Tell about Puri Rath Yatra ?

It is the only festival in the world where the deity is taken out of the temple.

Jagannath Temple is said to be governed by the most stringent Hindus around and is a temple where only Hindus by birth can enter and offer prayers. And, as known to all, Lord Jagannath has HIS followers not only among the Hindus but among many other people who’ve taken the up the ways of Lord. So, naturally these followers, no matter how religious they are, aren’t allowed to enter the premises and have to pray from the doorstep of the Dakshin dwaar. However, on this auspicious day, the barriers of caste, religion and creed simply vanish and it is humanity that is worshipped!

The three deities, Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra travel in three different chariots—Nandighosha, Lord Jagannath’s chariot, has 18 wheels and is as much as 45.6 ft high, Taladhwaja, Lord Balaram’s chariot, has 16 wheels and is around 45 ft. in height and Devadalana, the chariot of Lord Jagannath, has 14 ft. and is around 44.6 ft. high.

Surprisingly, the chariots are constructed each year anew with new set of wood, and invariably the height and width and every else would be an absolute replica of the past!

Legend has it that Lord Jagannath would be unwilling to visit his aunt’s place every time, and creepily, every year, no matter how many thousands of devotees push the chariot, it would simple refuse to move a bit from its place. It’s only after hours of pushing that it would finally show movement! Yes, it’s kind of funny—do make it a point to watch its LIVE telecast on the Doordarshan.

The monarchy system might have been demolished by the Indian Government, but Puri still has its official “king” for Lord Jagannath would only come out from the temple after the king of Puri have swept the path himself by his mop made of pure gold!

After the 9 days sojourn at the Gundicha Temple, the Lords return to the temple, but stop once during the journey. Can you guess why? Well, that’s because Lord Jagannath can’t be back home without tasting his favorite sweet, Poda Pitha, a special kind of pancake made in Odisha, on the way!

Well, every year Puri would be filled with disciples from all over the world on this auspicious day who would risk their lives to pull the chariot of their beloved Lord Jagannath. Innumerable people every year are hospitalized as a result of stampede.

The auspicious Rath Yatra festival at Jagannath, Puri, Odisha began on July 14, 2018. The 15-day long festival holds greater significance in the Eastern part of the country where devotees throng in huge numbers to catch a glimpse of the lord.

Also known as the chariot festival, this year marks the 141st Rath Yatra of the Lord. The temple town of Puri, Odisha is immersed in the festive spirit of the Yatra

The three chariots used to carry the Lord Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are different in size and other detailing.

The chariots are beautifully and intrinsically designed and painted every year. It remains the biggest attraction for tourists and devotees visiting Odisha during this time.

Built in the 12th century, the temple is located in the eastern coast of India at Puri, Orissa. The Rath Yatra is celebrated during the Ashad Shukla Dwitya months of June-July. There are several mysteries related to the Lord Jagannath and the Rath Yatra.

The temple town of Puri is adorned beautifully during this festive time as thousands of devotees turn out to visit the divine abode of the lord and seek the blessings of god Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.

Even though this unique festival most of the time falls during the Monsoon Season in India. According to certain record there hasn’t been a single Rath Yatra that it hasn’t rained. There have been times that it hasn’t rained for days before Rath Yatra and on that day it pours. Well I know it did in 1928 , according this rare video.

Every year these humongous chariots are built from scratch by a team of carpenters (1400 approx.) who do this job every year voluntarily. Measuring almost 45ft High and having 18.16 and 14 wheels the three chariots are built to precision without any measuring tapes. All that is used is an ancient technique of measurement using hands and finger lengths.

Common Folklore has it that the deities refuse to go to their aunt’s house (Gundicha) and the chariots eerily refuse to budge even an inch with 1000s of people pulling it with brute force. But after much coaxing and requests done to the deities by their servitors does that Chariots finally start moving.

There are a fixed number of families of traditional carpenters who build the chariots every year from the time of its inception and the methods, measurement, techniques etc. to build the same are handed down through generations. All the chariots construction is started and finished simultaneously.

The wood used in the construction of this comes from two nearby forests Dashpalla and Ranapur. Since the amount of wood used for these chariots is a lot, double the amount of saplings are planted simultaneously.

Apart from the chariots, the flags on top of each as well as the ropes with which they are pulled each have a unique name.

It is only after that the presiding king of Puri sweeps all the chariots with a broom made out of gold and using fragrant water that the pulling of the chariots commences.

Dahuka are a sect of servitors to the lords apart from Suaras and Mahasuaras. These Dahukas having a unique tradition of singing something known as Dahuka Boli or Dahuka Gita

Apparently the legend goes as the Chariots do not move if these are not recited. But due to certain reasons this tradition was banned by the Temple officials from 1995 and apart from a few exceptions since then it is now a dying tradition.

The wood used in the making of these chariots after the festival are used to cook Mahaprasad which is made up of 56 different varieties and is cooked in the Temple kitchen which is the largest community kitchen in the world and can cook for up to 100000 people at a time. The amazing thing about this is that the amount of food cooked every day is the same and it has never been wasted ever.

Meaning a large, heavy vehicle, especially an articulated lorry or a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force. When the British officials saw the sheer size of the chariots were astonished beyond imagination and formed this word for anything that was huge and a vehicle.