Today the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath will be taken out in different parts of the country including Jagannath Puri. Every year Lord Jagannath goes on a yatra on the second day of Shukla of Ashadh month. On this day, Lord Jagannath will go to the Gundicha temple, seated on giant chariots, where he will rest for a few days. Along with Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra will also go to the Gundicha temple sitting on different chariots.
As per tradition, today Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and sister Subhadra visit the Gundicha temple at their maternal aunt’s house. Where they are welcomed with pomp and the three siblings rest for a few days at their aunt’s house. After this he returns to his home again.
Let us know the spiritual significance of Rath Yatra:
- Every year the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is taken out in the entire city of Odisha. On this day Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra ji and Goddess Subhadra sit on three huge and grand chariots. Balram ji’s chariot moves in the front, sister Subhadra ji is in the middle and Lord Jagannath ji’s chariot moves at the back.
- In Rath Yatra, chariots are made from Phasi, Dhaura wood and no nails or thorns are used in it, due to which the purity of the chariot is maintained. It is told in the scriptures that the use of nails or thorns for any spiritual work is inauspicious.
- The color of Lord Balarama’s chariot is red. Goddess Subhadra sits on a black or red colored chariot and in the last, Lord Jagannath sits on a red or yellow colored chariot. Lord Jagannath’s chariot has a height of 44.2 feet, elder brother Balabhadra’s chariot has a height of 43.2 feet and the smallest chariot, younger sister Devi Subhadra’s, has a height of 42.3 feet.
