Puri Jun 30 : Jagannath Rath Yatra is an important annual festival held in India. The Jagannath Rath Yatra festival is being observed every year in India as per the Hindu calendar (Shukla Paksha Dwitiya Tithi, Ashadha month).
The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2022 festival will start from Odisha (Puri) on o1 July 2022 and will end on 12 July 2022. This year’s Jagannath Rath Yatra is very special and important because the people will get to witness and participate in the live Jagannath Rath Yatra after a hiatus of 2 years owing to the COVID19 pandemic.
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2022: History & Significance
The Puri Rath Yatra festival is an annual celebration held in Puri, a state of Odisha. The Rath Yatra is associated with Lord Jagannath, the Lord of Universe.
It is believed that the festival started when the sister of Lord Jagannath (Subhadra) expressed her desire to visit Puri (Odisha’s State). In order to fulfil Subhadra’s wish, Lord Jagannath along with Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra left for Puri in a chariot. Since then the Jagannath festival is being observed every year as per the Hindu calendar.
On the Jagganath festival, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra leave in their chariot and to pay a visit to Gundicha Temple. They stay in the Gundicha Temple for a period of 8 days.
After the eighth day, the deities (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra) leave from the Gundicha Temple and this period is called Bahuda Yatra.
The chariot journey in Jagannath Puri Yatra folllows a specific pattern. Lord Balabhadra is placed on the front side of the chariot followed by Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath is placed on the rear side of the chariot.