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India celebrates the vibrant and joyous Rath Yatra, a spectacular Hindu festival that takes place every year in the heart of summer! The Rath Yatra known as the Chariot Festival, this grand event is a highlight of India's religious calendar, drawing crowds from far and wide to honour the revered deities - Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balabhadra.
As the Skanda Purana describes that out of all the Shree Jagannatha Yatra, the Rath Yatra or Shree Gundicha Yatra is the most famous of all. It also states that, no other festival of the Lord can be as precious and auspicious as Shree Hari, the supreme Lord himself rides in His chariot being happy to the Gundicha temple for fulfilling His pledged command. It is worth mentioning that, the chariot is believed to be the symbol of 'Sandhini Shakti' hence mere touch of this chariot would confer eternal blessings upon the devotees.
Also, the Bamadev Samhita clearly states that, witnessing all the four deities of the Simhasa of the Gundicha temple for a week would get space in 'Baikuntha' (heaven) along with their ancestors.
SHREE GUNDICHA YATRA: The ritual is known as the 'Mangalarpana' solemnised on the second day of Ashadha Tithi. All the four deities namely Shree Sudarshana, Shree Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Shree Jagannatha goes on the ceremonial procession known as 'Pahandi' boarding the chariot one after another. And after this Pahandi, idols of the deities Shree Rama and Shree Krishna are placed in their respective chariots namely 'Taladhwaja' and 'Nandighosha'.
CHHERA PANHARA RITUAL: As all the deities are placed in Their chariots, They are decorated with 'Malachula' and 'Besha'. Chhera Panhara literally means mopping and cleaning of the chariots with a golden broom. This ritual is performed by Gajapati Maharaja who is brought in a ceremonial procession in a 'Tamjam' which means palanquin from the King's palace known as the 'Shreenahara'. The deities hereafter are offered camphor lamp in a golden 'diya' along with the 'Alata' and 'Chamara' rituals. The Kins cleans the chariot and swipes its floor by the golden broom and sprays sandal wood paste on the chariot.
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Moving forward after the Chhera Panhara ritual, the 'Charmala' from chariot is removed by the Bhoi sevaks and each of the chariot is tied with four wooden horse idols. The 'Kahali' (trumpet) is blown followed by the beating of gongs. The entire ambience witnesses the musical beginning of this mesmerising journey as the chariots are pulled ahead. As this is happening, the Ratha Dahuk renders melodiously to evoke the crowd to pull the chariots and spread its holistic approach as it moves towards the Shree Gundicha Temple.
Now all the four deities are taken one after another to the 'Simhasana' (throne) inside the Shree Gundicha Temple. The deities stay here for a week with rituals and worships. The sixth day of the 'Ashada Tithi' is the 'Shukla Paksh' (full moon phase) and the 'Hera Panchami' festive occasion is celebrated. The 'Sandhya Darshan' is considered to be very auspicious for the devotess to have a glance of the deities on the Adapa Mandap. Sandhya Darshan means evening/night glance of the deities. According to the Niladri Mahodaya, watching the deities while being sitted on the Adapa Mandap in the evening or night time is equivalent to watch them continuously for ten years in the Neelachala.
After the Sandhya Darshan, the next day Bahuda Yatra begins with much joy. This return car festival is known as 'Dakshinabhimukhi Yatra' wherein the chariot is moved towards the south direction. This is celebrated on the Ashada Shukla Dashami with rituals namely the Senapatalagi, Mangalarpana, Bandapana, etc. During this reversal journey of the deities to Shreemandir, They are offered a special delicacy namely Poda Pitha at the Mausimaa Mandir. The chariots of Shree Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are halted in front of Singhadwara and those of Shree Jagannatha stations at the Shreenahara and Devi Lakshmi's palanquin is carried to Shreenahara.
Towards the final phase, the deities are beautifully adorned with gold ornaments during the Shukla Ekadasi Tithi which is known as 'Suna Besha'. On the twelth day of the bright moon phase known as the Ashada Shukla Dwadashi, a special sweet drink namely the 'Adhara Pana' is made out of cheese, milk, sugar and spices and offered to all the deities.
At last, the Shree Gundicha Yatra comes to its last phase wherein the deities return to their platform with a massive ceremonial procession and huge crowd on the thirteenth day Ashadha Shukla Paksha (full moon phase).
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