Rath Yatra 2024 In Puri Jagannath The Grand Festival
Rath Yatra 2024
One of India’s most anticipated and lavishly celebrated events is the Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, which is especially celebrated in the holy town of Puri, Odisha.
This wonderful celebration is expected to attract millions of fans and tourists from all over the world in 2024, making it a really remarkable occasion. Let’s examine the specifics of the Rath Yatra 2024, including its dates, importance, and unique celebrations that commemorate this momentous anniversary.
When is Rath Yatra in 2024?
Every year on the second day of the Shukla Paksha, or waxing phase of the moon, in the Hindu month of Ashadha, Puri celebrates the Rath Yatra. The Rath Yatra is slated to occur on July 7, 2024, in 2024. The event often starts early in the morning with a number of customs and lasts all day, with the magnificent chariot parade serving as the centerpiece.
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Importance of the Rath Yatra 2024
There is great religious and cultural significance to the Rath Yatra. It commemorates the yearly pilgrimage of Lord Jagannath, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, and his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, from the Jagannath Temple to the approximately 3-kilometer-distance Gundicha Temple.
This voyage represents the gods’ travel to the Gundicha Temple, the site of their birth, and their subsequent return after a week. The celebration is a striking illustration of loyalty, solidarity, and cultural legacy. It draws individuals from diverse backgrounds, surpassing differences in nationality, caste, and creed. The ardor and zeal of the devotees are increased by the notion that drawing the chariots brings them enormous blessings.
Day of Rath Yatra: Unique Celebration
- There are numerous intricate ceremonies and celebrations held on the day of Rath Yatra.
- Chhera Pahanra: The Gajapati King of Puri sweeps the chariot with a golden broom, symbolically representing everyone’s equality before the Lord.
- Grand Procession: Three massive wooden chariots, each decked with colorful ornamentation, hold the deities. The largest chariot is Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosha, followed by Lord Balabhadra’s Taladhwaja and Goddess Subhadra’s Darpadalana.
- Participation of Devotees: Millions of worshippers assemble to pull the chariots with heavy ropes while reciting hymns and singing songs of devotion. There is a palpable spiritual passion and excitement in the air.
- Gundicha Temple: The gods travel to the Gundicha Temple and stay there for a week before making their way back in a similar procession known as the Bahuda Yatra to the Jagannath Temple.
- Special Offerings: Various customary meals and desserts are made as offerings to the gods and then given to the followers as Mahaprasad.
- Cultural Events: To highlight the rich legacy of Odisha, the festival also includes cultural performances in the forms of traditional music, dance, and drama.
Why is the Rath Yatra Celebrated
The myths and customs of antiquity are the origins of the Rath Yatra. The event is thought to honour Lord Jagannath’s yearly pilgrimage to his birthplace. Legend has it that the voyage of the deities also marks a period when they emerge from their sanctuaries to grant darshan (sight) to everyone, even to those who are unable to visit the temple.
The festival is also thought to depict the path that humanity takes to become divine, with the temple standing in for the soul and the chariots representing the human body. Devotees pushing the chariots represents their group’s endeavor to advance toward spiritual enlightenment and emancipation.
