 wheels and is called Deviratha.
According to the Bhagavad Purana, it is believed that it was on this day that Krishna and Balarama went to Mathura to participate in a wrestling competition, at Kansa's invitation.
Many believe that the custom of placing idols on grand chariots and pulling them is of Buddhist origin. Fa Hien, the Chinese historian, who visited India in the 5th century AD, had written about the chariot of Buddha being pulled along public roads.
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According to the Bhagavad Purana, it is believed that it was on this day that Krishna and Balarama went to Mathura to participate in a wrestling competition, at Kansa's invitation.
Many believe that the custom of placing idols on grand chariots and pulling them is of Buddhist origin. Fa Hien, the Chinese historian, who visited India in the 5th century AD, had written about the chariot of Buddha being pulled along public roads.
Related Links
Rath Yatra Festival Whats App Sms-Facebook Sms-Picture Sms
Rath Yatra Festival Greetings-Rath Yatra Festival Screps-Wishes
Rath Yatra Festival Wallpaper
