Grand Rath Yatra Begins In Puri; Divine Siblings Set Out On Their Annual Journey
Grand Rath Yatra Begins In Puri; Divine Siblings Set Out On Their Annual Journey
Digital Desk: The lively and majestic world-renowned Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by his beloved siblings-- elder brother Lord Balabhadra and younger sister Devi Subhadra has begun today in Puri, Odisha, drawing lakhs of devoted hearts from across the world.
Tale of Rath Yatra
As per reports, the legendary festival, held in June and July, begins when Lord Jagannath, with his two siblings, are ready to offer public darshan in the Chariots and visit their birthplace, Gundicha Temple, for nine days. The three majestic chariots are now ready and placed in front of Jagannath Temple's Singha Dwar. Currently, Lord's rituals are taking place within the temple, for the deities to appear in public.
According to an Akashavani correspondent, the Puri Jagannath temple organizes one hundred and forty-eight festivities per year. Of which Rath Yatra is the most well-known. According to the ritual schedule, devotees will start pulling the chariots from 4 p.m.
Celebration of Rath Yatra
The Yatra, which starts at the Puri temple and ends at the Shree Gundicha temple, spans over three kilometers. As Taladhwaja of Lord Balabhadra rides along the Puri Grand Road, Darpadalana of Devi Subhadra will trail after, followed by Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha, the largest of the three chariots. The chariots are scheduled to arrive at the Gundicha Temple before sunset.
Reportedly, the deities will spend nine days in the Gundicha temple before their return to Shree Mandir on the same chariots for the 'Bahuda Yatra' on July 5th. The Puri Shree Mandir Administration predicts that over 13 lakh people will attend the chariot event. To guarantee the smoothness of the festival, multiple layers of security are set.
For many witnessing this divine procession, it's not just a ritual; it's a lifelong dream come true.
