This year, after 53 years, Puri’s Rath Yatra will be of two days. Lord Jagannath
Rath Yatra 2024:The great and renowned Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins in Puri, Odisha, this Sunday, July 7. This majestic procession has a particular place in Hinduism every year. The Hindu calendar states that this magnificent procession begins on the second day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha month and ends on the tenth day of the same month. Every year, Lord Jagannath travels to the renowned Gundicha Mata Temple with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. A tour of the entire city is part of this sacred excursion. The Rath Yatra will take place this year in quite unusual conditions. Let us investigate all there is to know about the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra.
Along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, Lord Jagannath will go on the well-known Rath Yatra, touring the city before spending time at the Gundicha Mata Temple. The gods will each have their own distinct chariot: Lord Jagannath’s, Subhadra’s, and Balabhadra’s. The chariot of Balabhadra is in front, that of Subhadra is in the middle, and the chariot of Lord Jagannath is last. Every one of these chariots has a distinct trait.
Rest at the Aunt’s House
There is a considerable deal of pomp and circumstance surrounding Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra. It is amazing to watch the chariots being pulled. Rath Yatra participants use drums, trumpets, and conch shell noises to accompany them. Those who are fortunate enough to pull the sacred chariots are regarded as extremely fortunate. The Rath Yatra begins at the Jagannath Temple and ends at the Gundicha Temple, which is known as the Lord’s aunt’s home. Another theory holds that this is the location of Jagannath’s birth, since it is where Vishwakarma formed the god forms. Here, the three gods sleep for seven days. In a trek known as the Bahuda Yatra, the chariots return to the main temple on the tenth day of Ashadha.
The Merit of Pulling the Chariot
Anyone who pulls the chariot to Gundicha Nagar during the Rath Yatra and invokes the name of Lord Jagannath is said to be released from all misery. The highest dwelling of Lord Vishnu is reached by those who bow down to Lord Jagannath and roll in the dirt and dust of the route.
Origins of Rath Yatra in Jagannath Puri
The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is described in Hindu scriptures and Puranas. The significance of this event in Hinduism is highlighted in the Skanda Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana, and Brahma Purana, which provide further details. One legend has it that one day Subhadra asked her brother Lord Jagannath to show her about Dwarka. The Rath Yatra tradition began when Lord Jagannath granted her wish and drove her around the city in a chariot. According to religious doctrine, dragging the chariot throughout this Yatra is equal to making a hundred sacrifices.
Why Lord Krishna Resides in Jagannath Puri
In Puri’s Jagannath Temple, Lord Krishna resides with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. Ever ponder why? One night, Lord Krishna was asleep in Dwarka when he suddenly began chanting Radhe-Radhe. His wife Rukmini was shocked to learn this and informed the other queens. The queens made the decision to ask Mother Rohini for further information regarding Radha’s importance after discovering that Lord Krishna had not forgotten her. Mother Rohini was persuaded to tell the gopis the story of Lord Krishna’s mysterious Ras Leela, and she gave Subhadra the task of watching over the entrance.
Balabhadra and Lord Krishna were on their way to the palace as Mother Rohini started telling the tale. Though Subhadra kept them out of the way, the three siblings were able to hear the captivating story of Radha and Krishna’s Ras Leela. Their shapes blurred together as they were enveloped in divine love. When Devarshi Narada arrived at that precise moment, he saw their divine state and asked Lord Krishna to preserve their forms for the good of humanity. This wish was granted by Lord Krishna, and these shapes that Vishwakarma constructed are still revered in Jagannath Puri today.