Puri Rath Yatra: Know the Rituals and the Legends Behind the Fest

Significance of the Yatra: As per the Puranas, Rath Yatra or Shree Gundicha Yatra is the most celebrated of the twelve Yatras of Darubrahma (wooden deity form of Lord Jagannath). It is a nine-day-long spiritual festival.

Date and Scale of Celebration: Held on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (June 27 this year), it sees massive participation as devotees gather in Puri to witness the divine journey of Lord Jagannath and His siblings.

Spiritual Importance: Known as Gundicha Yatra, Ghosa Yatra, and Dasavatara Yatra, it is believed that those who witness the deities on their chariots are freed from the cycle of rebirth.

Blessings for Devotees and Ancestors: According to Bamadev Samhita, those who see the deities on the Simhasana of Gundicha Temple for a week attain Baikuntha (heaven), along with their ancestors.

Pahandi Ritual: After morning rituals, the deities are ceremonially carried in a grand procession (Pahandi) to their chariots. Proxy idols like Rama, Krishna, and Madanmohan also accompany them.

Chhera Pahanra Ceremony: Gajapati Maharaja, Lord Jagannath’s foremost servitor, sweeps each chariot with a golden broom, applies sandal paste, and offers lighted camphor in a golden lamp.

Preparations for Pulling the Chariots: After Chhera Pahanra, wooden stairs are removed, horses and ropes are tied, and upon the kahali’s blow, the devotees begin pulling the chariots to Gundicha Temple.

Devotional Fervour: Devotees chant Haribol and Jai Jagannath as songs, drums, and sacred sounds fill the air while chariots are pulled three kilometres to Gundicha Temple.

Arrival and Placement at Gundicha Temple: Once at Gundicha Temple, Daita servitors, with temple authorities, perform sanctification rituals, and the deities are seated on the Adapa Mandap Simhasana for their week-long stay.