Rath Yatra Procession 2018 at Jagannath Temple in Puri

Every year Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, one of India’s greatest cultural and traditional festivals, happens at the famous Jagannatha Temple located in Puri, Odisha (Orissa). This year it is on June 25 (Sunday), set to receive millions of devotees from all over the world. People also call it ‘Cart Festival of Puri’ or ‘Rath Yatra Festival of India because the presence of Cart (Ratha). Lord Jagannatha is Lord Krishna Himself in a different avatar that pleases His devotees even more. He is the Lord (natha) of the universe (Jaga) worshipped with His brother Balabhada and sister Subhadra.

The festival marks Lord Jagannatha’s yearly visit to the Gundicha Mata temple. It is said that the Lord along with Balabhadra and Subhadra enjoy their pastimes by staying at the Puri Jagannatha temple. The reason why the Lord visits the Temple is that it was constructed by King Indradyumna’s wife Queen Gundicha. No one could match her devotion to the Lord. The Gundicha temple is thoroughly cleaned and decorated (Gundicha Marjana) a day before the Rath Yatra.

Rath Yatra Procession

On the day of Rath Yatra festival, there happens a huge procession wherein a magnanimous cart (Rath) carrying the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra is carried out by the devotees to Gundicha Temple. The Lord with His brother and sister stays there for nine days and then is carried back His main temple. This return procession is known as ‘Bahuda Jatra’. Devotees pull the Lord’s chariot with those of Balabhada and Subhadra with a belief that the Lord pleased by their service eradicates their past karmas and misgivings. The Lord’s with His unlimited qualities blesses anyone who engages in His service on this day. In the Bhagavad Gita (7:6), it is given that all the material and divine energies emanate from His body. The Lord is absolutely spiritual, beyond the modes of material nature and our limited knowledge.

Anything that is material is made of the Lord’s external energies. Anything that is spiritual comes from the Lord’s internal potency. Thus material expressions such as earth, stone and wood all originate from Him only. When the materials such as stones, wood are combined to create Pratima or Murtis (deities) of the Lord, they all attain divinity and spiritual. The famous Jagannath Temple is located in Puri. It is considered as one of the Chaar Dhaams (Four Holy Pilgrimages). One must visit this once in a life time to have all the past karmas and misgivings thoroughly.