Lakh of devotees have thronged to Odisha's Puri for a glimpse of Lord Jagannath whose idol is taken out from the Jagannath temple on the occasion of Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra set to begin on Tuesday.
The holy festival is organised according to the Hindu calendar and takes place every year on the second day of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashadha. The festival is celebrated with huge joy and fervour across the coastal city of Odisha. Know more about the Jagannath Puri Ratha to understand the centuries-old ritual and its significance.
On this day, Lord Jagannath, which also means ‘Lord of the Universe’, is taken out of the temple on beautiful chariots. Along with the idol of Lord Jagannath, idols of Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra are also taken out on different chariots and given a tour of the whole city before being taken to the Gundicha Temple. The three idols stay there for some time and then return to the main temple.
The first day of the nine-day-long festival is about catching a glimpse of the idols travelling by chariots. The grand Rath Yatra begins after the three deities are established on the decorated chariots. Lord Jagannath's chariot is called Nandighosha, Lord Balabhadra's chariot is called Taladhwaja, and Goddess Subhadra's chariot is called Darpadalan. These chariots are pulled by a large number of devotees.
After reaching Gundicha Temple, the three deities are taken back to Lord Jagannath Temple. The journey to return to the temple is called Bahuda Yatra. It takes place at the end of the ten-day celebration. The date of the return yatra is June 28, 2023. The return rath yatra commences on the tenth day of the Ashadha month.
Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra will commence at 10:04 pm on Tuesday. The Rath Yatra will end the next day at 7:09 pm. People have been preparing for the day for the last month.
