Ratha Yatra, the grand and colorful festival of chariots, is
held on Asadha Sukla Dwitiya i.e. the second day of bright fortnight of Asadha
(June-July) every year. Millions of devotees from different parts of the country
and abroad witnessed the spectacle of world famous Car festival of Lord
Jagannath at Puri. This festival is also known as ‘Gundicha Yatra’ and ‘Ghosha
Yatra’. As per the prevailing tradition, Gundicha was the Rani (queen) of Raja
Indradyumna, the legendary builder of the first temple. She had initiated this
grand festival. Hence, this festival is also known after her name.
On this day, the three deities are taken out from the main
Temple, placed in three gorgeously decorated chariots and start their journey to
Sri Gundicha Temple. The chariots are dragged by thousands of devotees from the
Lion’s gate of the Jagannath temple to Sri Gundicha Temple which is located at a
distance of 3 kilometers. The 3 kilometers Grand Road , known as ‘Bada Danda’,
between Jagannath Temple and Sri Gundicha temple, looked like a sea of as the
devotees pumped to have a glimpse of the deities on the chariots.
At Gundicha Temple the deities remain for 7 days and perform
their return journey on the 9th day which is known as 'Bahuda Yatra'.The three
chariots reach back the main temple in the evening. On the day, the three
deities are attired in costumes of glittering gold ornaments and are worshipped
by millions of devotees. This is known as the 'Suna Vesha'. Next day morning,
the three deities go back to their original place of the temple. Their arrival
into the sanctum sanctorum marks the end of the Car festival.
More than a religious festival, the Ratha Yatra is
an eternal celebration of the divine values of love and compassion, of equality
and fraternity. The general public is allowed to pull the chariots irrespective
of caste, creed, sect, and religion and sex distinctions. This liberty indicates
that the deity is equal for every person on earth and grants equal opportunity
to all. Also, the festival signifies that the benevolent deities’ desire to come
down to the level of the common man to share the joys and suffering of the
common folk and to travel with them on the Grand Road for some time to reach Sri
Gundicha Temple.The Ratha Yatra is the grand finale of a series of festivals
spread over the summer and the monsoon month.
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FESTIVALS ASSOCIATED WITH CAR FESTIVAL
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AKSHAY TRITIYA:
Akshay Tritiya festival marks the beginning of the
famous Car Festival of Lord Jagannath. Akshay Tritiya festival is observed on
the third day of the bright half of the lunar month of ‘Baisakha’ of the
traditional Hindu calendarn>. On this auspicious day the carpenters start
building the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabadra and Subhadra. This day also
commences the famous Chandana Yatra
SNANA YATRA:
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Snana Yatra festival is observed on the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha
(May-June). This is the bathing festival of the deities. On this day, deities
move in colorfulprocessions to the Snana Mandapa (Bathing pandal) where the
deities are bathed with 108 pitchers of water drawn from a well near the
Northern Gate. At the end of Snana Yatra day, the deities are supposed to fall
ill (fever) and do not return to their pedestal. They stay away from the public
view for a period of 15 days. This period is known as 'Anabasara' or ‘Anasara’
in local language. After this period, people get the first glimpse of their
deities on the day before Rath Yatra, on this day the deities are re-painted and
brought to the main platform for the devotees to see and pay homage which is
called ' Nava Yauvana Darshan’. This is also known as ‘Netrotsava’. Next day,
the Ratha Yatra Festival is observed.
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