Heritage walk explores essence of ‘Mutt’ culture at abode of Lord Jagannath
The heritage walk started from the Kanchi Kamakoti Ashram and culminated at Sankarananda
The heritage walk started from the Kanchi Kamakoti Ashram and culminated at Sankarananda
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 Supreme Court had on June 18 disallowed the 'Rath Yatra' this year in view of the Coronavirus pandemic saying 'Lord Jagannath will not forgive us if we allowed the rath yatra'.
The remarks came from the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde while hearing a petition seeking to defer the rath yatra in Odisha's Puri which is scheduled to start on June 23.
A similar fervour was seen at Mayapur, the kirtan capital of the world and spiritual headquarters of ISKCON.
Ratha Yatra is a festival that has stood the test of time and is celebrated as widely today as the time of its advent.
Perhaps for the first time in several years , the rituals were conducted before schedule.
