It is the time of festivities again. People have started on with the famous Jagannath Yatra that is one of the most-awaited festivals that is celebrated in Orissa. Jagannath Rath Yatra happens to be an annual event celebrated in June or July and is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), his sister Goddess Subhadra and his elder brother Lord Balabhadra. This yatra is also famous by the name of Gundicha Yatra, Chariot Festival, Dasavatara and Navadina Yatra. This year the yatra starts from 14th July 2018 from Puri in Orissa.
This Rath Yatra is organized in Puri and it is said that every year Lord Jagannath has this wish to visit his birthplace Mathura for some days. And this is the reason that this Yatra takes place every year from the famous Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple.
During this festival, the wooden idols are made of the three deities each year and they are taken from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. There are decorated chariots on which the wooden idols are kept. You will hear chants and loud conches all over the place making it a devotional experience. Before starting with the Yatra, the idols are bathed with 109 buckets of water, which is known as Snana Pornima. Then these idols are placed in isolation till the day the procession starts. This event is known as Ansara. On the day the procession takes place, the holy ritual of Chhera Pahara is done by the royal successor of Orissa. At this time, you will see a lot of locals and devotees in and around the temple area.
This is one of the most important processions that happen in India and is a major ceremony/ procession that happens every year. Thus, you need to experience the divinity that happens during this festival each year.
