When Rath Yatra takes place in Puri, Odisha, on the second day of Shukla Paksha of Ashadh month every year, it’s not just a religious celebration but a grand carnival of India’s cultural heritage, religion and harmony. Jagannath Rath Yatra is the ritual procession of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra in chariots to Gundicha temple. The chariots are pulled by the devotees themselves, which is very sacred.

The uniqueness of this festival lies in the fact that it is universal in nature – all, regardless of caste, class, religion, can take part in this one pilgrimage of the Lord. It is a festival of common faith and humanness tradition, where millions of hearts beat as one. In colored robes, bhajans and kirtans and deep blowing of conches, this pilgrimage is more spiritual than religious.

For all those who are interested in witnessing this supernatural phenomenon, Rath Yatra tour from Delhi can prove to be an excellent idea. Not only is this festival offering the luxury of a glimpse of Lord Jagannath, but also provides a glimpse into India’s rich culture and rich devotional heritage.

Jagannath Rath Yatra reminds us every year that if religion is coupled with society, then it is not a festival but mobile culture.

Spiritual origin of Rath Yatra: Return of the festival of birth of the soul

Spiritually, Jagannath Rath Yatra is no festival, but a divine drama reminding the worshipper of God’s jivan-darshan. The procession is the tradition of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra to the house of their Gargacharya aunt – Gundicha Temple. It is not the distance between two temples, but it is a message that when the faith goes deep, God himself has to come down among his devotees.

Though elsewhere the gods are revered in skyscraper temples, here in this Rath Yatra the Lord himself descends among people, in the open sky, on a chariot. He romps in the street dust, lakhs of his devotees drawing his chariot are not from one caste, class or community – all get lost here. It’s a festival of equality, love and faith.

This yatra is not just a divine tool of darshan but a living picture of ‘Bhagavad Leela’. Just as in Shri Ram’s banaval, or in Shri Krishna’s migration from Gokul to Mathura and Dwarka – so also in the yatra here of Lord Jagannath becomes a picture of the world process of cycles, of the fleeting nature of life and of the soul’s journey.

For all those followers who wish to see this spiritual divine meeting at close proximity, Jagannath Puri temple yatra is just such a divine experience, where culture and devotion come together, and where mind, soul, and the divine appear to travel together on a shared chariot.

Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra: The reunion of a divine family

Lord Jagannath is no ordinary god. His avatar is beautiful and full of symbolism. His eyes are big, the torso is uneven, and his figure incomplete. Incompleteness here is not symbolic of lack in any manner, but of the incompleteness of life and its quest for perfection. Lord Jagannath’s figure indicates that however incomplete anything in life may be, it takes us to perfection. This is the reason why his shape and Rath Yatra are based on the flawed aspect of human nature.

Lord Jagannath is revered both as Vishnu and Krishna, and he personifies devotion, compassion, and love. He possesses a chariot named ‘Nandi Ghosh’ with 16 wheels symbolizing power and devotion. His big brother Balabhadra symbolizes policy and power. He possesses a chariot named ‘Tala Dhwaj’ with 14 wheels. Subhadra being worshiped as a symbol of compassion and beauty possesses a chariot named ‘Darpadalan’ with 12 wheels.

This Rath Yatra is religiously significant as well as a beautiful blend of nature and tradition because these chariots are made from freshly cut trees every year.

The individuals who desire to avail this special experience can be part of Odisha temple tour package. This package can be availed by one and explore numerous historical and religious sites of Odisha, like Jagannath Puri temple and so on. The tour offers a great spiritual experience and a chance to become aware of the rich culture of Odisha.

Mythological background: Where myth and religion meet

The Jagannath Rath Yatra has its origins in various mythological tales, which give the flavour that is religious as well as cultural. One of the most powerful of these tales is that of Shri Krishna. When the dead body of Shri Krishna disintegrated into the five elements after the Mahabharata war, his heart, the ‘Neelkanth Hridya’, did not perish. This heart kept roaming on the waves of the ocean and one day King Indradyumna had a dream that he would acquire this heart and from it a new birth of the Lord would take place.

This revered heart was enveloped in a wooden idol, and even today it is venerated as ‘Brahma Padartha’. This is the hub in which the sacred figure of Lord Jagannath gets embodied. The form of Jagannath gets identified with this sacred token, symbolizing the unconditional affection and soul of the Lord.

According to another popular myth, Rath Yatra is the time when Shri Krishna’s sister Subhadra had initially wished to flee Dwarka and go to Mathura. Then Krishna and Balarama abducted her on a chariot and brought her before the city, and thus this myth took the shape of this holy festival.

If you want to see this divine experience, then Puri temple tour package can be appropriate for you. Through this package, not only will you be able to see Jagannath Puri temple, but also be able to see other Odisha’s religious and historical places. This tour will make your experience of devotion and spiritual peace more fruitful.

Importance of Rath Yatra in day-to-day life: More than a festival, part and parcel of life

Rath Yatra is by no means a religious festival for Puri people, but an integral part and parcel of their life, with profound devotion and sentiment in the heart. The pilgrimage is not merely a religious ritual for them, but also a common experience, which pervades deep within the soul of the entire city. Hundreds of craftsmen, except a very few who are hereditary in nature, work throughout the year round to make the chariots. They don’t view it as work, but rather service, and the sense of devotion pervades every nail, rope and wheel. The sweats of the craftsmen constitute an example in itself of devotion and dedication unto God.

Special prasad food named ‘Panchkuthi’ is prepared by the local women in this period. Lakhs of pilgrims carry such prasads along with immense respect. At Rath Yatra, the citizens sing ‘Hari Bol’ in front of every house on the streets of Puri, and the whole town becomes a giant temple. Such a situation is really amazing and unbelievable from not only religious but also cultural points of view.

The most moving part of the Rath Yatra is when the king of Puri himself comes forward and, with his own hand, brushes the chariot of the Lord with a broom. This is a reminiscence of the Indian tradition of the king too demonstrating the best ideal of worship by becoming a ‘slave’.

If you wish to join this elite experience, then rath yatra tour from Delhi could be the most suitable option. In this tour, here, you have the opportunity to feel the religious tradition and heritage of Puri directly.

Conclusion:

Rath Yatra gives us the golden teaching that we have to follow God not only for worshipping him, but by embracing him as the life-companion. This pilgrimage gives us an opportunity to understand the real sense of life where we can think of God not in form of an idol but as a savior and guide on our life path. Sometimes he walks with us step by step, sometimes he challenges us, and sometimes he himself comes and asks us to drive our chariot. Puri Temple Rath Yatra is a religious pilgrimage but it is also a journey through the inner truth of life, where we learn that each and every incident and experience in the world is part of God’s plan. When crores of devotees follow behind the chariots, not just the chariots are in motion, but also the devotion, faith and spiritual power of crores of hearts behind them get in motion with full intensity.

If you want to be a part of this heavenly ride, then Jagannath Rathyatra tour can be the best way. With this tour, you are able to experience and make use of this spectacular and unheard-of Rath Yatra of Puri that will not only benefit you in the spiritual but also to realize every phenomenon of life.