Rath Yatra festival is celebrated every year on the second day of Ashadh Sud as per Hindu calendar. Jagannath RathYatra is primarily celebrated in the city of Puri, Odisha. The Jagannath temple located in Ahmedabad city also organizes the Rath Yatra each year. People from around the world and the country visit to watch the Rath Yatra live. There are huge chariots drawn in order to carry the Lords. The mere sight of this whole celebration is a blessing in itself. This year the Jagannath Rath Yatra in India will be celebrated on June 20, 2023.
Rath Yatra Festival Date-Time
According to the Hindu calendar, Rath Yatra is observed on the second day of Ashadha month i.e., late June or early July. In ancient literature, this day is referred to as ‘Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya’. In 2023, Rath Yatra will take place on 20 June (Tuesday).
Rath Yatra Date: June 20, 2023, Tuesday
Dwitiya Tithi Begins: 11:25 AM on Jun 19, 2023
Dwitiya Tithi Ends: 01:07 PM on Jun 20, 2023
Looking for auspicious timings of the day, refer to Panchang!
Rath Yatra Rought Map Jagannath Puri Orissa
Option 1:There is a smooth network of roads in Orissa which connects it to all the major cities of the country and the nearby towns of the state.
Option 2:One can even reach Puri via rail as the railway station at Puri is linked to all the important cities in India with regular trains. The railway station of the town is also very easily accessible from the main town area.
Option 3:Incase you want to go by air, fly to Bhubaneswar (56kms from Puri). Bhubaneswar is the main connecting point between Puri and other Indian destinations. Travel to Puri by surface. Check into a hotel in Puri.
Next day get up early in the morning and get ready to participate in Rath Yatra by 6 am.
Note:Lots of pilgrims and tourists come to Puri at the time of Rath Yatra. To make yourself free from the hurdles of accommodation, book your hotel in advance. Toshali Sands in Puri is a four star resort which arranges full tours for Rath Yatra-including transfer to any hotel accommodation from airport/railway station, Sightseeing of Rath Yatra and other places to visit in Puri.
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra History
Ratha Yatra is the most popular and anticipated festival of the year in Odisha and means the festival (yatra) of the chariots (ratha).
The observance of the Ratha Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the twelfth century. Descriptions of the festival can be found in key Hindu texts such as Brahma Purana, Padma Purana and Skanda Purana.
Jagannath literally means 'Lord of the Universe' and is a deity worshipped in regional traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism in India and Bangladesh. Jagannath is considered a form of Vishnu by Hindus.
The idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are usually worshipped in the sanctum of the Jagannath temple, but once a year during the month of Ashadha, they are brought out to travel three kilometres to the Gundicha Temple, in three huge chariots, drawn by hundreds of people.
In the past, it was not unknown for people to throw themselves under the wheels of the chariots to attain salvation.The chariot for Jagannath is 14 metres (45 feet) high and 11 metres (35 feet) square. It takes about two months to construct. The artists and painters of Puri decorate the chariots in bright colours with religious motifs. The chariot of Jagannath is the etymological origin of the English word 'juggernaut'.
The chariots stay in the Gundicha Temple for a week before being brought back to the Jagannath Temple via the Mausi Maa Temple, where the deities are ceremoniously offered poda pitha, a kind of baked cake which is usually only eaten by the poorest in society.
Needless to say, the city of Puri grinds to a standstill on Ratha Yatra and a week later on the return journey.
Other Ratha Yatra festivals take place in other parts of India and also in Bangladesh, but Puri remains the oldest and grandest. Since the late 1960s, Ratha Yatra festivals have taken place in many cities across the globe, due to the promotion by the Hare Krishna movement.
The popularity of this Hindu festival is bolstered by followers of other religions who participate to get the blessings of Lord Jagannath.
Rath Yatra Celebration in Jagannath Puri
Three huge colourfully decorated chariots, which resemble the temple structures, are drawn through Puri's streets. This festival commemorates Lord Jagannath, Balarama, and sister Subhadra's annual journey to Gundicha Temple, their aunt's temple, located two kilometres away from their temple. Non-Hindus and foreigners usually don't get to enter the temple premises on usual days, but on these days, the other devotees get an opportunity to see the deities.
During the festival, millions of devotees, not only from India, but from all over the World, come to Puri to help pulling the Lords' chariot, which is considered as a pious deed. During this huge procession, devotional songs are played on the chariots with tambourines, drums, trumpets and many more instruments. The carts are approximately 45 feet (14 metres) high. Thousands of pilgrims pull these chariots, which are newly built each year from a particular tree. This festival is broadcasted live on several Indian and foreign television channels.
This festival has various names like Ghosa Jatra, Gundicha Jatra, Dasavatara Jatra, Navadina Jatra and many more. The ritual of Jatra, which mean a journey or travel, is very essential for Hindus to worship. In south the temple's representative deities are popularly called as Utsava Murti and in Orissa they are known as Bije Pratima or Chalanti Pratima. The Jatra takes place in two forms- One involves short circumbulation that has to be around the temple and other involves a journey longer from the location of the temple to another destination. Jatras are considered very important and sacred for every festival and ceremony. Jagannatha Rath Yatra is one of the most unique and grandest festivals compared to other Jatras.
Famous Oriya songs are sung during the festival which says that the wheels, the grand avenue and the chariots become one on this occasion with Lord Jagannatha. People wait for the Jatra for the whole year in order to get just one glimpse of Lord Jagannatha.
Rath Yatra Picture2023
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