Jagannath Rath Yatra 2021: Know about significance and 10 amazing facts of Jagannath temple
By Lokmat English Desk | Published: July 12, 2021 03:26 PM2021-07-12T15:26:14+5:302021-07-12T15:26:14+5:30
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A majestic chariot festival, Rath Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha every year. However, due to the Covid-19 global health scare, the annual event got widely impacted.
Last year, in a historic first, the iconic Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath was held in the pilgrim town without the usual sea of devotees and amid tight security in view of the surging coronavirus cases
This rath yatra ends on Ashadi Ekadashi. Lord Krishna, brother Balram and sister Subhadra travel around the city in a chariot. At least 8 lakh devotees participate in this yatra every year. However, like last year, this year too, the Jagannath Rathyatra is facing a Corona crisis and the tradition of the Yatra will be celebrated in the presence of a limited number of devotees.
The Jagannath Temple is one of the most revered shrines in Hinduism. In the Shastras and Puranas, 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu are mentioned. One of them is said to be Lord Jagannath. Everyone knows the history of foreign invasions of India.
Due to this one attack, the Jagannath temple premises were closed for about 144 years. Daily worship was also closed. However, Adya Shankaracharya opened this temple and started daily worship. The tradition of Jagannath Temple has never been broken since then. In 1876, there was a severe famine in the area. The yatra was organized even in those adverse circumstances.
There are many mysteries and beliefs about Jagannath Puri temple. There is a magnificent temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri in the state of Odisha. The height of this temple is 214 feet. The shadow of the main dome of this temple is invisible at any time of the day.
Jagannath Yatra starts at Jagannathpuri and ends at Janakpuri. It is said that this temple of Lord Jagannath was built in the 10th century.The flag atop the temple strangely always floats in the opposite direction of wind.
Another feature of this temple is that you cannot hear the sound of the sea waves as soon as you take the first step through the gate of the temple. However, when you step outside the temple, you can hear the sound of the sea waves. In the evening this sound can be clearly heard and felt, it is said.
You will be surprised to know that no birds or planes fly above the temple. By contrast, such an aspect is a rarity at any other temple in India. The site is a no-fly zone actually, which has not been declared by any state powers, but by some divine power. This phenomenon also apparently has no explanation. It still remains a mystery.
Every day a priests climbs atop the temple, which is as tall as 45 storey building, to change the flag. This ritual has been in place for 1800 years. It is believed that if this ritual is ever missed, the temple will remain shut for the next 18 years.
Nothing goes wasted in Jagannath Temple. Depending on the day, records state that 2,000 to 20,000 devotees visit the temple. But, the quantity of prasadam, which is cooked in the temple, remains the same throughout the year. Yet, the prasadam never get wasted or is insufficient in any given day.
Balbhadra’s chariot is called Taladhwaja and it stands tall at 43 feet. It has 14 wheels, and the colours used for decorating it are Red and Bluish-Green. Meanwhile Subhadra’s chariot has 12 wheels, and the colours associated with her are Red and Black. Her chariot is known as Darpadalana (Devadalana or Padmadhwaja), and it is 42 feet in height.
Annually, three giant separate wooden chariots are made of a kind of Neem tree for the deities Jagannath (ruler of the world), his elder brother Balbhadra (Balaram) and sister Subhadra.
Jagannath's devotees are in large numbers not only in India but also abroad. Although the main pilgrimage of Jagannath takes place at Puri, it is organized in many states across the country. This yatra is organized not only in India but also abroad.
In India, the yatra is organized in some cities in the states of Gujarat, Assam, Jammu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. Globally, the trip is made to many countries including Bangladesh, San Francisco, London.
