ALL ABOUT RATH YATRA

Three different chariots are made for Balarama, Shri Krishna, and Devi Subhadra for the Puri Rath Yatra. In the Rath Yatra, the chariot of Balramji is at the front, then the chariot of Goddess Subhadra in the middle, and the chariot of Lord Jagannath Shri Krishna is at the back. It is recognized by their color and height. Balramji's chariot is called 'Taldhwaj', whose color is red and green. The chariot of Goddess Subhadra is called 'Darpadalan' or 'Padma Rath', which is black or blue and red in color, while Lord Jagannath's chariot is called 'Nandighosh' or 'Garudhwaj'. Its color is red and yellow. The Nandighosh chariot of Lord Jagannath is 45.6 feet high, the Taladhwaj chariot of Balarama is 45 feet high and the Darpadalan chariot of Goddess Subhadra is 44.6 feet high. All chariots are made from sacred and mature wood of Neem, which is called 'Daru'. For this, a healthy and auspicious Neem tree is identified, for which the Jagannath Temple constitutes a special committee. No nails or thorns or any other metal is used in the making of these chariots. The selection of wood for the chariots begins on the day of Basant Panchami and their construction begins on Akshaya Tritiya. When all three chariots are ready, a ritual called 'Chhar Pehanra' is performed. Under this, the Gajapati king of Puri comes here in a palanquin and duly worships these three chariots and cleans the chariot pavilion and the way with the 'golden broom'.

Rath Yatra starts on the second date of Shukla Paksha of Ashadh month. Devotees pull these chariots amidst the beating of drums, trumpets, and conch shells. It is said that those who get the opportunity to pull the chariot are considered very fortunate. Rath Yatra starts from Jagannath Temple and passes through Puri Nagar, these chariots reach Gundicha Temple. Here Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra rest for seven days. The darshan of Lord Jagannath in the Gundicha temple is called 'adap-darshan'. Gundicha Temple is also known as 'Gundicha Bari'. This is the house of Bhagwan's aunt. Mythological belief about this temple is that it was here that Devshilpi Vishwakarma made the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi. On the tenth day of the month of Ashadh, all the chariots again leave for the main temple. The ritual of this journey of returning the chariots is called Bahuda Yatra.

Being a tourist destination, there is no dearth of hotels, lodges, and Dharamshala in Puri. But devotees come not only from the country but also from abroad to participate in the Rath Yatra. That's why at this time not only do the hotel rents become exorbitant, but all the rooms in hotels, lodges, or Dharamshalas are also booked. Hence, we advise you not to make any intention to check in at any hotel or lodge while visiting Puri. Rather, book your hotel in Puri well in advance. During the Rath Yatra, a huge crowd gathers on the roads due to which most of the roads in Puri are closed. So, try to book a hotel which is on the way to Rath Yatra. It would be icing on the cake if the hotel had verandas. Even if you can't go out, you can watch this wonderful Rath Yatra from the verandas of the hotel.

HOW TO JOIN RATH YATRA

The Rath Yatra always starts only after 2 in the afternoon. So, if you want to pull the chariot, reach the yatra site at least 2-3 hours before the yatra starts. Otherwise, you will not be able to get to the desired place. For this, they left the hotel at around 11-12 o'clock only after having food. Keep in mind, no vehicles will be running on the route of the trip at that time. Therefore, it is possible that you will have to walk from the hotel to the destination.

Lakhs of people participate in the Rath Yatra. At that time everyone is busy celebrating and enjoying the Rath Yatra. That's why children and elderly people can get hurt in the crowd. That's why it would be better to keep children and the elderly away from the Rath Yatra. Along with this, the mischief of thieves also increases a lot. Therefore, while leaving the hotel for Rath Yatra, leave your purse and money, and valuable jewelry in the hotel room.