Car festival or rath yatra - Odisha

In Odisha the Car festival  or rath yatra is most famous festivals which is celebrated during the month of ashadha sukla ditiya tithi( June - July) bright fortnight which is also fixed date in Skanda Purana . This  auspicious occasion attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. The deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, are enshrined in a Jagannath Temple.The culture of Odisha exhibits a unique experiment in religion also known as land of Lord Jagannath . The culture of Odisha means the culture of Jagannath, and the culture of Jagannath means the synthesis of varied religions. He is also known as Jagabandhu, means he is the friend, philosopher, guide and the anchor of the purest thoughts of the people of the entire Universe. He is the Great Initial can say the supreme creative artist who has created himself and is also the source of all art. As 'Sakti', He is the source of all creative energy..

The three deities accompanied with a huge procession for 21 days cruise in beautiful decorated boats on Narendra Tank. On the full moon day of Jyestha (June), the Snanajatra(chandan yatra) or the bathing festival is observed, the deities are given a holy bath according to religious rites.After the bathing ritual the three deities are confined to a solitary abode for a fortnight where they undergo ayruvedic healing. They are offered special ayurvedic medicine - 'boli' and a liquid food called 'sarapana'. The deities spend 15 days in seclusion during which period they are repainted and prepared for the Car Festival. 

 During the Rath Yatra or Car festival, thousands of people pull the huge chariot where the three deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are placed in the huge decorated chariot brought out from the temple.The main chariot is 14 meters high and 10 meters square with 16 wheels dedicated  to Lord Krishna, his brother Balaram and sister Subadhra, followed by resplendently decorated elephants, pilgrims on foot, acrobats and gymnasts. The chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as 'Nandighose' is 23 cubits high and has 18 wheels. The chariot of Balabhadra which is 22 cubits in height and has 16 wheels is named 'Taladwaja'. 'Devadalan', the chariot of Subhadra is 21 cubits in height and has 14 wheels. The specialty of these chariots is, that they are constructed a new every year in accordance with strict and ancient prescription and supervisions. 


The carts actual construction  begins before two months of the festival day, on the third day of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha ( June - July). For the construction, more than 600 trees, or 400 cubic meters of wood, are needed which is  taken from the local forests, along the banks of the Mahanadi River. Same simple use making the carts since past hundreds of years. The basic elements are the wheels. The ropes of the huge chariots are pulled by millions of devotees , irrespective of religion, caste or creed to achieve the path of divine life.

According to the tradition, Gajapati Maharaja of Puri sweep and clean with golden broom. In Gundicha Yatra the three deities are reached in their mausi maa ghar or Gundichaghar and they stay eight days. After eight complete, they  return to their temple which is known as  Bahuda Yatra or Ultarath.  

The celebration is started in the time of Svarochisha Manu of the second manvantara and predicted to continue until the end of the second half of Lord Brahma's lifetime. In the Valmiki Ramayana, it is mentioned that when Lord Rama was getting ready to leave this world, he told Ravana's younger brother Vibhishan to worship Lord Jagannatha. In  Padma Purana describes that in Purushottama-Kshetra, or Jagannatha Puri, the supremely blissful Personality of Godhead pretends to be made of wood. In this way, although the Lord takes on what appears to be a material form, but it is completely spiritual by the causeless mercy of the Lord for the conditioned souls who cannot perceive the transcendental domain of his.

The shrine of Jagannath become most famous all universe.