A mammoth Chariot pulling by countless people in midst of numerous Hindu devotees, a picture that can be remain frozen in the memory, is all about one of the biggest Hindu festival is being celebrated all over India. The Rath Yatra(Chariot Journey) is being spectacular and a mirthful event in Orissa where it is celebrated in the temple town of
Puri with much gaudery and glory. Thousands of devotees participate in the processions of chariot, which travel lord
Jagannath, lord Balaram and goddess Subhadra to the nearby Gundicha temple, believed to be the birthplace of lord Jagannath. The deities return back to Sri Mandira after a stay of seven days. The procession of coming back is known as Ulta Rath Yatra (Reverse Chariot Journey).
The festival is celebrated in the end of June and beginning of July. The Puri Rath Yatra is a holy festival and just a glimpse of deities sitting in the chariot midst of maddening crowd is regarded lucky. Pulling rope or mere touch of rope is being considered auspicious. The three magnificent chariots waiting outside the Sri Mandira temple, a rhythmic prayer chants mutter as the deities are brought to the chariots. The walloping chariots beautifully decorated are also a big attractions for tourists. The three chariots carry different deities also differ in size and wheel. Nandighosh- Lord Jagannath’s chariot is about 45 feet in height with 16 massive wheels and a gold dome on top. Other two chariots are much smaller and less grandiose. Decorated with tinsel and ancient accessories, each of chariots has a large platform covered with huge flower umbrellas. Four wooden horses and charioteers stand mounted.
During the festive days, all the daily activities in the town comes to stand still. The temple kitchen, the largest in the world, serves whooping 75 quintals of rice everyday and a variety of dishes are served to the gods and later served to the devotees, this is known as Mahaprasad, holds great significance in Puri. Rath yatra is a festival , which beckons overland travelers across the world. The enthusiasm and ambiance is magical and must be once experienced. It is one of the few festivals, which is so huge and enthralling.
Invaluable Suggestions
Puri Rath Yatra festival is very popular and people comes from far places to witness the event. Therefore, you have to book your tour early. Finding hotel accommodation is also a big problem. It is advisable to contact a good travel agent for leaving your headache to them.
Beware of touts and fake travel agents. Orissa is famous tourist place and you will find many of them.
Puri Rath Yatra is a holy journey. So, maintain the discipline and pace with the crowd.
Take care of your belongings. In a million sum crowd, ample scope to lost your valuable asset such as camera and other stuffs.
Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the place.
Taste the royal Mahaprasad with much devotion.
Puri restaurants is famous for delicious cuisines.
Puri is not only for temples but also for golden beaches. Pack your swimsuits with you.
By Air : Nearest airport is Bhubaneswar that is 56 km away from Puri. Almost all the major domestic airlines are connected to the airport.
By Train : Puri railway station is a major station almost connected with all the major cities of India. there are local transport system available to take you to the temple.
By Road : A complete road network of roads leads to Puri and other popular destinations like Bhubaneswar, Konark. You can take luxury buses from Kolkata or nearby states.
