Puri rath yatra is the biggest rath yatra in the world. Puri is a small town in odisha where the most secret temple sri Jagannath Dham situated. From this temple jagannath with his elder brother balaram and younger sister subhadra travel to his aunt’s house in Gundicha temple around 3.5 km and rests there for 7 days . This yatra is celebrated as Rath Yatra in Indian calender. It is specifically observed in the monsoon time in june or july month or indian calender Ashar month shukla pakha dwitiya . For this festival in Puri more than a million people come .
Prepration of the Festival starts 2-3 months ago . Every year three new chariot were build for the Balaram , subhadra and Jagannath . Jagannath’s chariot name is Nandighosh . Balaram’s chariot name is Taldwaja and subhadra’s chariot name is Darpadalana . For making the chariot lots of wooden logs are required . They are sourced from specific trees . Phasi , Bhaunra , Asana are the major trees used for making the three new chariot every year mainly sourced from Nayagarh District . In year 2000 a programme Jagannath Bana Prakalpa (Jagannath’s Forest Project ) started in a delta of Mahanadi to supply the woods for the chariot as woods are not in ample amount in Nayagarh Forest.
Making of the Chariot starts on Akshya Tritiya in Baishak month and ends before the Ratha Yatra . This chariots are carefully crafted by 75 Carpenter under the supervision of three Mukhya Vishvakarma (Main Carpenter ). The three Mukhya Vishvakarma are the lineage of the person made this chariots generation after generation and pass the knowledge by just spoken form . They also make the deity in Nabakalebara . All measurements are made by hand and no tapes are used in the process in making the chariots . Nandighosh has 16 wheels Taladwaja has 14 and Debadalana has 12 wheels . After they make the Chariots they cover them with red , yellow , Black and Green cloths where in the cloths there is fine design crafted . In the Wheels of chariots there is fine design of odisha art .
Rituals of the Ratha Yatra
Chandan Yatra
Chandan Yatra started in the Akshay tritiya in the month of Baishakhi . Representative image of the Gods Jagannath , Balaram and Subhadra are taken out for the travel in the summer . This festival is known as the Chandan Yatra or sandelwood Yatra . Now they gone for the Boat ride in the Narenra Pokri , a pond nearby . Now they are taken to the centre temple in the Pond for Ritual Bath from the Stone tub and Sandel Paste and other scent was applied on the deity . This festival is called the Chandan Yatra . After the Culmination of the Chandan Yatra starts the Snan Yatra (Bathing tour ).
Snana Yatra
Now the second ritual is the Snana Yatra or the Bathing Festival . This starts in the Full moon in the Month of Jhati . Now the deity in the main temple are lowered and sit on the Throne and covered by the cloths from the Public Viewing and bath with 108 pota of water which comes from the suna kua . Now after this heavy bath Gods become ill for sometime and don’t meet with devotees for two week . This time only daitapatis (Daitapatis are the progeny of Lalita (Daughter of the tribal worshiper Biswabasu) and the Bidyapati(King send this Brambhin to find the true form of Vishnu as Nilmadhab))will serve God . This time Nobody is allowed to see god except special people for the god servent . This time gods will be served light food like fruits and vegetables .
Rath Yatra
In the 2nd Day of the Shukla Pakhya of the Ashar month the ritual of God Jagannath’s Rath Yatra starts. It starts from the Jagannath’s temple in Puri to the Gundicha Temple (Masi’s Home ) with his brother and sister and celestial wheel Sudharshan Chakra . They are taken to the three magnificent Chariot for this Yatra . Thousends of devotees pull this chariots by rope to the Gundicha temple in the Grand road . In the journey it stops in the crematorium place of Salabega which is an muslim devotee of lord Jagannath. Though in puri temple no other religion people are allowed inside but this story giving the Rath Yatra a unique color which says that god is for everybody not related to a perticular religion . Here god’s chariot stops for the love of Devotee . In the evening it reaches to the Gundicha temple and the deity’s are taken inside the temple.
Hera Panchami
Hera panchami is organized in the fifth day of Rath Yatra. On that day a unique ritual has been practiced and lots of devotees watch this . It is popular belief that when god left the temple he promished her wife laxmi of his return from the vacation in one day . But when 5 days gone but there is no news he becomes very angry and with her follower she goes to the Gundicha temple in a palquin .
After reaching in the gate of the Gundicha Temple she sings song about why he is not coming . When Jagannath knows that she is here he ordered his servitors to quickly close the door . This act hurt Mahalaxmi and in some satire she expressed her anger . She says your siblings are more closer than me . So in this case she ordered some of her servitors to damage the Nandighosh(Chariots of Jagannath) in retaliation to this incident and she observed it from behind a tarmind tree . After that she secretly return to the Main temple by alternate route . This incident is called the Hera Panchami . I think it is some romantic story people enjoys very much .
Dakshina Moda
This is observed on the 6th day of the Rath Yatra . Now chariots are turned and face toward the Main temple . This chariots are stayed in the Eastern Gate of the Gundicha temple and faced towards the south . This is one of the very auspicious day in the Rath Yatra.
Rash Lila
Dakshina Moda starts the three day Rash Lila of Jagannath. It is popular belief that krishna and Jagannath live here for three days leaving Brindaban . In this time image of Jagannath bring to the Rash Mancha and gita Givinda verses are sung by the servitor of God for three days . in the older days devdasi sung the song now it is done by the prist.
Bahuda Yatra
Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of Jagannath , Balaram and subhadra from the Gundicha temple to the Puri main temple . Deity’s are brought to the Chariot by the Pahandi ceremony by the sound of cymbals , gongs and conches . Gotipua dancers dance infront of the chariots and some art is being made in front of the chariots. Thousends of devotee pull the chariots with rope in the Baro Dana to the main temple .
Suna Besha
When Lord Jagannath returned from his masi maa’s House to the Puri Main temple . Deity were worn gold jewellery and worshiped in the chariots. This is called the suna Besha . This ritual is being observed from 1460 when king of odisha won a battle and donate huge amount of Gold to lord Jagannath. It is almost 208 kg of Gold .
Niladri Bije
This event happens after 2 days the deity returns to the main temple . When the chariots return Balaram and subhadra’s deity were imediately taken to the Main Temple but Mahalaxmi don’t allow Jagannath to enter the Temple because he does not taken her to her masi maa’s house and close the door in her face . This is disrespectful for Mahalaxmi . After lots of request jagannath was not allowd to enter in the temple . Then Jagannath offer Mahalaxmi Rosogolla (Famous sweet here ) and then she cools down and allow Jagannath to enter the Temple . This ritual is called the Niladri Bije .
Story of Rath Yatra and Jagannath : The unfinished Deity
In Malava area there was a king Indradyumna . He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu . When from a prist he heard that Lord Vishnu has been worshiped in it’s truest form in a village in Odisha . He send his prists son Bidyapati to find the God . He went in Odisha and heard that Bishwabasu (Leader of the tribal people) has been worshiped it in a secret cave . He requested him a lot but he unwilling to reveal the place .
Now he live in this place and hoped to meet Nilmadhab one Day . Suddenly he fall in the love of Lalita (Daughter of Bishwabasu ) and married her . After marriage he requested her wife to ask her father to show me Nilmadhab . When Lalita requested her father he give his consent by with the condition that when he was taken to the Cave his eyes will be covered by cloths .
Now one Day Biswabasu taken Bidyapati to the cave with his eyes covered but cleverly Bidwapati fell mustered seed in the way to remember the way . After reaching there bidyapati see the god Nilmadhab . After that he returened to INdradyumna and tell all the stories . After listening all the stories INdradyumna goes for Nilmadhab with Bidyapati. but when they reached there in the cave they saw there was no God present .
After someday Indradyumna see a deam where god is telling him to made Gods idols by the neem wood coming puri by floating in the sea . when he saw a wooden block floating really they try to bring it to the Temple but Nobody bring it to the temple . Then Biswabasu taken it to the temple very easily . Now another problem is that no carpenter can work on this wooden block as it seems to be too hard for this tools .
Now Vishwakarma comes as a old Carpenter and said that he will made the idols but he will made it in a closed room and nobody is allowed him to disturb for 21 days .
Reference
- For knowing more about the source of wood for the Chariots https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/lord-where-will-the-wood-for-jagannath-s-chariot-come-from–65281
- For knowing about the craftsman https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2015/jul/18/Craftsmen-of-the-Gods-786047.html
