Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 can be held on Tuesday, June 20.

Rath Yatra or Chariot Competition is an annual Hindu pageant related to Lord Jagannath (Sri Krishna). It’s yearly held within the states of Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Gujarat and so forth. The most important and probably the most important of those Rath Yatra festivals is the one at Puri Jagannath temple within the jap state of Odisha; the subsequent is the Ahmedabad Rath Yatra within the western state of Gujarat.
Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra (chariot procession) is widely known on the Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (second lunar day within the vivid fortnight) of the Ashadha month, June, or July within the Gregorian calendar. That is the oldest and probably the most well-known Rath Yatra, whose descriptions may be present in historical scriptures viz. Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Skanda Purana, and Kapila Samhita.
This pageant marks the annual ceremonial procession of Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), his elder brother Balabhadra (Lord Balram), and youthful sister Subhadra from their residence temple to a different temple positioned in what’s believed to be their aunt’s residence. The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra, through which the three deities are taken out of their temples in a colourful procession, is exclusive for its nice spiritual and historic significance.

Puri Jagannath Temple

One ought to know the importance of Puri Jagannath Temple to grasp the specialty of Rath Yatra held right here. The magnificent Jagannath Temple is positioned on the Japanese coast in Puri, roughly 60 km away from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. It is likely one of the most necessary pilgrimage locations for the Hindus. This sacred shrine in Puri is likely one of the Char Dham pilgrimage websites, which the Hindus are supposed to go to as soon as of their lifetime. The opposite websites are Badrinath, Rameswaram, and Dwaraka.
Sri Jagannath Temple of Puri is devoted to Lord Jagannath, a type of Vishnu. Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and his sister Subhadra are the three foremost deities worshipped right here. The temple additionally homes the deities of Sudarshan, Madhaba, Sridevi, and Bhudevi. Not like the stone and metallic idols in most Hindu temples, right here, the idol of Jagannath is made from wooden.
The internal sanctum of the temple incorporates the idols of the three deities carved from sacred neem logs often called Daru, sitting on a bejeweled platform or Ratnabedi. The deities, who’re malformed with massive heads and no arms, are adorned with completely different clothes and jewels in numerous seasons. Each twelve or nineteen years, these idols are ceremoniously changed by a reproduction. It was in 2015; these deities had been final changed.
The worship of those deities is believed to pre-date the constructing of the temple and originated in an historical tribal shrine. The current temple was rebuilt on the positioning of an earlier temple within the twelfth century AD by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Japanese Ganga dynasty. Puri, together with Konark and Bhubaneshwar, kind the Golden Triangle of Orissa.

Significance of Puri Jagannath Temple

Puri Jagannath Temple is likely one of the 4 holiest Char Dham pilgrimage websites. Many nice Vaishnava saints, reminiscent of Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya, and Ramananda had been related to this temple. Ramanujacharya established the Emar Mutt close to the temple. Srimad Vallabhacharya has visited this place and carried out a 7-day recitation of Srimad Bhagvat.
His sitting place remains to be well-known as Baithakji. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founding father of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, was drawn to the deity Jagannath and stayed in Puri for a few years. The temple can be related to Sri Adi Sankaracharya, who established his Govardhana mutt right here. This temple additionally provides proof for the visits of Guru Nanak, Kabirdas, and Tulsidas.
In addition to these, the Jagannath Temple of Puri shows some astonishing info which add to its mystical significance. One could discover it unimaginable to present a scientific clarification for these astonishing info. A few of these info are the next.

• The flag mounted on prime of the primary pagoda of the temple flows in the other way to the wind’s course with none scientific background to again it up.
• The temple casts no shadow at any time of the day and from any path attainable.
• No birds may be seen resting or flying above the temple dome.
• The temple spot is close to the ocean. But, the audibility of the ocean can be fully misplaced when you enter the temple premises.
• The clergymen of the temple use seven pots for cooking the prasadam. They’re mounted one over the opposite and heated utilizing firewood. Miraculously, the topmost pot is cooked first, and the remainder follows the identical order.

Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023

Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 can be held on Tuesday, June 20.
Vital Auspicious timings on Puri Rath Yatra

• Dawn: June 20, 2023, 5:45 AM
• Sundown: June 20, 2023, 7:10 PM
• Dwitiya Tithi Begins: June 19, 2023, 11:25 AM
• Dwitiya Tithi Ends: June 20, 2023, 1:07 PM

What’s Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra?

The Rath Yatra pageant of Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri begins from the Dwitiya (second lunar day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing part) of the month of Ashadha (third month within the Odia calendar). The presiding deities of the Jagannath Temple, Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra, together with the celestial wheel Sudarshana Chakra are faraway from the temple in a ceremonial procession to their chariots. The chariots can be lined throughout the huge avenue in entrance of the temple near its Sinhadwara or jap entrance.
The massive, colorfully embellished chariots are then drawn by the mass of devotees on the Bada Danda to the Gundicha (King Indradyumna’s Queen) Temple two miles away to the North. On the way in which, the chariot of Lord Jagannath (Nandighosa) halts close to the crematorium of Bhakta Salabega, a Muslim devotee, to pay tribute to him. Throughout their return from the Gundicha Temple, the three chariots carrying the deities cease at Mausi Maa Temple (Aunt’s abode) and have an providing of the Poda Pitha (a particular sort of pancake purported to be the Lord’s favourite). After a seven-day keep, the deities come again to their abode, the Jagannath Temple.
The importance of the Rath Yatra is immense for individuals who lengthy for religious benefit. It’s believed that anybody who pulls the rope of the chariots or helps others in doing so will get the benefit of a number of penances. Yearly, hundreds of thousands of individuals come to observe the Rath Yatra through which three large 18-wheeled chariots, that are mini architectural marvels, make their means by means of the gang. It’s the measurement, pomp, and splendor of the Jagannath Rath Yatra that contributed the phrase ‘Juggernaut’ to the English dictionary. This pageant additionally showcases a number of fascinating customs, which embody the king sweeping the street with a golden mop.

The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra Chariots

Yearly, the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are rebuilt. The three chariots are constructed in over 42 days from over 4,000 items of wooden (of specified bushes like Phassi, Dhausa, and so forth.) by a household of carpenters who has hereditary rights for a similar. The woods are typically introduced from the ex-princely state of Dasapalla by this particular workforce of carpenters. Following the custom, the logs are set afloat as rafts within the river Mahanadi that are then collected close to Puri and transported by street.
Yearly, the development of the chariots begins on Akshaya Tritiya (the third lunar day of the intense fortnight of the month Vaisakha) with ritual hearth worship in entrance of the palace of the King of Puri. Today additionally marks the start of the summer season pageant of the deities often called the Chandan Yatra (sandalwood pageant), which lasts for 3 weeks. This pageant which incorporates numerous fascinating rituals culminates with the Snana Yatra, the showering pageant on the complete moon day of Jyeshta month.
The three chariots are constructed and embellished following a singular scheme prescribed and adopted for hundreds of years. Every of those can have a guardian, a charioteer, a flag, 4 horses, two gatekeepers, and 9 subsidiary deities.

Chariot of Jagannath

• Title: Nandighosha
• Alternate names: Garudadhwaja, Kapiladhwaja
• Complete Variety of picket items used: 832
• Variety of wheels: 16
• Dimensions (Top x Size x Breadth): 44′ 2″ x 34’6″ x 34’6″
• Colours of the canopies: Pink and Yellow
• Guardian: Garuda
• Charioteer: Daruka
• Flag title: Trailokyamohini
• Title of Horses: Shankha, Balahaka, Suweta, Haridashwa
• Title of Chariot Rope: Sankhachuda Nagini
• Accompanying deity: Madanmohan
• Gatekeepers (Dvarapala): Jaya, Vijaya
• 9 Parshvadevata (Subsidiary deities): Panchamukhi Mahabir, Harihara, Madhusudana, Giridhar, Pandu Narasingha, Chitamani Krishna, Narayana, Chatra Bhanga Rabana, Rama seated on Hanuman

Chariot of Balabhadra

• Title: Taladhwaja
• Alternate title: Langaladhwaja
• Complete Variety of picket items used: 763
• Variety of wheels: 14
• Dimensions (Top x Size x Breadth): 43′ 3″ x 33′ x 33′
• Colours of the canopies: Pink and Bluish inexperienced
• Guardian: Vasudev
• Charioteer: Matali
• Flag title: Unnani
• Title of Horses: Tribra, Ghora, Dirghasharma, Swornanava
• Title of Chariot Rope: Basuki Naga
• Accompanying deity: Ramakrishna
• Gatekeepers (Dvarapala): Nanda, Sunanda
• 9 Parshvadevata (Subsidiary deities): Ganesha, Kartikeya, Sarvamangala, Pralambari, Halayudha, Mrityunjaya, Natamvara, Mukteswar, Sheshadeva

Chariot of Subhadra

• Title: Darpadalana
• Alternate names: Devadalana, Padmadhwaja
• Complete Variety of picket items used: 593
• Variety of wheels: 12
• Dimensions (Top x Size x Breadth) :
  42’3″ x 31’6″ x 31’6″
• Colours of the canopies: Pink and Black
• Guardian: Jayadurga
• Charioteer: Arjuna
• Flag title: Nadambika
• Title of Horses: Rochika, Mochika, Jita, Aparajita
• Title of Chariot Rope: Swarnachuda Nagini
• Accompanying deity: Sudarshana
• Gatekeepers (Dvarapala): Ganga, Jamuna
• 9 Parshvadevata (Subsidiary deities): Chandi, Chamunda, Ugratara, Banadurga, Shulidurga, Varahi, Shyamakali, Mangala, Vimala

Puri Jagannath Temple Historical past & Legends

Puri Jagannath Temple’s historical past and heritage date again to the third century BC. In response to the just lately found copper plates of the Ganga dynasty, the development of the present Jagannath temple was initiated by Anantavarman Chodaganga within the twelfth century AD. Completely different chronicles point out completely different years of development reminiscent of 1196, 1197, 1205, 1216, 1226, and so forth.
It’s attainable that the temple’s development or renovation was accomplished throughout the reign of Anantavarman’s son Anangabhima. The temple complicated would have additional developed throughout the reigns of the next kings, together with these of the Ganga and Suryvamshi (Gajapati) dynasties. It was Ramachandra Deb who sanctified and reinstalled the deities after the 1558 Afghan assault.
A typical legend behind Puri Jagannath Temple is that of King Indrayumna of Malwa. As per this legend, within the Treta Yuga, the unique picture of Lord Jagannath was manifested within the type of a blue jewel (Indiranila mani) below a banyan tree close to the seashore. It had the ability to present on the spot Moksha, and Lord Yama hid it in a secret place. Later, within the Dwapara Yuga, King Indradyumna of Malwa wished to seek out the picture and practiced penance to perform his purpose.
Lord Vishnu, who acquired happy with the king’s penance, instructed him to seek out the picture in a floating log within the Puri seashore. The king discovered the log and was advised by Narada to make three idols out of it. As per the assumption, Lord Vishnu disguised himself as a carpenter and began to make the idols on the situation that he shouldn’t be disturbed. The silence contained in the temple made the king and queen uncertain of the carpenter’s work, and the door was opened. At this second, Vishnu left the idols unfinished with out arms, and a divine voice instructed the king to put in these idols on the temple.
There are variations of this legend. In response to one story, Krishna’s coronary heart, after the cremation, reappeared to the tribes as an idol. When King Indrayumna tried to say it, the idol disappeared. This made the repentant king search absolution from Krishna by sanctifying him in one other kind.

The Legend Behind Rath Yatra

The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra is often known as Gundicha Yatra. Gundicha is believed to be the queen of King Indradyumna. In response to the legend, the Lord, who was happy with the queen’s devotion, conferred her the boon to go to her palace yearly for a number of days’ keep. The residence of Queen Gundicha was later became a temple. One other legend states that Gundicha is Lord Jagannath’s aunt, who likes to welcome her nephews and pamper them with love.

Puri and Ahmedabad Rath Yatras: How are they linked?

Dwarka in Gujarat is on the west coast of India. Right here is the place Krishna’s half-cremated physique is believed to have been immersed within the ocean. Puri in Orissa is on the east coast of India. Right here is the place it’s believed to have re-emerged as a log. About 500 years in the past, Shree Sarangdasji, a touring Hindu saint and priest, arrived at Puri Jagannatha Temple. Whereas sleeping on the temple guesthouse, he acquired visionary instruction from Lord Jagannath to return to Ahmedabad and set up the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra there.
Following this instruction, he based the Ahmedabad Jagannath Temple. It was Shree Narsinhdasji Maharaj, one of many founder’s disciples, who began the Ahmedabad Rath Yatra about 142 years in the past. The deities on chariots drawn by elephants and people recreate their journey in Puri.

Rath Yatra in different elements of the World

Since 1968, the ISKCON Hare Krishna motion took the Rath Yatra pageant to different elements of the world. Now, this pageant occurs on an annual foundation in over 108 cities on the earth. These cities embody Moscow, New York, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Santiago, Mexico Metropolis, Montreal, Toronto, Tallinn, Lima, Antwerp, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Rome, Florence, Zürich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Cologne, Dublin, Belfast, Wroclaw, Alchevsk, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Auckland, Madrid, Stockholm, Tub, Budapest, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Sofia, Oslo, Zhongshan, Myitkyina, Buenos Aires, Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kolkata, Mumbai, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Dhamrai.