“Ratha-Yatra” The Holy Festival of Puri, Odisha

Ratha-Yatra (Chariot Festival) is a very popular Hindu festival of Odisha, India. This is a very famous festival where millions of people are gathered at Puri to join the festival. Not only the Indian people or only Hindu community people also people from different countries from different communities are coming to Puri (the land of Jagannath) to participate in holy Ratha-Yatra or Chariot Festival.  

Ratha-Yatra or Chariot Festival involves transporting deities on a Ratha (chariot). In this festival the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra come outside of temple and visit to his aunt’s house.

The name Ratha-Yatra itself describes the festival, Rath means chariot and Yatra means journey. So the journey of Lord Jagannath and his brother and sister are called famous Ratha-Yatra.

Puri is the Land of Jagannath, here the famous Jagannath temple situated and Lord Jagannath worshiped in it. But once in a year Lord Jagannath go to visit Gundicha Temple or mausi maa temple (Lord Jagannath’s aunt’s house). Lord Jagannath left the temple (Shri Mandir) for seven days and after then come back to temple.

Millions of people gathered to see the lord Jagannath on chariot, people gets a divine experience by seeing lord Jagannath on chariot. So people like this chariot festival very much.

Ratha-Yatra usually occurred during the month of Asadha (Rainy Season of Orissa, usually falling in month of June or July). During this time millions of people from different countries come to Puri and stay here and worship lord Jagannath.

Mainly Hindu community people are gathered in a vast population and along with them all other community people are joined them and enjoy the Ratha-Yatra festival.

Also the Ratha-Yatra festival celebrated in different other places of India and also in different countries. Mostly in American countries people very much like to celebrate this chariot festival.