The most awaited and much-celebrated festival in Orissa Jagannath Rath Yatra begun today in Puri as well as countrywide. It is dedicated to Lord Jagannath i.e. Lord Krishna, his sister Goddess Subhadra and his elder brother Lord Balabhadra. Commonly known as Gundicha Yatra,Chariot Festival,
Every year it falls in the month of June or July. For this, the Puri Rath Yatra sees 4 to 5 lakh pilgrims every year. Indians, as well as foreigners, flock in big numbers to get a glimpse of the idols in the chariot.Believed that those who manage to get a glimpse of the idols will have a prosperous year ahead. This year it falls on Thursday 4th July 2019. The preparations for the rath yatra begin quite a long time ago. Due to the second date of the Shukla Paksha in Vaishak month, the chariot duly started. It uses 832 pieces of wood. Jagannath ji’s chariot is 16 meters, Balram ji’s 14 meters and Subhadra ji’s chariot is prepared 13 meters high.
The Yatra begins when three richly decorated chariots resembling temple structures are pulled through the streets of Badadanda in Puri. Devotees from all over the world assemble in Puri with an earnest desire to help pull the Lords’ chariots along with the priests and their fellow devotees. This is considered to be a pious deed, and people even risk their lives in the huge crowd for the chance to serve the Lord. This is the only day when devotees who are not allowed in the temple premises, such as non-Hindus and foreigners, can get their glimpse of the deities. The huge processions accompanying the chariots play devotional songs with drums, tambourines, trumpets and other such instruments, making this procession a vibrant affair. The Ratha carts are pulled by the thousands who congregate at Puri for this annual event from all over the country and abroad.
Tourism, Sports and Youth Services Secretary Vishwa Kumar Dev said, “We are hoping to celebrate this year’s Rathayatra Festival with simplicity as we are not yet overcome by the cyclone. However, we are now fully prepared’’. He said that the state has started mass revival work in cyclone-hit areas.
The state government of Odisha has deployed 10 thousand security personnel for Lord Jagannath’s annual rath yatra. In this regard, a senior official said on Wednesday that about 10 lakh people are expected to join the rath yatra. 10 thousand security personnel have been deployed in different areas. At the same time, the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard will be patrolling the sea.
