Making of Divine Chariot

Every year, three new chariots (Ratha) are constructed for the car festival in Puri. The collection of wood for three chariots begins on Basant Panchami (Feb-March), considered the most auspicious day for starting construction activity in the Hindu calendar. The forest department donates the wood. The chariot is made only using Phasi, Dhaura, Mai Simili wood.

Nearly 125 carpenters get involved in constructing the chariots, in which some 1,072 pieces of logs are used, as is some 1.090 m of cloth. The chariots are pulled by rope made of coconut fiber, each 240–250 feet long and 8 inches in diameter. These carpenters take normally forty four day to construct Chariots but during Nabakalebara year they get additional forty five day to construct the Chariot as well as other new itemes for the Chariot's as well as per the rituals practiced.

Uniquely each of the chariots has its own style, height, diameter etc. The chariot of Lord Balabhadra, called the Taladhwaja, has fourteen wheels, each of seven feet diameters, and is covered with red and blue cloth. Its height is forty-four feet, length and breadth of the Chariot is 33’0” x 33’0”. The total number of wooden pieces used in this Chariot is 763. The name of the flag is Unnani.

The Chariot of Subhadra, known as Darpadalan is forty-three feet high with twelve wheels, each of seven feet diameters. This Chariot is decked with the coverings of red and black cloth. The length and breadth of the Chariot is 31’6” x 31’6”. The total number of wooden pieces used in this Chariot is 593. The name of the flag is Trailoky amohini.

Lord Jagannatha’s Chariot is called Nandighosa; it is forty-five feet square at the wheel level. It has sixteen wheels, each of seven feet diameters, and is decked with red and yellow coverings of cloth. The length and breadth of the Chariot is 34’6” x 34’6”. The total number of wooden pieces used in this Chariot is 832. The name of the flag is Nadambika.

Around each of the Chariots are nine Parsvadevatas, the guardian deities, and four horses placed. Each chariot has a Charioteer called Sarathi named as Matali, Darruka and Arjuna are the three charioteers attached respectively to Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. However, during Nabakalebara Ratha Jatra these Parsvadevatas, Sarathi, Horse were also newly constructed in Neem (Margo Wood) and they remain with the deities till next Nabakalebara.

In ancient times, the Ratha Jatra of Puri use to comprise of six chariots as compared to the three at present. As there use to a river once flowed between the Gundicha House and the Jagannatha temple. So three chariots stayed in readiness on the other side of the river to receive the deities from the three chariots that transported them from the main temple.

The whole process of building Chariot is passed on from one generation another within the community where no scale or calculators are used for measurement rather the head carpenter uses a stick and rope to measure and calculate whcile they build the Chariot's for God's divine ride.

119 categories of Sevayats serve at the Jagannath Temple including construction of Chariots for the Ratha Jatra; everyone appreciates the Chariots but hardly anyone see the Carpenter in it when the Chariot moves. Which exemplifies with our real life that many build's society in invisible without being recognised in same way we all have to contribute in building the Chariots of our Society no matter what role we have to perform.