Glimpse of Ghosa Yatra

Ratha Yatra festival in Odisha is also known as the Festival of Chariot, Car Festival, Dashavatar Yatra, GundichaJatra, Navadina Yatra and Ghosa Jatra which is celebrated every year in India with great enthusiasm, joy and happiness by the people. This festival is fully devoted to the Hindu God, Lord Jagannath and specially celebrated in Puri in the Odisha state of India. It is held annually at 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashad.

This festival is celebrated to commemorate the Lord Jagannath on annual basis which involves the holy visit of the Lord Jagannath and completes at Gundicha Mata temple passing through the MausiMaa Temple of Balagandi Chaka, Puri). The whole Ratha Jatra process involves the holy procession of Hindu deities Lord Puri Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra to the Gundicha Mata Temple. After nine days people bring Hindu deities with Ratha Jatra to the same place means Puri Jagannath temple. The returning process of Ratha Jatra to the Puri Jagannath temple is called as BahudaJatra.

Rath Yatra in Puri

The whole festival celebration includes three huge attractively decorated chariots resembling temple structures drawn throughout the streets at Puri. This holy festival is celebrated for nine days by the Hindu devotees to commemorate the holy journey of the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra including their sister Goddess Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple situated at 2 km distance from the Puri Jagannath temple. During the festival celebration, millions of Hindu devotees from all over the world come to the destination to be the part of celebration and get blessed with lots of blessings of the Lord Jagannath.

 

People pull chariots by singing devotional songs on the sound of drums and trumpets including other musical instruments. The whole celebration of the sacred festival gets broadcasted live on the various TV channels all through the India and abroad. Chariots construction works starts at AkshayaTrutiya in front of the Puri palace using woods of special trees such as dhausa, phassi and etc brought from the other state by the team of carpenter.

All the huge chariots are brought to the majestic temple at the Sinhadwara or Lion’s Gate. The chariot of the Lord Jagannath is entitled as the Nandighosa chariot having 45 feet height, 45 feet width, 16 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated red and yellow cloths. The chariot of Lord Balarama is entitled as Taladhwaja chariot having 44 feet height, 14 wheels of 7 foot diameter and decorated with red, blue or black cloths.

Devotees can take part in pulling chariots. As it is believed by pulling the chariots, one engages in pure devotion to the Lord who destorys their sins committed knowingly or unknowlingly. The procession starts when the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra, are taken out on the Bada Danda. Bada Danda is the main street of Puri. The devotees and volunteers pull the ropes of the chariot to take them to the Sri Gundicha Temple. Sri Gundicha Temple is said to be the home of the deities' maternal aunt or Mausi. Here, they spend 9 days, after which they return to Puri. At the Gundicha Temple, they are served sweet pancakes that are special prasad offered here.