As the world celebrated Ratha Yatra, last month, a professor of Bengali literature at St Paul's cathedral Mission College in Kolkata, released four books, two of them written by him on Lord Jagannath. Dr Sk Makbul Islam, also is in charge of the Sri Jagannath Research Centre at the college.
The pulling of chariots of three divine trinities- Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra- by ardent devotees filled the entire grand road (the venue of chariots’ majestic arch) with spirituality amid chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ and the beating of cymbals.
Not many know that Odisha has another Rath Yatra considered by some scholars to be older than even Lord Jagannath’s in its present form. The Rukuna Rath Yatra of Lord Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar is over one thousand years old.
The divine journey of Lord Jagannath which commenced 628 years back in Mahesh Serampore, took place once again today.
The famous chariot festival of Lord Jagannath usually picks up momentum from the day of snan yatra (holy bath of Lord Jagannath).
The ritual was performed on the bathing altar known as the 'Snana Mandap' as the priests poured 108 pitchers of aromatic sacred water on the deities.
The ASI of Odisha’s Puri circle is awaiting permission from the high court-appointed Committee to carry out the work after the opening of both the outer and inner chambers of the Ratna Bhandar.
Several special rituals were performed before the deities were taken out of the Gundicha temple and placed on the three colourfully decorated chariots for the return journey amid chants of ‘Jai Jagannath’ and ‘Hari Bol.’
Ostensibly, it was an act of a devotee worshipping the deity. In fact, Banerjee has often said, “Religion is an individual choice.”
The construction work for three gigantic chariots of the Holy Trinity - Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Goddess Subhadra - for the annual car festival in Puri is underway at the Puri Jagannath Temple.
