Ratha Jatra or the Chariot Festival is perhaps one of the grandest festivals on earth. Everything is on a scale befitting the great Lord. Full of spectacle, drama and colour, the festival is a typical Indian fair of huge proportions.
It is also the living embodiment of the synthesis of the tribal, the folk, and the autochthonous with the classical, the elaborately formal and the sophisticated elements of the socio-cultural-religious ethos of the Indian civilization. History has it that when the British first observed the Rath Yatra in the 18th century, they were so amazed that they sent home shocking descriptions, which gave rise to the term 'juggernaut'.
Jatra literally means travel or journey. The Jatra for the ritual journey take two forms - one involving the short circumbulation around the temple and other involving a longer journey from the temple to some other destination. The Jatra is considered as an important part of festivities and ceremonies of each temple and is considered as a special and sacred occasion.
The festival begins with the Ratha Prathistha or invoking ceremony in the morning, but the chariot pulling is the most exciting part of the festival, which begins in the late afternoon when the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhdra start rolling. Each of the chariots is covered in distinctly coloured cloth. Various symbols and signs help pilgrims distinguish between the three gods.
Each of these carriages have different specifications: The chariot of Lord Jagannath is called Nandighosa, has 18 wheels and is 23 cubits high; the chariot of Balabhadra, called Taladhvaja has 16 wheels and is 22 cubits high; Devadalana, the chariot of Subhadra has 14 wheels and is 21 cubits high.
Jagannatha's ratha is marked with a cakra and garuda, is yellow in color, with four white horses. Baladeva's cart is blue, with a palm tree insignia, and four black horses. Subhadra's cart is black, with lotus insignia. In succession Subhadra, Baladeva, and Jagannatha are moved to their carts using silk ropes.
The deities are brought out of the temple to the chariots by rhythmic movement in a royal procession to the accompaniment of the beat of the 'cymbals' and drums and chanting of prayers by devotees. After being situated on their carts they are decorated and worshipped.
The huge, colourfully decorated chariots are drawn by hundreds and thousands of devotees Midway on the journey, the carts stop, and the deities are bathed in cool water, and naivedyam or food and aratrika are offered. This spectacular chariot festival is celebrated for 8 days.
Each year these wooden chariots are constructed newly in accordance with religious specifications. The idols of these three deities are also made of wood and they are religiously replaced by new ones after every 12 years.
Of all the festivals, the Ratha Yatra of Jagannatha at Puri in Orissa is the most famous and is held at the famous Jagannath Temple. This takes place on the second day of the waxing phase of the moon of the Asadha (June-July) month. A glimpse of Lord Jagannatha on the chariot is considered to be very auspicious and saints, poets and scriptures have repeatedly glorified the sanctity of this special festival.
The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered enough to confer the results of several pious deeds or penance for ages. Thousands of devotees flock to Puri during the occasion as they believe that a glimpse of Lord Jagnnath in his chariot gives salvation.
All buildings are colourfully decorated with flags, buntings and awnings of bright colours. Ladies in colourful saris crowd the balconies, doors and windows decked with flowers. Men and women rush to pull the chariots along this main street of Puri. This is an exciting time in Puri. Depending on the lunar cycle, this festival can last anywhere from 1 - 2 weeks.
Thousands of devotees pull these chariots to Gundicha Mandir, a temple 3 km away. After a week, on the 10th day of the bright fortnight of Asadha, return journey or of the deities commences in the same manner from Gundicha temple to the main temple like Rath Yatra.
Such is the reverence, the fun, the mysticism, and overall bliss of Rath Yatra everywhere in the world it is celebrated.
Rath yatra falls on 3rd July in 2011
. . .
No comments:
Post a Comment