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Home , Ratha, Ratha Yatra, Ratha Yatra (Puri)

Srimandira

The of Shri

l Jayanta Narayan Panda

Orissa the Land of festivals is known Green timbers respectively. Beside the D.F.O. Nayagarh have been supplying 3 world-wide during the monsoon for the Nos. of Simuli timbers for last some years. spectacular festival, or the Now a days the availability of Fasi species Car Festival of Shri Jagannath. Among of trees has become a problem in twelve major festivals, viz. the Snana Nayagarh Division, as a result of which Yatra, the Ratha Yatra, the Sayan Yatra, the D.F.O. Nayagarh has to procure the the Yatra, the Fasi trees from other Divisions to supply Parswaparivartan Yatra, the Utthapana the same to the Temple Administration. Yatra, the Pravarana Yatra, the Like previous years the D.F.O. Nayagarh Pusyabhisheka Yatra, the sends first truck load of timber before Yatra, the Dola Yatra, the Damanaka Yatra 'Basanta Panchami' and the rest of the and the Akshaya Trutiya Yatra are timbers reaches in a phased manner. celebrated inside the temple of Lord Jagannath ; The Ratha Yatra or the Car The construction of the starts Festival of Lord deserves special mention. on the Akshaya Trutiya day. The progress This festival draws millions of tourists both of construction is monitored regularly by in-land and foreigners to the Grand Road. a team of officials. The Executive And the deities come down from the main Engineer, R & B, Division, Puri is temple to the Grand Road to meet the reviewing the progress from time to time. ocean of pilgrims. Total number of 92 Maharanas, 81 Bhois, 22 Kamars and 22 Rupakaras are Preparations for the festival start engaged in the construction work of the much before. Every year new are Rathas. To cover the Rathas 14 number constructed. Only the 'Sarathi' of Darajis (tailors) prepare the Rath (charioteer), Ghoda (horses), Kalasa Mandani. (Crowning element) and Parswa devatas are not made new every year. They are Allied materials in connection with prepared on the year of Navakalebara the car festival are collected by the temple (New-body ceremony). In terms of the administration well in advance. The car provisions laid down in the Puri Car ropes are supplied by the Kerala Coir Festival code, it is the responsibility of the Corporation. The clothes for Rathmandani Forest Department of Govt. of Orissa to are procured from the Orissa Textile Mills. supply the required timber for construction The lagi cloth of the Lords are prepared of the Rathas free of cost every year. As by the traditional weavers where as a matter of practice, the Divisional Forest Basunga Patta (Silken thread) are Officers of Nayagarh and Khurda have arranged by the State Tassar and Silk Co- been supplying 72 Nos. of Fasi, 729 Nos. operative Society. Salresins are procured of Asan, Dhaura timbers and 274 Nos. of locally, Til oil is supplied by Consumer Co-

37 Srimandira operative Federation. Sandal wood stock Finally Lord Jagannath leaves his abode has been procured from the towards his Car and is held tightly by the Govt. and musk is given from the office Daitapatis in their arms and pulled from stock. the behind by other sevakas. The floral Arrangements for the car festival is head-gear gives an enchanting look when reviewed in the Temple Co-ordination the deities make their way to the Cars Committee and the time table for the great placed on the Grand Road. Then festival is approved in the Temple 'Madanmohan' is taken to the Cars by the Managing Committee meeting. As 'Mahajan' Sevakas. Then the police picket specified in the Puri Car Festival Code, waiting near the palace of Maharaja escort meetings of the District level Co- the 'Gajapati Maharaja' to the Cars, ordination Committee under the where, as the first sevaka of the Lord, he chairmanship of the Revenue Divisional performs 'Chhera Pahanra' and after Commissioner (CD) are held in regular offering his prayers he goes back to his intervals wherein thread-bare discussions palace. relating to arrangements of all the line The of Lord Balabhadra is Department are held. The District called 'Taladhwaja'. Its height is 13.2 Collector takes the meeting of a group of metres. It has got 14 . Matali is the dedicated officers very often who are kept charioteer of this Car. Four wooden in charge of supervision of allied horses of black colour fixed to the chariot arrangements, viz. sanitation, drinking are known as Tibra, Ghora, Dirghasrama water, light arrangement, temporary shed, and Swarnanabha. serves the Car distribution of essential commodities, as Car rope. The Car is wrapped in red transport arrangement etc. The and green clothings. Superintendent of Police take care of the The Chariot of Goddess is police arrangements. known as Dalan, Darpadalan or All the three chariots after being Padma Dhwaja. Its height is 12.9 metres. constructed and decorated traditionally It has got 12 wheels. The name of the are dragged to the Lions gate in the Sarathi is Arjun. Four wooden horses of afternoon of the day preceding Sri red in colour attached to the Chariot are Gundicha. The S.P. Puri provides man called Rochika, Mochika, Jita and power for the same. On the day of Sri Aparajita. The Car rope is called Gundicha 'Ratha Pratistha' is performed Swarnachuda. The Car is wrapped in by the 'Deul Purohita' and then the divine black and red clothings. procession of the deities start from the The Chariot of Lord Jagannath is temple to the cars, which is known as called Nandighosha. It has a height of 'Pahandi'. Thousands of people buy 13.5 metres. There are 16 wheels in this tickets and go inside the temple to have a Car. The name of the Charioteer is darshan of the Lords during their Daruka. Four white wooden horses fixed 'Pahandibije'. First 'Sudarsana' is carried to the Car are known as Sankha, to the Car of 'Subhadra' and then comes Balahaka, Sweta and Haridaswa. 'Balabhadra' in a procession. 'Subhadra' Sankhachuda serves as Car rope in this is taken to her Car like 'Sudarsana'.

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Car. The Car is wrapped in red and yellow major role to play in this grand festival, clothings. other sevakas viz. Pati Mahapatra, When the Cars are dragged from Mudirasta, Pujapanda, Puspalaka, Rathakhala to the Lions Gate, the Car of Mahajan, Bhitarachha, Mekap, Pratihari, Lord Jagannath moves first. When the Akhanda, Muduli, Khataseja, Garabadu., Cars are dragged on the Grand Road with Changeda, Khuntia, Mukha Pakhal, the deities mounted, the Car of Lord Darpania, Pania Apat, Ghatuari, Bhandar Balabhadra is dragged first. At Gundicha Mekap, Suar Badu, Dhopakhal, Rosa Temple when the Cars are made ready Paika, Lenka, Patri Badu, Suddha Suara, before the return journey, the Car of Ballav Jogania, Mahasuara, Kothabhoga 'Subhadra' is taken first. Pania, Pradhani, Hadap Nayak, Bidia Jogania, Ghantua, Bajantri, Chhatara, When the wheels roll on the Grand Kahalia, Talichha, Asthan Pratihari, Badu Road people forgetting their caste, creed Suara, Bindua, Pagua, Tolabadu, and sex extend their hands to just touch Chanapua, Thali Suar, Biribuha, Handi the Car-rope and pull it. Time here in Jogania, Amalu Suar, Bidua, Pantibadu, Orissa does not sleep in the ancient Bahara Pantibadu, Bahar Deuli Suar, caves, it rolls through these wheels of Datta Mohapatra, Olhar, Chatara, Kanti progress. Mahasuar, Tadhau Karana, Deula Karana, The trinity along with 'Sudarsana' Deula Purohita, Dayanamali, Bimanbadu, stays at the otherwise Parba Jogania, Maharana, Bhoi, known as the 'garden house' by many till Rupakara, Chitrakara, Daraji, Dahuka etc. Navami. Millions of people visit Gundicha have got certain roles to play either in Temple to have a darshan of the Lord. connection with the performance of the This temple is also known as Adhapa rituals or construction of the chariots. Mandap, Jagna Mandap, Jagna Vedi and Even the Gajapati Maharaja is associated Janakapuri. On the 10th day of the with certain rituals. Asadha, the return journey begins. Now since the Car festival of Lord Goddess who has not escorted Jagannath has become an international the Lord in this journey meets Him near festival, it is observed in more than 60 the palace of the Gajapati Maharaja. On countries. In spite of that millions of the next day, the deities are nicely people road their way to Puri to have a decorated in golden costume and millions darshan of the Lords on the Car. Millions of people gather here to have the darshan of people switch on their T.V. sets to have of the Lords in this costume. Then after a glance of the festival through direct two days the Lords return to Their abode telecast. after purifying the sinful and thus the Ratha Yatra come to an end. Though the 'Daitapatis' have got a

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Ex-Administrator Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri

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