Home || Car Festival in Jagannatha Puri
Author: Dr. K. S. Behera
The Ratha Yatra (Car Festival) of Lord Jagannatha at puri is the most important festival of Orissa, which attracts pilgrims from all over India. Annually, on the second day ol the bright fortnight oI Asadha, the images of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra are dragged forth in a grand procession on three separate chariots along the broad street. (Bada danda) from the Sri Mandir to the Gundica temple. For its profound religious fervour, magnificence and drsplay of colour, the car festival of Lord Jagannath is perhaps the most spectacular religious ceremony in the world.
The concept of the chariot as the vehicle of gods is as old as the Rigveda. The chariot is specialy associated with the sun god. The car festival or the ritual procession of deities in chariots was known in the early period. White classifying the chariot, the Arthasastra of Kautilya (4th century B.C.) speaks ot chariots used by gods. lf the 5th century A.D., the Chinese pilgim Fahien reported the car festival of Buddha at Khotan and pataliputra. The Jaina sources mention the car fesiivaI of Tirthaikaras. In Orissa, the chariot festival of Lord Lingaraja is celebrated in Bhubaneswar on the Asokastami day in the month of Caitra. The car festival of goddess Viraja is celebrated at Jajpur in the month of Asvina. Thus, the car festival is not peculiar to puri or to the cult of Jagannatha. Nev-ertheless, the car festival ol puri is an exfraordinary religious event. There is little elsewhere to compare with its splendour and popularity that makes it eternally fascinating and a very satisfying experience for the religious seekers. The fame of the Jagannatha temple through-out.the world, is to a large extent, due to the car festival of the cult, is shrouded in obscurity.
Next >>>
