Jagannath Rath Yatra starts from today, this is happening in Puri after 53 years

Jagannath Rath Yatra 2024: Like every year, the Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri in Odisha has started from July 7. The Rath Yatra of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, which takes place every year, is a supernatural confluence of faith and devotion. The Jagannath Rath Yatra is taken out every year on the second day of the month of Ashadh. After 53 years, this time this Rath Yatra has started on 7 July 2024, Sunday, with 5 special auspicious yogas. Which is considered to be a very rare coincidence. According to the calculation of the planets and constellations, a two-day yatra has been organized this year, while the last time a two-day yatra was organized was in 1971.

According to the Panchang, Ashadh Shukla Dwitiya Tithi has started on July 7 at 3:44 am and will last till 4:14 am on the morning of July 8. Due to this, devotees will get a full day to worship Lord Jagannath. Today, on Sunday, July 7, many auspicious yogas have been formed including Ravi Pushya Nakshatra, Sarvarth Siddhi Yoga, Shivavas. Buying gold, silver, house, vehicle is considered very auspicious in Ravi Pushya Yoga. Apart from this, doing Griha Pravesh, starting new work in this auspicious yoga is also considered very good.

Monday, July 8, 2024

The chariot will be moved forward again on the morning of July 8. The Rath Yatra will reach Gundicha Temple on Monday. If there is a delay due to any reason, then the chariot will reach the temple on Tuesday.

8-15 July 2024

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balram and Subhadra will stay in Gundicha Temple. Many types of dishes are made for them here. And offerings are made to the Lord. This tradition has been going on for centuries and is still followed completely today.

16 July 2024

The Rath Yatra will conclude on July 16 with a ritual called Niladri Vijaya and the three deities will return to the Jagannath temple.

Why is the Rath Yatra taken out?

According to the Padma Purana, Lord Jagannath's sister Subhadra once expressed her desire to see the city. Then Jagannath ji and Balabhadra ji set out to show the city to their sister Subhadra by seating her on the chariot. During this, they also went to their aunt's house Gundicha and stayed there for 7 days. Since then, the tradition of taking out the Rath Yatra has started here.

Every year, Lord Jagannath, along with brother Balram and sister Subhadra, set out on a city tour, seated in 3 decorated chariots. Then they go to Gundicha Mata Temple. Where they are treated very well for 7 days. After this they return to Sri Jagannath Temple. In the Rath Yatra, the chariot of Balraj Ji is at the front, the chariot of sister Subhadra is in the middle and the chariot of Lord Jagannath is at the back. This is the only time in the year when Lord Jagannath himself comes among his devotees.

Why is Jagannath temple special?

Jagannath temple is one of the holy temples located in 4 different corners of India. There are three more temples - Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarka in the west and Badrinath in the Himalayas. There is probably no temple in the whole world except Jagannath temple where the idols of Lord Krishna, Balram and Subhadra, all three siblings, are installed together.

According to a belief, once the queens of Shri Krishna asked Yashoda's sister and Balram and Subhadra's mother Rohini about Shri Krishna's Raas Leelas. Rohini did not consider it appropriate to tell about Shri Krishna's Leelas in front of Subhadra and sent her out. Subhadra went out but at the same time Shri Krishna and Balram also came there. The three siblings were listening to Rohini secretly. At the same time, Sage Narada came there and seeing the three siblings together, he prayed that the three siblings should always stay together like this. Sage Narada's prayer was accepted and since then all three are seated together in the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri.

This is how the Rath Yatra ends

The Jagannath Rath Yatra ends with a ritual called Niladri Vijaya in which the chariots of the Lord are dismantled. The dismantling of the chariots symbolizes that after the completion of the Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath has returned to the Jagannath temple with the promise that next year he will come again to give darshan to the devotees.