The Rath Yatra: One Of India’s Most Fascinating Festivals.

Millions of devotees have an great desire to pull the "deities" chariots in Badadanda, Puri odisha. People believe that by pulling the chariots or by devotion to the Lord  destroys their sins committed knowingly or unknowingly.

Puri Rath Yatra.

 Lord Jagannath chariot is known as Nandighosa which is forty- five feet high and forty five feet square at the wheel level. The Chariot of Lord Jagannath made of Sixteen Wheels and ornamented with a cover made of Yellow and red color cloth. The chariot of Lord Balarama is known as Taladhwaja which is forty- four feet high with fourteen wheels and the palm tree on its flag. And the chariot of Goddess Shubhadra is known as Dwarpadalana, forty-three feet high with twelve wheels, decorated with a covering of red and black cloth.

"Alarnath Temple Also Known as Lord Jagannath Temple"

Lord Alarnath temple is situated in Brahmagiri. The temple is just around 25 km from Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri odisha. When the public darshan of the Lord Jagannath in the main temple at Puri remain closed for a fortnight for Anavasara, lakhs of devotees visit to the Alarnath temple at Brahmagiri. Anavasara is the two weeks period when Lord Jagannatha takes rest in isolation from the rest of the world after suffering from fever due to the annual bathing festival called debasnana purnima. It is a small temple. Lord Alarnath is a four-armed Vishnu deity with Sankha, Chakra, Gadha and Padma. 

Lord Alarnath

During Anavasara period Mahaprabhu Chaitanya visited puri but could not see Lord Jagannath. As he was disappointed but Lord Jagannath give the Indication to visit Lord Alarnath temple. On his visit he was praying god on a stone and that stone kept inside the temple and called as prema- sila.

Snana Yatra at Puri Jagannath Temple held on 9th June 2017.

The Snana Yatra or Snana Purnima is a bathing festival which celebrated on the Purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha month. It is an important festival of the Lord Jagannath devotees. This is the first occasion or First festival in a year as per the Hindu calendar, when the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Maa Subhadra,Lord Sudarshan, and Lord Madanmohan are brought out from the Jagannath Temple (Puri) and taken in a procession to the Snana Bedi or Snana Mandap. The water for the whole event will be collected from the well located near northern gate of the temple. Bathing rituals will be performed with 108 vessels of water and decorated for a public audience with the devotees. 

Lord Jagannath .

It is a belief among devotees of Lord Jagannath that if they make a pilgrimage to see the deity on this day, they would be cleansed of all of their sins. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple on the occasion to visit Mahaprabhu Lord Jagannath. Later the deities were decorated in Sada Besha with new clothes.

First Puri Beach Carnival Festival.

The Puri Beach Carnival festival is a celebration of the art, craft, culture, sports, cuisines and other aspects of tourism of Orissa. On a single platform witness the cultural heritage of not just Orissa but from other states. The Puri beach carnival starts from January 20th to January 26th.

Beach Carnival Festival Puri
Image: eodisha.org

Paush purnima festival celebrated in odisha at Lord Jagannath Temple

Pushyabhishek or Paush purnima is an important festival and performed at the world famous Lord Jagannath temple in odisha in paush month or paush masa. Paush purnima held on  January 12th. This festival is observed on paush purnima or the full moon day in the month of January. Several devotees come to puri for the darshan of the three deity . On this day Lord Jagannath , Balabhadra and Mother Shubhadra wears the New Khandua Silk sari and decorated with colorful flowers garland.

"Samudra Aarati" performed by Puri
 Jagadguru Sankaracharya.
Image Source: orissakhabara

There  is a belief that Lord Jagannath, Maa Shubhadra and Lord Balaram , other Gods, Goddess, Devas and saints assembled near the sea at puri. Therefore sea is worshiped on that day. On the day special pujas are observed  for peace and prosperity for all living beings on the earth.

The Snana Yatra is a bathing festival celebrated on the Purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha

The Snana Yatra is a bathing festival celebrated on the Purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha. It is an important festival of the Jagannath devotees. This is the first occasion in the year as per the Hindu calendar, when the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Sudarshan, and Madanmohan are brought out from the Jagannath Temple (Puri) and taken in a procession to the Snana Bedi. There they are ceremonially bathed and wear traditional yellowcolor Kahndua pata decorated for a public audience with the devotees.

It is a belief among devotees of Lord Jagannath that if they make a pilgrimage to see the deity on this day, they would be cleansed of all of their sins. Hundreds of thousands of devotees visit the temple on the occasion. The Skanda Purana mentions that King Indradyumna arranged this ceremony for the first time when the idols of the deities were first installed.