Puri Rath Yatra, also known as Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, is a big festival in India.
It happens in Orissa at the Shri Kshetra Puri Dham. This festival is super old and huge, with big chariots in a big parade.
People celebrate it because of God Jagannath, who’s also called the ‘lord of the world.’ They do all this celebrating at the Jagannath temple.
Curious about when Rath Yatra is happening this year? Want to know how it’s celebrated?
Keep reading to discover more about the festival in 2024 and How to reach Puri for the Rath Yatra.
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Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra Date
The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra in 2024 will be celebrated on July 7th.
It’s a big festival that lasts for nine days and it’s celebrated in places like Odisha, Jharkhand, and other parts of Eastern India.
The main event takes place in Puri, Odisha. During the festival, Lord Jagannath and two other gods travel on huge chariots to the Gundicha Temple and Mausi Maa Temple.
How is Rath Yatra celebrated?
The Rath Yatra is a big celebration in India that lasts for 9 days.
It starts with building chariots on Akshaya Tritiya day.
The wood for these chariots comes from Dashpalla forest, and only Shrimandir carpenters can make them.
During the festival, huge chariots are pulled through the streets.
They represent Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and their sister Subhadra’s journey to Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha.
People believe Lord Jagannath rests for 7 days before heading back.
What makes the Rath Yatra special is that it’s not like any other festival. People from all over come to see it and celebrate their culture.
Just like the Rath Yatra celebration in Odisha, there are also Rath Yatra festivals held in other parts of India and Bangladesh.
But when it comes to the grandest and oldest, that’s still the Puri Rath Yatra.
This festival, known as the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, is a huge deal.
It’s a big event happening in Puri, Odisha, and people from all over come to join in.
This year, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is scheduled to happen on its usual date.
So, mark your calendars!
Puri Rath Yatra 2024
The Puri Rath Yatra, also known as the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, takes place in Puri, Odisha.
It happens on the second day of the Shukla Paksha of the Ashadh month.
This festival is all about celebrating Lord Jagannath Srihari, who is an important avatar of Lord Vishnu.
The Rath Yatra is like a big symbol of peace, togetherness, and friendship.
Every year, lots of people, including devotees, travelers, and tourists, come to Puri for the Rath Yatra.
They come to pull the chariot and, they believe, to bring good luck into their lives.
People think that taking part in the Rath Yatra can bring them lots of happiness and success.
This year, the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is happening on July 7, 2024. It’s going to be a big celebration!
Before the Puri Rath Yatra, which is a big festival in Jagannath Puri, the three idols are given a special bath.
After this bath, they’re kept separate from everyone until the procession day.
This is because they change color a little after the bath and are thought to be unwell during that time.
During the Puri Rath Yatra, people come together near the temple.
They chant and dance, eagerly awaiting the King of Puri, a descendant of the Royal Family of Orissa.
He holds complete authority over the Jagannath Temple.
He tidies up the chariot using a golden-handled broom and adds beautiful flowers to the floor.
Once he feels it’s perfect for the deities, he moves on to cleaning the ground around the chariots and sprinkles sandalwood water.
This is a well-known tradition known as Chhera Pahara.
This special ritual shows that everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord during the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra.
Putting the idols on the chariots itself takes a couple of hours, but the excitement of the devotees just keeps going up.
It’s a special day during the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra when everyone joins in celebration and anticipation for the idols to come out of the temple.
Jai Jagannath!
The Chariots of Puri Rath Yatra 2024
All three chariots are built from wood and fancy designs by local artists.
Lord Jagannath’s chariot stands out the most, being the largest of them all.
It’s got a whopping 16 big wheels and reaches up to 44 feet high.
Lord Balabhadra’s chariot comes next, with 14 wheels and reaching up to 43 feet.
Then there’s Goddess Subhadra’s chariot, a bit smaller with 12 wheels and standing at 42 feet tall.
People join in eagerly to pull these chariots using long ropes that stretch up to 50 meters.
They do it because they believe it brings them blessings and helps them make up for any mistakes they’ve made.
During the Puri Rath Yatra, first comes Lord Balaram’s chariot, then Goddess Subhadra’s, and finally, Lord Jagannath’s.
The journey from Puri to Gundicha Temple is only about 3 km, but during the Puri Rath Yatra, it takes a few hours to get there because of the huge crowds.
When they finally arrive, the deities stay at the temple for nine days. Pilgrims can see them up close during this time before they’re taken back to Puri in the same procession.
After the main event, there’s the journey back, known as the Bahuda Yatra.
Along the way, they stop at the Mausi Maa Temple, their aunt’s place. There, they enjoy Poda Pitha, a sweet pancake.
Legend says it’s a simple dish loved by Lord Jagannath, considered food for the common folk.
The Puri Rath Yatra is India’s oldest and most magnificent festival, happening every year.
It goes way back, with stories about it found in ancient Hindu texts like the Skanda Puran, Brahma Puran, and Padma Puran.
Besides being a religious event, the Puri Rath Yatra also shows how everyone, no matter where they’re from or what background they have, comes together like family.
How to Reach Puri Rath Yatra
To join the Rath Yatra celebration, you have to get to Puri, where they host the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra festival.
Puri is super special because it’s where Jagannatha lives, making it the most sacred spot in Odisha, India.
By Road: Getting to Puri is easy-peasy! If you’re in Kolkata or Visakhapatnam, hop on a direct bus.
But don’t worry if you’re coming from elsewhere in India, there are plenty of roads leading to Puri.
You can catch buses from Bhubaneswar or Cuttack too. And if you prefer, just drive your own wheels there!
By Train: Puri has its own train station, so you can easily reach it from anywhere in India. You can catch direct trains from big cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and New Delhi.
Some important trains to Puri include the Purushottam Express from Delhi, the Jagannath Express from Howrah, and the Puri Super Fast Express from Mumbai, Chennai, and Howrah.
There’s also the New Delhi to Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express, and the Sealdah to Puri Duronto Express.
By Air: The closest airport to Puri is in a place called Bhubaneswar, which is about 60 kilometers away.
You can fly to Bhubaneswar from most big cities in India. Places like Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai, and Delhi have regular flights to and from there.
Once you arrive at the airport, you can catch a taxi or a bus to get to Puri. It takes around two hours to reach Puri from the airport by taxi or bus.
Just so you know, this airport only has flights within India, not international ones.
You can also book packages for the Puri Rath Yatra.