Ratha Yatra (Puri)
ratha yatra puri also rendered ratha jatra odia ରଥଯାତ୍ରା lit chariot festival odia pronunciation ɾɔt̪ʰɔ dʒat̪ɾa considered oldest largest hindu chariot festival celebrated annually bright half lunar month ashadh june–july festival held city puri state odisha india associated deity jagannath form vishnu krishna festival three deity jagannath brother balabhadra sister subhadra drawn multitude devotee three massive wooden chariot bada danda grand avenue gundicha temple whereby reside week return jagnannath temple return trip referred bahuda yatra way chariot jagannatha nandighosa ନନ୍ଦିଘୋଷ wait near crematorium bhakta salabega ଭକ୍ତ ସାଲବେଗ muslim devotee pay tribute way back gundicha temple three deity stop near mausi maa temple aunt abode offering poda pitha special type pancake supposed deity favourite stay seven day deity return abode description ratha yatra found brahma purana padma purana skanda purana kapila samhita record festival noted european traveler since th century prominent vivid description noted th century three chariot jagannath balabhadra subhadra newly constructed every year wood specified tree like phassi dhausa etc customarily brought exprincely state dasapalla specialist team carpenter hereditary right privilege log traditionally set afloat raft river mahanadi collected near puri transported road three chariot decorated per unique scheme prescribed followed century stand bada danda grand avenue chariot lined across wide avenue front temple close eastern entrance also known sinhadwara lion gate around chariot nine parsva devatas painted wooden image representing different deity chariot side chariot charioteer sarathi four horse chandan yatra sandalwood festival day period mark beginning construction work chariot period divided half consisting day first half known bahar chandan whereby representative image presiding deity taken colorful procession given ceremonial boat ride narendra tank every day deity include madan mohan jagannath ramakrishna lakshmi saraswati pancha pandava presiding deity five main shiva temple latter known bhitar chandan consists various ritual open public construction chariot start akshaya tritiya third day bright fortnight vaisakha ritual fire worship take place front palace king puri opposite main office puri temple later deity ritual bath small temple middle tank stone tub filled water sandalwood paste scent flower sandalwood festival culminates snana yatra bathing festival take place full moon day month jyeshtha deity jagannath balbhadra subhadra bathed pot water remain symbolic ritual convalescence two week barred view public three special patta chitras traditional oriya painting natural color cloth stiffened starch known anasara pattis strung bamboo screen hiding deity public view seen public period deity given root leaf berry fruit cure indisposition ritual reminder strong tribal element genesis evolution jagannatha cult progeny lalita daughter original tribal worshipper biswabasu chieftain hunter brahmin priest vidyapati known daitapatis daitas almost exclusive privilege serving deityduring convalescence entire period ratha jatra festival chariot chariot deity return main temple gundicha temple deity attired gold ornament worshipped chariot celebration known suna besha tradition maintains event first started king kapilendra deva returning victorious war donated gold jagannath deity adorned gold jewelry weighing nearly kg nearly nine hundred thousand devotee witnessed event held july year suna besha th july lakh devotee thronged coastal town puri catch glimpse deity reembodied year chariot occasion rath yatra marking largestever religious congregation odisha ratha yatra festival become common sight major city world since iskcon hare krishna movement c bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada popularised festival globally happens annual basis city including moscow new york houston atlanta london rome zürich kolkata mumbai karachi berlin heidelberg cologne florence wroclaw sydney perth kampala nairobi mombasa kisumu mexico city dublin belfast manchester birmingham alchevsk buenos aire madrid stockholm bath budapest auckland melbourne montreal paris copenhagen amsterdam los angeles toronto vancouver santiago tallinn lima antwerp sofia kuala lumpur dubai oslo zhongshan myitkyina bangkok port spain manama many city ratha yatra dhamrai bangladesh one important bangladesh table show date ratha yatra held puri odisha date show year nabakalebara year next year nabakalebara jagannath temple employ different kind sevakas offer service ratha suara mahasuara dahuka ratha dahuka boli odia ଡାହୁକ ବୋଲି also dahuka gita ଡାହୁକ ଗୀତ poetic recitation ratha yatra symbolic expression fertility life cycle boli sung dahuka contain bawdy song believed unless dahuka boli sung ratha move song sung publicly without kind hold lyric dahuka control movement ratha festival daita pati puspalaka banati player banati ageold art person spin ball set fire tied end rope every year rath yatra devotee perform banati appease jagannath knife fireball attached banati add colour procession deity reach destination hera panchami ritual observed period rath yatra grand jagannath temple puri known ritual goddess lakshmi fifth day rath yatra ie fifth day bright fortnight ashadha known hera panchami ratha yatra lord jagannath come divine outing brother balabhadra sister subhadra along divine weapon sudarshana leaving behind wife mahalaxmi goddess express anger deity proceeds gundicha temple adapa mandapa palanquin form subarna mahalaxmi threatens come back temple earliest make pleased deity concedes offering agyan mala garland consent seeing goddess furious sevakas close main door gundicha mahalaxmi return main temple nakachana gate unique ritual goddess order one attendant damage part nandighosa chariot followed hiding behind tamarind tree outside gundicha temple time escape home temple secrecy separate path way known hera gohri lane unique ritual enjoyed lakh devotee jagannath ritual hera panchami important function srimandira find mention skanda purana according history temple utsav started time maharaja kapilendra deb reign hera panchami function observed symbolic way recitation mantrasas stated madala panji raja kapilendra deb substituted practice introduction idol mahalaxmi made gold making celebration realistic famous hindu yatras hindu pilgrimage site india list hindu festival padayatra ratha yatra tirtha tirtha kshetra sectionratha yatra ritual orissa government publication event