06/07/2024- The stage is set for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, scheduled to commence on Sunday in the sacred coastal city of Puri, Odisha. Traditional artisans are diligently putting the final touches on the three colossal chariots that will carry the deities.
The Rath Yatra, observed on the second day of the bright fortnight of the Ashadha month in the Hindu calendar, stands as the most significant festival of the Jagannath temple. During this event, the divine trio begins their annual nine-day journey to their birthplace, Gundicha Temple, located approximately three kilometers away.
Ahead of the Rath Yatra, the deities undergo the Snan Yatra ritual on the full moon day of the Jyeshtha month, where they are bathed with scented water from 108 pitchers. This ceremonial bath precedes a 15-day seclusion period known as ‘Anasara’, during which special rituals are conducted by the ‘Daitapati’ servitors to aid the deities’ recovery from the bathing ceremony’s fever, offering them ayurvedic herbs and fruits.
This year holds a unique occurrence as the ‘Nabajouban Darshan’, ‘Netrotsav’, and Rath Yatra coincide on July 7 for the first time in 53 years. This scheduling challenge has prompted the Odisha state government to declare the day after Rath Yatra as a holiday, considering the festivities will span two days, concluding on July 8.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has called for cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure the smooth execution of the festival, emphasizing the significance of this rare alignment of events, last witnessed in 1971.
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