Spread love, peace and happiness… It’s time again for the most awaited spiritual procession – Rath Yatra – that is carried out in Jagannath Puri. The deities of Lord Krishna, Lord Balarama and Devi Subhadra are carried out in three gigantic chariots in a long procession during the Jagannath festival.

The huge chariots, each approximately 45 feet high, are pulled around the town by thousands of devotees from India as well as abroad who come together to celebrate the Jaganath festival which takes place on the second day of the fortnight in the month of Ashadha. This year it falls on 25 June.

The 5000-year-old Rath Yatra is the most famous Hindu festival of the state. It is related to the master of the universe ‘Lord Jagannath’. Every year, during the festival, the chariots are pulled from Janakpur to one of the four most sacred temples in four directions of India ‘Lord Jagannath Temple’.

The story behind Jagannath temple and the festival

According to mythology, there was a Malwa king in central India named Indradyumna. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. There was an eccentric desire in him to see Lord Vishnu face to face. Once he dreamt that Vishnu could be seen in his best form in Utkala (ancient Odisha). So, he deputed Vidyapati, the brother of royal priest to find out the place where Vishnu had such a manifestation.

After a strenuous search, Vidyapati came to know that Lord Vishnu was known by the name Nila Madhava and was being worshiped on a hill in a dense forest. He also knew that Nila Madhava was the family deity of Visvavasu, a Sarvana (a tribe) chief. Later, Vidyapati married Lalita, the daughter of Visvavasu.

On repeated requests by Lalita, Visvavasu took Vidyapati blindfolded to the cave where Nila Madhava was being worshipped. Vidyapati somehow managed to drop mustard seeds on the ground on his way to Nila Madhava which later germinated. On returning to Malwa, Vidyapati described everything to King Indradyumna. He immediately set out on a holy pilgrimage to Odisha and followed the germinated mustard seeds to reach the cave where Nila was. Sadly, Nila miraculously vanished when the king reached this holy cave. The king went into a state of deep sorrow.

The divine intervention

One day, Lord Jagannath directed the king in his dream to make idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra out of the wood of the fragrant tree on the seashore of Puri.

The king also had a vision of the images of the three deities and accordingly he got them made and installed in the temple. It is believed that the lord’s architect Vishwakarma arrived there as an old carpenter to carve the deities. He made it clear that if anybody would disturb him while carving the statues, he would vanish that very moment leaving the work unfinished.

After few months, King Indradyumna became impatient to see the work of Vishwakarma and out of his curiosity he opened the door of the work place where he was carving the statues. As Vishwakarma warned before, he disappeared at once leaving the statues unfinished. The king sanctified the incomplete statues and installed them in the temple.

How the deities are made

The icons are carved and decorated with wooden stumps with large round eyes and with stumps as hands with the conspicuous absence of legs. They are the oldest and most famous deities of Lord Jagannath and his siblings. The statues are changed every 12 years – the new ones being incomplete too and the chariots are built anew each year only from a particular type of tree. The chariots are decorated as per the traditions followed for centuries. The massive chariots covered with bright canopies made of stripes of red cloth and combined with those of black, yellow, green and blue colours are lined across the wide avenue in front of the majestic temple close to its eastern entrance ‘Sinhadwara’. Lord Jagannath uses red and yellow, Lord Balarama uses red and green while Subhadra uses red and black canopy.

The blissful sound of Lord Jagannath's chariot

The chariot of Lord Jagannath is called Cakradhvaja or Nandigosha which means blissful sound. It is approximately 45 feet high and weighs 65 tons. It is drawn by four white wooden horses, has 16 wheels and carries a figure of Garuda on its crest. Balarama cart is called Taladhvaja that means the sound of powerful rhythm. It is drawn by four black wooden horses, uses 14 wheels and carries Hanuman on its crest. Subhadra’s chariot is called Padmadhvaja or Darpadalam that means destroyer of pride. It is drawn by four red wooden horses, has 12 wheels and carries lotus on its crest.

What happens furing the festival

During the Rath Yatra, Lord Balaram is brought out of the temple, first followed by Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. The most famous ritual ‘Chhera Pahara’ associated with Rath Yatra is performed. The king sweeps the deities and the chariots. Then he cleanses the road with a broom having a gold handle. He sprinkles the sandalwood water and powder on the way. The ritual is repeated on the last day, when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to Puri temple. The custom showcases that every devotee whether a king or a common man is equal in the Lord’s eyes. When everything is ready, a whistle is blown to indicate hundreds of devotees to start pulling the chariots with ropes.

At the time of this popular Rath Yatra, the deities come out of the temple on the main street of Puri known as Bada Danda for all devotees to have a splendid view (darshan). Each deity visits the Gudicha temple that is dedicated to the lord’s aunt (located at a distance of three kilometres) in their specific chariots drawn by the pilgrims, taking up long and thick ropes to pull. The deities stay here for a week and are served with sweet pancakes.

The return journey of the deities is known as Bahuda Yatra. While coming back to the Jagannath temple, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops at his mausi maa’s temple where he takes the bhog of his favourite rice cake known as Poda Pitha. By the day of Ekadasi, the deities reach the Jagannath Puri temple. Their costumes are changed here. In these new baby attires, the idols are known as Suna Vesa. On the following day, the deities move into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. This brings the Rath Yatra festival to an end. The return car festival or Bahuda Yatra falls on 3 July.

The nine-day festival exhibits the impeccable skill of the artists of Puri and the enthusiasm of the devotees all around the world. The city seems to be dipped in most vivid hues of absolute bliss and paryers. Offer your prayers to the deities this year and seek their blessings.

Prayer is an expression of your silent being. It’s a pious vibration – a compassionate feeling – a positive thought in the lotus feet of the Lord. Stop fighting in the name of religion. Spread love, spread peace, spread happiness. This is the message of Lord Jagannath to all his disciples.