Rath Yatra
Rath Yatra festival 2016 would be celebrated in India on 6th of July,
Ratha Yatra is a festival that involves moving deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana on a chariot (called a rathaor rotho). In Sanskrit, Ratha means "chariot", and Yatra means "journey"; the festival usually involves an annual procession (journey) of a deity's idols. Other names for the festival include ratha jatra or chariot festival.
Ratha Yatra festival is also known as the Festival of Chariot, Car Festival, Dashavatar Yatra, Gundicha Jatra, Navadina Yatra and Ghosa Jatra which is celebrated every year in India with great enthusiasm, joy and happiness by the people. This festival is fully devoted to the Hindu God, Lord Jagannath and specially celebrated in Puri in the Orissa state of India. It is held annually at 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashad (also called as Ashad Shukla Dwitiya).
Notable ratha yatras include the Ratha Yatra of Puri, the Dhamrai Ratha Yatra and the Ratha Yatra of Mahesh. The festival originated in Puri, Odisha. The English word juggernaut was originated from Jagannath that is related to the massive and unstoppable "ratha" carrying Jaggannath
This festival is celebrated to commemorate the Lord Jagannath on annual basis which involves the holy visit of the Lord Jagannath and completes at Gundicha Mata temple passing through the Mausi Maa Temple of Balagandi Chaka, Puri). The whole Ratha Jatra process involves the holy procession of Hindu deities Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra to the Gundicha Mata Temple. After nine days people bring Hindu deities with Ratha Jatra to the same place means Puri Jagannath temple. The returning process of Ratha Jatra to the Puri Jagannath temple is called as Bahuda Jatra.
History of Ratha Yatra Festival
Ratha Yatra festival is celebrated every year at second day of the shukla pakshya of the month of Ashad in the Orissa state of India at Puri to perform the procession of the Lord Jagannath chariots from the Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Mata Temple through the Mausi Maa Temple. The chariots having the statue of Hindu God and Goddess are attractively decorated with colorful flowers. The procession held at Mausi Maa Temple for some time to complete the offerings.
The holy procession includes highly decorated three chariots (for Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra) much similar to temple which are pulled by the electric system or by the devotees throughout the streets at Puri. This festival is celebrated to complete the journey of Lord Puri Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Subhadra to their aunt’s home means Gundicha Mata Temple. This festival attracts a huge crowd of the devotees from all over the world to take part in the holy procession of the God as well as fulfill their heartily wishes. People involved in the chariots pulling sing devotional songs, mantras with the sound of drum
The observance of the Rath Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of the Puranas. Vivid descriptions of this festival are found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, and Skanda Purana. Kapila Samhita also refers to Rath Yatra. In Moghul period also, King Ramsingh of Jaipur, Rajasthan has been described as organizing the Rath Yatra in the 18th Century. In Orissa, Kings of Mayurbhanj and Parlakhemundi were organizing the Rath Yatra, though the most grand festival in terms of scale and popularity takes place at Puri.
Yatra is the most famous and ritual part of the worship in the Hindu religion. It may be of two types, one is the Yatra made by the devotees all around the temple and another one is the Chariot Yatra of the Hindu deities in a well decorated chariot from one temple to another. Ratha Yatra is also the second type of the Yatra celebrated annually to perform the journey of Lord Jagannath with Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra from the Puri Jagannath temple to the Gundicha Mata Temple. It is considered that the Vamana avatar means the dwarf form of the Lord Vishnu was an incarnation of the Lord Jagannath (who is free from the cycle of birth and death).
Yatra is the most significant event occurred during the special and sacred occasions of the Hindu religion. Lord Jagannath is the Hindu deity whom incarnation was the Lord Krishna on the earth in the Dwaper Yuga. This special festival of holy journey of the chariot is carried out by the devotees, saints, scriptures, poets chanting the holy mantras and devotional songs. People want to touch the chariot or even ropes pulling the chariot to be blessed by the God. Devotees sing a special Oriya song at this day while pulling the holy chariot on wheels.
- Ratha-Yatra (Puri), at Puri in the state of Odisha, India is the oldest, biggest and most visited Rath Yatra in the world. It attracts a large crowd.
- Rathayatra of Mahesh in Serampore, West Bengal Ratha Yatra is the second largest and oldest in the world.
- Rath Yatra, taking place in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Sukinda Ratha Yatra in Odisha: the second oldest in the world
- Dhamrai Jagannath Roth, at Dhamrai in Bangladesh, the most famous Rath Yatra in Bangladesh
- ISKCON Dhaka Ratha Yatra is the second famous Rath Yatra in Bangladesh.
- Bangalore Ratha Yatra, Bangalore's largest Ratha Yatra
- Rajbalhat Ratha Yatra, West Bengal, India.
- People of Bastar region observe Ratha yatra during Dussehara
- Radha Rani Rath Yatra, held at the Radha Madhav Dham temple near Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
- Ratha Yatra is also celebrated in Canada.