Ratha Yatra in ArizonaLocal Events

June 15, 2017 14:57

The Hindu Temple of Arizona along with Oriya Association of Arizona is celebrating its very own Ratha Yatra in the state in connection with Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatra, which is being annually celebrated in the temple of Lord Jagannath in the city of Puri in the Indian state of Odisha.

Ratha Yatra, the festival of the chariot is a Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath celebrated in the state of Odisha, India. It is the oldest Ratha Yatra in the world, whose descriptions can be found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana, Skanda Purana and Kapila Samhita.

The festival commemorates Lord Jagannath’s annual visit to Gundicha Temple along with his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra via Mausi Maa temple near Balagandhi Chaka, Puri.

The deities are taken out in three separate, richly decorated chariots, resembling their temple structures. The chariots are pulled through the streets of Puri called Badadanda.

The deities remain in the Gundicha Temple for nine days and are accompanied by Sudarshana chakra. Then the Ratha Yatra returns to the main temple.

The return journey of Puri Jagannath Ratha Jatra is known as Bahuda Jatra

The three chariots of Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha are newly constructed every year with the wood of specified trees like phassi, dhausa. The carts are approximately 45 feet high and are pulled by thousands of pilgrims who turn up for the festival.

Millions of devotees gather at Puri for this annual event from all over the world.

Ratha-Yatra