Jagannath rath Yatra begins with great enthusiasm today

The annual Jagannath rath Yatra festival begins today in Puri with great enthusiasm.

Every year on the auspicious day of Ashadh Sud 2, in late June or early July, Hindus celebrate the Rath Yatra festival. Rath means chariot, Yatra - a pilgrimage or procession.

Rituals have begun early morning today at the Puri Jagannath temple for the 12-day Jagannath rath yatra festival, which is a symbolic humanization of God. All rituals associated with the festival demonstrate an attempt to bring the God down from his pedestal of glory to a more human level.

Devotees have begun gathering outside the temple to witness the spectacle of the deities being driven on baroque chariots to the Gundicha temple located three km away.

Every year the deities of Jagannath Mandir - Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra - are traditionally installed on huge chariots. On the day of journey the three chariots the yellow coloured Nandighosa, blue coloured Taladwaja and Deviratha are lined up in front of the temple and then the deities are brought on to their respective Chariots. Once the king of Puri sweeps the chariots with scented water and golden broom, the pilgrims lined up with the rope pull the chariots on the Badadanda to Gundicha Ghar.

The deities are likely to be brought out of the Puri Jagannath temple any time between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. The yatra of the deities on the chariots is expected to start between 2 pm and 3 pm today.

Though this festival is celebrated all over India, it originated in Jagannath Puri on the eastern coast. At other places, those devotees of Lord Jagannath Temple, who cannot make it to Puri, take out similar processions on a much smaller scale. Notable are the ones at Ramnagar (near Varanasi), Serampore (near Calcutta) and Jagannathpur (near Ranchi).

This time, it is decided that except the temple sevayats, everyone else, including VVIPs, would not board the chariots as the crowding of the chariots used to block the view of deities. That means commoners will have a better chance of darshan, this time.

Rath Yatra is the only annual occasion during which non-Indians, who are not allowed to enter Jagannath temple, get a chance for the deities’ darshan.

SC Mohapatra, Chief administrator of the temple declared any non-sevayat boarding the chariots would be arrested without delay and criminal proceedings would be initiated against him. Not only this, even, if any sevayat facilitates the boarding of any pilgrim on the chariots, he would also be arrested, Mohapatra added.

“Even if there was a restriction earlier on boarding the chariots, in the absence of punitive measures the same was not adhered. However, we are very strict this time. Anybody irrespective of his position won’t be spared for any violation,” Mohapatra informed.

Meanwhile, in view of recent terror attacks in Ayodhya and Varanasi, the police have mounted a strict surveillance of all movements into Puri. Spotters roped in from neighbouring states have been placed at all entry and exit points to screen each and every vehicle coming to Puri. Cameras have also been installed to record and observe crowd activities throughout the day.

Sanjeev Panda, Puri SP said two police teams would keep constant vigil on the movements on the chariots. For security during annual outing of the deities, 63 armed police squads, apart from 150-odd police officials above the rank of assistant sub-inspector, have been stationed. Several sections of rapid action force and anti-sabotage forces are also on duty.