The Jagannath Temple at Puri is among the most worshipped Vaishnava locales in India. While the sacrosanct site keeps a long history of strict and social artifact, the current temple was worked by Anantavarman of the Chodaganga dynasty in the twelfth century. The gods in the sanctum are related with King Indrayumna of the Iksvaku dynasty, who was the nephew of Lord Ram.
The Jagannath Temple celebrates 148 festivals every year, which incorporates 12 yatras, 28 upayatras and 108 ceremonial festivals. Among these the Ratha Yatra festival of Jagannath deva celebrated in the period of Asadha (June-July) is the most notable one, drawing in incalculable enthusiasts from across the world consistently. This yearly Ratha Yatra is a unique event when the overall population, particularly the old and debilitated ones who can’t visit the sanctuary, get a chance to have a darshan of their adored gods. Other than that, according to neighborhood convictions and sacred texts (Harita Smurti. ch vi, sloka16), such open strict festivals ease the feelings of dread of disasters and passings.
Other than the different notices of this ratha yatra in the Puranas, the soonest artistic proof in Odisha of the ratha yatra at Puri is from a tenth eleventh century CE dramatization composed during the standard of the Somavamshi dynasty, which talks of the yatra of master Purusottama (Jagannatha) close to the beach. The most punctual iconographical proof of this ratha yatra is from the Ganga dynasty period (thirteenth fourteenth century CE), where a frieze from a temple at Dhanmandal in north Odisha portrays the three rathas, each drawn by numerous fans. The frieze rathas show 12 wheels without spokes, with mandapas having the normal toranas, while the ratha rooftops are pyramidal consummation with kalasas (plainly Pidha type temples). The frieze additionally shows two chattras and two guidelines (trasa) that portray the regal status of the gods, which are as yet conveyed.
The Yatra Rituals
As of now the three rathas, which are planned as Rekha deul type temples, are recognized by their size, shading, and number of wheels. Jagannatha’s ratha (known as Nandighosa) has 16 haggles red and yellow attire covers. The charioteer of this ratha is Daruka, while Sankhachuda fills in as the ratha rope, and the four white wooden ponies connected to this ratha are named as Sankha, Balahaka, Sweta and Haridaswa. Balabhadra’s ratha (known as Taladhvaja), conveys red and green fabric covers, and is upheld on 14 wheels. Vasuli is the ratha rope for Balabhadra, while Matali is his charioteer, and the four dark wooden ponies appended to this ratha are named as Tibra, Ghora, Dirghasrama and Swarnanabha. Subhadra’s ratha (known as Darpadalana or Deviratha) is covered with red and dark garments, has 12 wheels, and her ratha’s charioteer is Arjun. The four wooden ponies connected to her ratha are red in shading and their names are Rochika, Mochika, Jita and Aparajita. Her ratha rope is shaped by Swarnachuda.
Arrangements for the Ratha Yatra start ahead of schedule, with the creation of new chariots each year, the development of what begins from the promising day of the Akshay Tritiya. The charioteers, ponies, temple kalasas, and parsha devatas are anyway made uniquely at the hour of the Navakalebara (new god making custom). On Sri Gundicha day after the Ratha Pratistha puja is finished by the Deul Purohit the parade begins from the Jagananth temple sanctum to the rathas, a custom known as Pahandi. First Sudarsana is taken to the ratha of Subhadra, trailed by Balabhadra in a parade. Next Subhadra is taken to her ratha, lastly toward the end Jagannath is taken to his ratha by the Daitapatis and other sevakas. Then, at that point, Madanmohan is conveyed to the rathas by the Mahajan Sevakas, and after that Gajapati Maharaja (ruler of Puri) plays out the Chhera Pahamra. In this custom the ruler is attired like that of a sweeper and he plays out the obligation of clearing (chhera) and cleaning (pahamra) all around the rathas, utilizing a gold took care of brush while sprinkling sandalwood powder and water. This relationship of the Odishan rulers with the Jagannath deva turned out to be affectionate in the wake of ruler Anangabhima III made Sri Jagannatha as the state god of Odisha in 1230 CE, and the rulers became delegate rulers (mudarasta) under the preeminent over-lordship of the divinity. This fantastic Chhera Pahamra function actually stays the main “regal obligation” and is known as the Gajapati Maharaja Seva, making the “Maharaja” of Puri a vital piece of the festival even presently, notwithstanding government currently a distant memory excess. Chhera Pahamra is held twice, on beginning of the Ratha Yatra, and again on the last day of the yatra, when the divinities are taken back to the Jagannath Mandir. After Chhera Pahamra the rathas start their journey and are pulled by various lovers to the Gundicha Temple, which is situated at around 3 km away, and the divinities stay in this temple for nine days. On the last day the gods are reclaimed in their individual rathas to Jagannath Mandir in bahuda Jatra (ulta ratha yatra). Coming back, the three chariots stop at the Mausi Maa Temple where they are offered Poda Pitha as bhog.
Ratha Yatra as Life’s long journey to Moksha
Strangely this Ratha Yatra is likewise considered to be the journey of life attempted to accomplish Moksha. In the Katha Upanishad (1:3:3:4) ratha is a symbolical portrayal of a body, and the yatra is the way embraced in each birth. The body (shareera) embraces the yatra (journey) in all its births to arrive at the last objective (moksha); and the yatra is known as Rath Yatra.
- atmanam rathinam viddhi sariram rathameva tu
- buddhim tu sarathim viddhi manh pragrahameva cha
- indrayani hayarmahur visayam stenu gocharan
- atmendriaya monoyuktam bhoktetyahur manasinah.