Syllabus:

GS1: Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context: 

The annual Rath Yatra, or car festival, of Lord Jagannath, which will commence on 27th June. Over 30 lakh Indians and thousands of foreigners are expected to attend the event. 

More on the News

• As per Hindu mythology, Lord Jagannath, along with Balabhadra and Subhadra, undertakes a nine-day annual journey to their birthplace, staying at the Gundicha Temple until the Bahuda Yatra, which falls on July 5 this year.
• The Rath Yatra takes place on the second day of the Odia month of Ashadha Shukla Tithi (bright fortnight) every year.
• It marks the symbolic journey of Lord Jagannath and his siblings from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, considered their aunt’s residence. 
• Goddess Ardhasini, also known as Mausima, is believed to be the aunt of the deities. 
• The deities board three huge decorated chariots following the ceremonial procession called the Pahandi ritual, before marching for around 3 km to the Gundicha Temple. 
• Millions of devotees pull the chariots on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) of Puri town. 

Significance of Puri:

• Puri holds great religious significance as one of the Char Dham, where Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is worshipped along with his siblings. 
• It is believed that seeing the deities on their grand chariots during Rath Yatra cleanses sins and grants salvation.
• According to the Bamadeva Samhita, a religious text associated with the Puri temple, any pilgrim who witnesses the four deities on their simhasana (sacred seat) of Gundicha Temple for a week would be granted a place in Baikuntha, the heavenly abode, along with their ancestors for eternity.
• Since non-Hindus are not permitted inside the Jagannath Temple, Rath Yatra offers a rare opportunity for foreign devotees to witness and worship the deities. 
• It is believed that the Lord, believed to be the Lord of the Universe, steps out of his sanctum sanctorum during Rath Yatra to meet all his devotees.
• The three chariots, Taladhwaja Rath for Lord Balabhadra, the Darpadalan Rath for Goddess Subhadra, and the Nandighosa Rath for Lord Jagannath, are distinct from each other, and made afresh every year from the woods of locally available trees.

Rituals associated with the festival 

Chhera Panhara: Before the chariots are pulled on Rath Yatra, the scion of the erstwhile Puri royal family, the self-styled first servitor of the Lords, performs a special ritual called “Chhera Panhara”. 

• As part of this, he sweeps the floor of the chariots with a golden broom, symbolising that all devotees are equal before the Lord, irrespective of their social status. It is said to stress the dignity of labour and emphasises humility.

Bahuda Yatra: The Bahuda Yatra, held on Ashadha Shukla Dasami, marks the deities' return to the main temple, with a stop at the Mausimaa Temple where they are offered ‘Poda Pitha’, a special rice and jaggery cake.

Suna Besha: A day after the Bahuda Yatra, the deities are adorned with gold ornaments, including crowns, and hands and legs made of gold on the chariots in front of the Lion’s Gate, which is called Suna Besha (golden attire).

Niladri Bije: The return of the deities, known as “Niladri Bije,” is observed on the 12th day of the Ashadha month, marking the conclusion of the Rath Yatra festival. The sibling deities are ceremonially escorted back to the sanctum sanctorum in a ritual called Pahandi.

Rasagola Divas: Devotees offer Rasagola to Goddess Laxmi on Niladri Bije to appease her for being left behind during the Rath Yatra. In recent years, the day has also been celebrated as Rasagola Divas in Odisha.

Jagannath Puri Temple

• Puri, on India’s eastern coast, is home to the iconic 12th-century Jagannath Temple, a major pilgrimage site for nearly a thousand years. 
• Towering above the town, this Viashnavite temple is both an architectural marvel and the spiritual heart of the Jagannath tradition.
• The temple, popularly known as the “White Pagoda,” is one of the four sacred sites comprising the Char Dham pilgrimage, along with Badrinath, Dwaraka, and Rameswaram.
• The present temple was rebuilt from the 10th century onwards on the site of an earlier temple and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
• It is known for its Kalinga architecture, unlike most regional temples, the Jagannath Temple features walls richly carved with divine figures, forming a celestial stone pantheon.
• The temple complex, enclosed by two concentric walls, Kuruma Bheda and Meghnad Pachira, has evolved over centuries, with significant additions made up to the 16th century. 
• Several prominent Vaishnava saints were closely associated with the temple, including Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya, and Ramananda.