Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 | What Is Ihe Significance Of This Auspicious Festival?

Rath Yatra Celebration

By Intimate Viewpoint

Rath Yatra is celebrated annually at Puri a district in Orissa in the month of Ashad in the lunar calendar or in June In the Gregorian calendar. This year, it will be observed on 20th June, Tuesday.

Why does Rath Yatra is celebrated in Puri (Orissa)?

Rath Yatra is a festival in which three huge Chariots are pulled by numerous devotees.

Lord Jagannath, his younger sister Subhadra, and elder brother Balrama (Balbhadra) reside inside the Chariots. All three are believed to go to their maternal aunt's house by riding on these Chariots.

The Chariots are made of wood with very secrecy and after doing some rituals. It is also believed that every wish of the person who pulls these chariots is fulfilled or even if someone touches the rope linked to the Chariot, all their wishes also come true.

The significance of this festival

The Jagannath temple at Puri is famous all over the world. It is believed that the deity Jagannath lively exists inside the temple.

The Legend 

Diety Jagannath is a form of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. It is said that when Lord Vishnu came to earth in the form of a human being by taking the form of Krishna to kill the demon king and his maternal uncle "Kansa'. Then at the end when he left his body like an ordinary man while cremating his body, all his organs were burnt except his heart. So it flowed into the water, which got one of the devotees. He took the heart and gave it to the 'Vishwakarma' the divine craftsman of the whole universe and the official builder of all the Gods' belongings.

Lord Vishwakarma put the heart into the idol which was created by him. This Idol is known as 'Jagannath Prabhu'. Thus people believe that Lord Sri Krishna is enshrined alive forever in the form of the deity Jagannath in this temple.

The biggest significance of this festival is that people considered Jagannath Prabhu as the living god hence his Cheriot to the people is like a living god's Chariot procession. That's why, during this Rath Yatra everybody has the same wish that by any means he can touch the Chariot or the Rope linked to the Chariot. People come from every corner of the world to see this Grand Rath Yatra.