Ratha Yatra: Difference between revisions

*Ratha Yatra* in Hinduism
Viswanatha (Shiva) and Visalakshi (Parvati) chariot festival in Kerala	Chariot in Tamil Nadu
Krishna and Arjuna at a ratha festival	A girl as goddess in a Nepalese ratha during Indra Jatra
Krishna and Radha, London, UK chariot festival	Thiruvizha festival
A chariot is constructed for use in a Ratha Yatra celebration in London, UK.

Ratha Yatra
Ratha Yatra
	Three chariots of the deities with the Temple in the background, Puri
Also called	Ghosa Jatra
Observed by	Hindu
Type	Religious
Begins	Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya
Ends	Ashadha Shukla Dashami
2023 date	20 June
2024 date	7 July
2025 date	27 June
2026 date	16 July
Frequency	annual

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Latest revision as of 13:50, 22 November 2024

Ratha Yatra^[a] (/ˈrʌθə ˈjɑːtrə/), or chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot.^[3]^[4] They are held annually during festivals in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.^[5] The term also refers to the popular annual Ratha Yatra of Puri^[6] that involves a public procession with a chariot with deities Jagannath (Vishnu avatar), Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot.^[7]^[8]

Ratha Yatra processions have been historically common in Vishnu-related (Jagannath, Rama, Krishna) traditions in Hinduism across India,^[9] in Shiva-related traditions,^[10] saints and goddesses in Nepal,^[11] with Tirthankaras in Jainism,^[12] as well as tribal folk religions found in the eastern states of India.^[13] Notable Ratha Yatras in India include the Ratha Yatra of Puri, the Dhamrai Ratha Yatra in Bangladesh and the Ratha Yatra of Mahesh. Hindu communities outside India, such as in Singapore, celebrate Ratha Yatra such as those associated with Jagannath, Krishna, Shiva and Mariamman.^[14] According to Knut Jacobsen, a Ratha Yatra has religious origins and meaning, but the events have a major community heritage, social sharing and cultural significance to the organizers and participants.^[15]

Western impressions of the Jagannath Ratha Yatra in Puri as a display of unstoppable force are the origin of the English word juggernaut.

Etymology

Ratha Yatra is derived from two Sanskrit words, Ratha, which means chariot or carriage, and Yatra which means journey or pilgrimage.^[16] In other Indian languages such as Odia, the phonetic equivalents are used, such as jatra.

Description

Ratha Yatra is a journey in a chariot accompanied by the public. It typically refers to a procession (journey) of deities, people dressed like deities, or simply religious saints and political leaders.^[5] The term appears in medieval texts of India such as the Puranas, which mention the Ratha Yatra of Surya (Sun god), of Devi (Mother goddess), and of Vishnu. These chariot journeys have elaborate celebrations where the individuals or the deities come out of a temple accompanied by the public journeying with them through the Ksetra (region, streets) to another temple or to the river or the sea. Sometimes the festivities include returning to the sacrosanctum of the temple.^[5]^[17]

Traveler Fa-Hien who visited India during 400 CE notes the way temple car festivals were celebrated in India.

The cities and towns of this country [Magadha] are the greatest of all in the Middle Kingdom [Mathura through Deccan]. The inhabitants are rich and prosperous, and vie with one another in the practice of benevolence and righteousness. Every year on the eighth day of the second month they celebrate a procession of images. They make a four-wheeled car, and on it erect a structure of four storeys by means of bamboos tied together. This is supported by a king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and is rather more than twenty cubits high, having the shape of a tope. White and silk-like cloth of hair is wrapped all round it, which is then painted in various colours. They make figures of devas, with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli grandly blended and having silken streamers and canopies hung out over them. On the four sides are niches, with a Buddha seated in each, and a Bodhisattva standing in attendance on him. There may be twenty cars, all grand and imposing, but each one different from the others. On the day mentioned, the monks and laity within the borders all come together; they have singers and skillful musicians; they pay their devotion with flowers and incense. The Brahmans come and invite the Buddhas to enter the city. These do so in order, and remain two nights in it. All through the night they keep lamps burning, have skillful music, and present offerings. This is the practice in all the other kingdoms as well. The Heads of the Vaisya families in them establish in the cities houses for dispensing charity and medicines. All the poor and destitute in the country, orphans, widowers, and childless men, maimed people and cripples, and all who are diseased, go to those houses, and are provided with every kind of help, and doctors examine their diseases. They get the food and medicines which their cases require, and are made to feel at ease; and when they are better, they go away of themselves.
— Faxian, c. 415 CE^[18]

Places

A stunning example of Kalinga architecture is the Jagannath Temple, which was constructed in the twelfth century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva. The goddesses Subhadra, Balabhadra, and Lord Jagannath reside in this hallowed shrine. The festival of Ratha Yatra, which draws pilgrims and visitors from all over the world, is closely linked to the history of the Jagannath Temple.

Preparations for Ratha Yatra 2024 Preparations for Ratha Yatra 2024 Ratha Yatra 2024 is being planned months in advance, with artisans building the enormous chariots for the gods. Every year, each chariot is constructed from scratch utilizing particular wood species and customary blueprints. The largest chariot belongs to Lord Jagannath and is named Nandighosa. Taladhwaja belongs to Balabhadra and Darpadalana to Subhadra.

The Chariot Festival: Day One In a custom known as Pahandi, the gods are ceremoniously taken out of the Jagannath Temple on the day of the Ratha Yatra. Devotees are dancing and chanting in the streets during this colorful and joyful celebration. After that, the gods are mounted on their appropriate chariots and prepared to travel to Gundicha Temple.

The Chariot Festival Ratha Yatra Day One^[19] The Journey to Gundicha Temple The Journey to Gundicha Temple The atmosphere is electrifying with excitement and dedication as thousands of devotees pull the chariots. There is singing, dancing, and nonstop hymn chanting during the three-kilometer trek to Gundicha Temple. The yearly pilgrimage of Lord Jagannath and his siblings to their birthplace is represented by this procession.

Gundicha Temple and the Nine-Day Sojourn Upon reaching Gundicha Temple, the deities are welcomed with elaborate rituals. They stay at the Gundicha Temple for nine days, during which various religious ceremonies and cultural events take place. This period is known as the Gundicha Yatra, where devotees can offer prayers and seek blessings from the deities.

Ratha Yatra 2024 Gundicha Temple and the Nine-Day Sojourn Bahuda Yatra The Return Journey of Ratha Yatra Bahuda Yatra: The Return Journey Nine days later, the gods set out on the Bahuda Yatra, a trek back to the Jagannath Temple. Devotees drag the chariots back to their original abode in this equally magnificent event. For the devotees, the trip back is a time of great joy and celebration.

Suna Besha: The Golden Attire At the Ratha Yatra event, the Suna Besha, where the gods are decked out in gold jewelry and decorations, is one of the highlights. The day following the gods’ return to the Jagannath Temple is when this magnificent ceremony takes place. The finale of the Ratha Yatra celebrations is the stunning sight of the deities dressed in gold, drawing thousands of devotees. ^[20]

International Jagannath Ratha Yatra

The Ratha Yatra festival has become a common sight in most major cities of the world since 1968 through the Hare Krishna movement. Local chapters put on the festival annually in over a hundred cities worldwide.^[21]

Dhamrai Jagannath Rathayatra

Dhamrai Jagannath Ratha is a chariot temple, a Roth, dedicated to the Hindu God Jagannath located in Dhamrai, Bangladesh. The annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting thousands of people. The Ratha Yatra in Dhamrai is one of the most important events for the Hindu community of Bangladesh.^[22] The original historical Roth was burnt down by the Pakistan Army in 1971.^[17] The Roth has since been rebuilt with Indian assistance.

Iskcon Swamibagh, Dhaka Rathyatra

Iskcon Swamibagh is a temple dedicated to the Hindu God Krishna located in Swamibagh, Dhaka. The annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting thousands of people. The Ratha Yatra in Swamibagh is one of the most important events for the Hindu community of Bangladesh.

Rathayatra of Mahesh

The Rathayatra of Mahesh is the second oldest chariot festival in India (after the Rath Yatra at Puri) and the oldest in Bengal,^[23] having been celebrated since 1396 CE.^[24] It is a month-long festival held at Mahesh in Serampore of West Bengal and a grand fair is held at that time. People throng to have a share in pulling the long ropes (Roshi) attached to the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra on the journey from the temple to Gundicha Bari (Masir bari) and back. Subhadra is worshipped with Krishna in Jagannath Yatra.^[25]

Manipur

The practice of Ratha Yatra in Manipur was introduced in the nineteenth century. The Khaki Ngamba chronicle mentions that on a Monday in either April or May 1829, the King of Manipur Gambhir Singh was passing through Sylhet whilst on a British expedition against the Khasis. Two processions were being prepared by Sylhet's Muslim and Hindu communities respectively. The Islamic month of Muharram in the history of Sylhet was a lively time during which tazia processions were common. This happened to fall on the same day as Ratha Yatra. Sensing possible communal violence, the Faujdar of Sylhet, Ganar Khan, requested the Hindu community to delay their festival by one day. Contrary to the Nawab's statement, a riot emerged between the two communities. As a Hindu himself, Singh managed to defend the Hindus and disperse the Muslim rioters with his Manipuri troops. The Ratha Yatra was not delayed, and Singh stayed to take part in it. Revered by the Hindu community as a defender of their faith, he enjoyed the procession and initiated the practice of celebrating Ratha Yatra and worshipping Jagannath in his own homeland of Manipur.^[26]

Examples

Left: A 1914 painting of a chariot festival (Ratha Yatra) in Chennai; Right: A Matsyendranath Ratha Yatra in Nepal

Ratha-Jatra, Puri, at Puri in the state of Odisha, is the largest and most visited Ratha Yatra in the world attracting a large crowd every year.
Baripada Ratha Yatra is the second oldest in the world. So Baripada is also called as Dwitiya Shrikhetra or 2nd Puri. Ratha Jatra has been celebrated here since 1575 without any interruption.^{[citation needed]}
Ratha Yatra of Kendujhar is the second largest Ratha Yatra in the world. The Keonjhar Ratha (Chariot) - Nandighosh is the Tallest Ratha in the World.^{[citation needed]}
Rath Yatra (Ahmedabad) - Ratha Yatra also takes place in Ahmedabad, Gujarat State, which is known to be the third largest in the world.^[27]
Sukinda Ratha Yatra in Odisha is also known to attract a large number of devotees.
Dhamrai Rathayatra, at Dhamrai in Bangladesh, is the most famous Ratha Yatra in Bangladesh.
ISKCON Dhaka Ratha Jatra is the second famous Ratha Jatra in Bangladesh.
Rajbalhat Ratha Jatra, West Bengal, India.

People of Bastar region observe Ratha Yatra during Dussehara.^[28]^[29]
Radha Rani Ratha Yatra, held at the Radha Madhav Dham temple near Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
Ratha Yatra in Silicon Valley is organized at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, USA.

Notes

^ Other transliterations include Ratha Jatra, Rathayatra, and Rathajatra.

References

^ "National Portal of India". india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
^ "National Portal of India". india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
^ Lavanya Vemsani (2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
^ Christophe Jaffrelot (1999). The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s. Penguin Books. pp. 416–421. ISBN 978-0-14-024602-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c Michaels; Cornelia Vogelsanger; Annette Wilke (1996). Wild Goddesses in India and Nepal: Proceedings of an International Symposium, Berne and Zurich, November 1994. P. Lang. pp. 270–285. ISBN 978-3-906756-04-2.
^ Peter J. Claus; Sarah Diamond; Margaret Ann Mills (2003). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Taylor & Francis. pp. 515–. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.
^ Lavanya Vemsani (2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
^ Mandai, Paresh Chandra (2012). "Rathajatra". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Bruce M. Sullivan (2001). The A to Z of Hinduism. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 100, 166, 209. ISBN 978-0-8108-4070-6.
^ Pratapaditya Pal; Stephen P. Huyler; John E. Cort; et al. (2016). Puja and Piety: Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Art from the Indian Subcontinent. University of California Press. pp. 72–74 with Figures 23–25. ISBN 978-0-520-28847-8.
^ J.P. Losty (2004). David M. Waterhouse (ed.). The Origins of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson in Nepal and Darjeeling, 1820-1858. Routledge. pp. 93–94 with Figure 5.11. ISBN 978-0-415-31215-8.
^ Virendra Kumar Sharma (2002). History of Jainism: With Special Reference to Mathurā. DK. p. 162. ISBN 978-81-246-0195-2.
^ Ajit K. Singh (1982). Tribal Festivals of Bihar: A Functional Analysis. Concept. pp. 30–33.
^ Vineeta Sinha (2008). Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. pp. 159–174. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4.
^ Knut A. Jacobsen (2008). Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. pp. 8–11, 200–201. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4.
^ Nori J. Muster (2013). Betrayal of the Spirit. University of Illinois Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-252-09499-6.
^ ^a ^b Mandai, Paresh Chandra (2012). "Rathajatra". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Fa-Hien (1875). "A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (Chapter XXVII: Pataliputra or Patna, In Magadha)". gutenberg.org. Translated (published 415). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ "Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free". 3 July 2024.
^ "Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free". 3 July 2024.
^ "Festival of India". Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
^ "Rathajatra festival today". The New Nation, Dhaka. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2012 – via HighBeam Research.
^ "Rathayatra celebrated in West Bengal". The Hindu. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
^ "Bengal celebrates Rathajatra festival". Monsters and Critics. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2008.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Why Subhadra is Worshipped with Krishna in Jagannath Yatra". July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
^ Singh, Moirangthem Kirti (1980). Religious Developments in Manipur in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Manipur State Kala Akademi. pp. 165–166. Gonarkhan
^ "About Ahmedabad Ratha Jatra : Jamalpur Jagannath Temple".^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ S Banerjee, Partha (2008). "Dussehra in Bastar -- a riot of colours - Economic Times". indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2013. The Bastar royal family figures prominently in the script and the props include a huge chariot that is first built, then ritually 'stolen', and then again recovered and pulled ceremonially through the streets of Jagdalpur
^ "Tribals celebrate unique Dussehra in Bastar - Oneindia News". news.oneindia.in. 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2023. Another attraction of this 'tribal Dusshra', is a double-decked Ratha (Chariot) with eight wheels and weighing about 30 tonnes.

Bibliography

Das, J. P. (1982), Puri Paintings: the Chitrakara and his Work, New Delhi: Arnold Heinemann, ISBN 9788190158978
Mitter, P. (1977). Much Maligned Monsters: A History of European Reactions to Indian Art. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226532394.
Starza, O. M. (1993), The Jagannatha Temple at Puri: Its Architecture, Art, and Cult, BRILL, ISBN 978-90-04-09673-8, retrieved 15 December 2012

[3] Other transliterations include Ratha Jatra, Rathayatra, and Rathajatra.

[1] "National Portal of India". india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.

[2] "National Portal of India". india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2020.

[vemsani135-4] Lavanya Vemsani (2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.

[5] Christophe Jaffrelot (1999). The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s. Penguin Books. pp. 416–421. ISBN 978-0-14-024602-5.

[Michaels1996p270-6] Michaels; Cornelia Vogelsanger; Annette Wilke (1996). Wild Goddesses in India and Nepal: Proceedings of an International Symposium, Berne and Zurich, November 1994. P. Lang. pp. 270–285. ISBN 978-3-906756-04-2.

[ClausDiamond2003-7] Peter J. Claus; Sarah Diamond; Margaret Ann Mills (2003). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Taylor & Francis. pp. 515–. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.

[8] Lavanya Vemsani (2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.

[Banglapediab-9] Mandai, Paresh Chandra (2012). "Rathajatra". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[10] Bruce M. Sullivan (2001). The A to Z of Hinduism. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 100, 166, 209. ISBN 978-0-8108-4070-6.

[11] Pratapaditya Pal; Stephen P. Huyler; John E. Cort; et al. (2016). Puja and Piety: Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Art from the Indian Subcontinent. University of California Press. pp. 72–74 with Figures 23–25. ISBN 978-0-520-28847-8.

[12] J.P. Losty (2004). David M. Waterhouse (ed.). The Origins of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson in Nepal and Darjeeling, 1820-1858. Routledge. pp. 93–94 with Figure 5.11. ISBN 978-0-415-31215-8.

[13] Virendra Kumar Sharma (2002). History of Jainism: With Special Reference to Mathurā. DK. p. 162. ISBN 978-81-246-0195-2.

[14] Ajit K. Singh (1982). Tribal Festivals of Bihar: A Functional Analysis. Concept. pp. 30–33.

[Jacobsen2008p159-15] Vineeta Sinha (2008). Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. pp. 159–174. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4.

[16] Knut A. Jacobsen (2008). Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.). South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge. pp. 8–11, 200–201. ISBN 978-1-134-07459-4.

[17] Nori J. Muster (2013). Betrayal of the Spirit. University of Illinois Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-252-09499-6.

[Banglapedia-18] Mandai, Paresh Chandra (2012). "Rathajatra". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[19] Fa-Hien (1875). "A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (Chapter XXVII: Pataliputra or Patna, In Magadha)". gutenberg.org. Translated (published 415). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[20] "Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free". 3 July 2024.

[21] "Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free". 3 July 2024.

[22] "Festival of India". Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2012.

[23] "Rathajatra festival today". The New Nation, Dhaka. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2012 – via HighBeam Research.

[24] "Rathayatra celebrated in West Bengal". The Hindu. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.

[25] "Bengal celebrates Rathajatra festival". Monsters and Critics. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2008.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[26] "Why Subhadra is Worshipped with Krishna in Jagannath Yatra". July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.

[27] Singh, Moirangthem Kirti (1980). Religious Developments in Manipur in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Manipur State Kala Akademi. pp. 165–166. Gonarkhan

[28] "About Ahmedabad Ratha Jatra : Jamalpur Jagannath Temple".^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[29] S Banerjee, Partha (2008). "Dussehra in Bastar -- a riot of colours - Economic Times". indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2013. The Bastar royal family figures prominently in the script and the props include a huge chariot that is first built, then ritually 'stolen', and then again recovered and pulled ceremonially through the streets of Jagdalpur

[30] "Tribals celebrate unique Dussehra in Bastar - Oneindia News". news.oneindia.in. 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2023. Another attraction of this 'tribal Dusshra', is a double-decked Ratha (Chariot) with eight wheels and weighing about 30 tonnes.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Hindu festival}}
-{{Short Real Madrid ist scheisse
+{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
+{{about||the festival in Puri|Ratha Yatra (Puri)|the festival in Ahmedabad|Rath Yatra (Ahmedabad)}}
+{{Distinguish|Ram Rath Yatra}}
+{{Faith primary|date=February 2017}}
+{{Infobox holiday
 | holiday_name   = Ratha Yatra <!-- Please do not add any Indic script in this infobox, per WP:INDICSCRIPT policy. -->
 | image          = Rath Yatra Puri 07-11027.jpg
@@ Line 19: / Line 24: @@
 | duration        = 1 week, 2 days
 }}
-'''Ratha Yatra'''{{efn|Other transliterations include ''Ratha Jatra'', ''Rathayatra'', and ''Rathajatra''.}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ʌ|θ|ə|_|ˈ|j|ɑː|t|r|ə}}), or '''Chariot festival''', is any public procession in a chariot.<ref name="vemsani135">{{cite book|author=Lavanya Vemsani |title=Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA135|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-211-3|page=135}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Christophe Jaffrelot|title=The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=iVsfVOTUnYEC |year= 1999|publisher= Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-024602-5|pages=416–421}}</ref> The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in [[Odisha]], [[Jharkhand]], West Bengal and other [[East India]]n states, particularly the [[Odia culture|Odia festival]]<ref name="ClausDiamond2003">{{cite book|author1=Peter J. Claus|author2=Sarah Diamond|author3=Margaret Ann Mills|title=South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC&pg=PA515|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93919-5|pages=515–}}</ref> that involve a public procession with a chariot with deities [[Jagannath]] ([[Vishnu]] avatar), [[Balarama|Balabhadra]] (his brother), [[Subhadra]] (his sister) and [[Sudarshana Chakra]] (his weapon) on a [[ratha]], a wooden [[deula]]-shaped chariot.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lavanya Vemsani |title=Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA135|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-211-3|page=135}}</ref><ref name=Banglapediab>{{cite book |last=Mandai |first=Paresh Chandra |year=2012 |chapter=Rathajatra |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Rathajatra |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]] }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Ratha Yatra processions have been historically common in Vishnu-related (Jagannath, Rama, Krishna) traditions in [[Hinduism]] across India,<ref>{{cite book|author=Bruce M. Sullivan|title=The A to Z of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xU4ZdatgRysC |year=2001|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8108-4070-6|pages=100, 166, 209}}</ref> in Shiva-related traditions,<ref>{{cite book|author1=Pratapaditya Pal|author2=Stephen P. Huyler|author3=John E. Cort|display-authors=etal|title=Puja and Piety: Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Art from the Indian Subcontinent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXolDQAAQBAJ |year =2016|publisher=University of California Press|isbn= 978-0-520-28847-8|pages=72–74 with Figures 23–25}}</ref> saints and goddesses in Nepal,<ref>{{cite book|author=J.P. Losty|editor= David M. Waterhouse|title=The Origins of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson in Nepal and Darjeeling, 1820-1858|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_rhgqGA2nKoC&pg=PA94 |year=2004|publisher= Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-31215-8|pages=93–94 with Figure 5.11}}</ref> with [[Tirthankaras]] in [[Jainism]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Virendra Kumar Sharma|title=History of Jainism: With Special Reference to Mathurā|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M3vXAAAAMAAJ|year=2002|publisher=DK|isbn=978-81-246-0195-2|page=162}}</ref> as well as tribal folk religions found in the eastern states of India.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ajit K. Singh|title=Tribal Festivals of Bihar: A Functional Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gvLiAsmvx6IC |year= 1982|publisher= Concept| pages= 30–33}}</ref> Notable Ratha Yatras in India include the [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Ratha Yatra of Puri]], the [[Dhamrai Rathayatra|Dhamrai Ratha Yatra]] and the [[Rathayatra of Mahesh|Ratha Yatra of Mahesh]]. Hindu communities outside India, such as in Singapore, celebrate Ratha Yatra such as those associated with [[Jagannath]], [[Krishna]], [[Shiva]] and [[Mariamman]].<ref name="Jacobsen2008p159">{{cite book|author=Vineeta Sinha|editor=Knut A. Jacobsen|title=South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WT2odZ7_d7MC&pg=PA163|year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-07459-4|pages=159–174}}</ref> According to Knut Jacobsen, a ''Ratha Yatra'' has religious origins and meaning, but the events have a major community heritage, social sharing and cultural significance to the organizers and participants.<ref>{{cite book|author=Knut A. Jacobsen|editor=Knut A. Jacobsen|title=South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WT2odZ7_d7MC |year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-07459-4|pages=8–11, 200–201}}</ref>
+'''Ratha Yatra'''{{efn|Other transliterations include ''Ratha Jatra'', ''Rathayatra'', and ''Rathajatra''.}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ʌ|θ|ə|_|ˈ|j|ɑː|t|r|ə}}), or '''chariot festival''', is any public procession in a chariot.<ref name="vemsani135">{{cite book|author=Lavanya Vemsani |title=Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA135|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-211-3|page=135}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Christophe Jaffrelot|title=The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=iVsfVOTUnYEC |year= 1999|publisher= Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-024602-5|pages=416–421}}</ref> They are held annually during festivals in India, [[Nepal]] and Sri Lanka.<ref name="Michaels1996p270">{{cite book|author1=Michaels|author2=Cornelia Vogelsanger|author3=Annette Wilke|title=Wild Goddesses in India and Nepal: Proceedings of an International Symposium, Berne and Zurich, November 1994|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wbXAAAAMAAJ|year=1996|publisher=P. Lang|isbn=978-3-906756-04-2|pages=270–285}}</ref> The term also refers to the popular annual [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Ratha Yatra]] of [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Puri]]<ref name="ClausDiamond2003">{{cite book|author1=Peter J. Claus|author2=Sarah Diamond|author3=Margaret Ann Mills|title=South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC&pg=PA515|year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-93919-5|pages=515–}}</ref> that involves a public procession with a chariot with deities [[Jagannath]] ([[Vishnu]] avatar), [[Balarama|Balabhadra]] (his brother), [[Subhadra]] (his sister) and [[Sudarshana Chakra]] (his weapon) on a [[ratha]], a wooden [[deula]]-shaped chariot.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lavanya Vemsani |title=Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA135|year=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-211-3|page=135}}</ref><ref name=Banglapediab>{{cite book |last=Mandai |first=Paresh Chandra |year=2012 |chapter=Rathajatra |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Rathajatra |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]] }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
+Ratha Yatra processions have been historically common in Vishnu-related (Jagannath, Rama, Krishna) traditions in [[Hinduism]] across India,<ref>{{cite book|author=Bruce M. Sullivan|title=The A to Z of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xU4ZdatgRysC |year=2001|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8108-4070-6|pages=100, 166, 209}}</ref> in Shiva-related traditions,<ref>{{cite book|author1=Pratapaditya Pal|author2=Stephen P. Huyler|author3=John E. Cort|display-authors=etal|title=Puja and Piety: Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Art from the Indian Subcontinent|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXolDQAAQBAJ |year =2016|publisher=University of California Press|isbn= 978-0-520-28847-8|pages=72–74 with Figures 23–25}}</ref> saints and goddesses in Nepal,<ref>{{cite book|author=J.P. Losty|editor= David M. Waterhouse|title=The Origins of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson in Nepal and Darjeeling, 1820-1858|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_rhgqGA2nKoC&pg=PA94 |year=2004|publisher= Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-31215-8|pages=93–94 with Figure 5.11}}</ref> with [[Tirthankaras]] in [[Jainism]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Virendra Kumar Sharma|title=History of Jainism: With Special Reference to Mathurā|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M3vXAAAAMAAJ|year=2002|publisher=DK|isbn=978-81-246-0195-2|page=162}}</ref> as well as tribal folk religions found in the eastern states of India.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ajit K. Singh|title=Tribal Festivals of Bihar: A Functional Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gvLiAsmvx6IC |year= 1982|publisher= Concept| pages= 30–33}}</ref> Notable Ratha Yatras in India include the [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Ratha Yatra of Puri]], the [[Dhamrai Rathayatra|Dhamrai Ratha Yatra]] in [[Bangladesh]] and the [[Rathayatra of Mahesh|Ratha Yatra of Mahesh]]. Hindu communities outside India, such as in Singapore, celebrate Ratha Yatra such as those associated with [[Jagannath]], [[Krishna]], [[Shiva]] and [[Mariamman]].<ref name="Jacobsen2008p159">{{cite book|author=Vineeta Sinha|editor=Knut A. Jacobsen|title=South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WT2odZ7_d7MC&pg=PA163|year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-07459-4|pages=159–174}}</ref> According to Knut Jacobsen, a ''Ratha Yatra'' has religious origins and meaning, but the events have a major community heritage, social sharing and cultural significance to the organizers and participants.<ref>{{cite book|author=Knut A. Jacobsen|editor=Knut A. Jacobsen|title=South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WT2odZ7_d7MC |year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-07459-4|pages=8–11, 200–201}}</ref>
 Western impressions of the Jagannath Ratha Yatra in Puri as a display of unstoppable force are the origin of the English word ''[[juggernaut]]''.
 {{Infobox
-| title = ''Ratha Yatra'' in Hinduism
+| title            = ''Ratha Yatra'' in Hinduism
+| image            = {{image array|perrow=2|width=150|height=120
-| image =
-{{image array|perrow=2|width=150|height=120
 | image1 = Kalpathy Chariot festival last day.jpg| caption1 = Viswanatha ([[Shiva]]) and Visalakshi ([[Parvati]]) chariot festival in Kerala
 | image2 = India - Kanchipuram - 022 - chariot unveiled for upcoming festival (2508349542).jpg| caption2 = Chariot in Tamil Nadu
 | image3 = FeteVarkala.jpg| caption3 = Krishna and Arjuna at a ''ratha'' festival
 | image4 = Living Goddess Kumari in Chariot during Indrajatra festival in Kathmandu.JPG| caption4 = A girl as goddess in a Nepalese ''ratha'' during [[Indra Jatra]]
-| image5 = A Krishna Radha couple at the Festival Of Chariots 2010.jpg| caption5 =  [[Krishna]] and [[Radha]], London chariot festival
+| image5 = A Krishna Radha couple at the Festival Of Chariots 2010.jpg| caption5 =  [[Krishna]] and [[Radha]], London, UK chariot festival
 | image6 = Srinivasa Perumal roof.jpg| caption6 = Thiruvizha festival
+| image7 = Simon King Rathayatra Chariot Festival Swami Ayyappan High Street North Manor Park East Ham Chariot Construction.jpg| caption7 = A chariot is constructed for use in a Ratha Yatra celebration in London, UK.
 }}
 }}
 == Etymology ==
 Ratha Yatra is derived from two Sanskrit words, ''[[Ratha]]'', which means chariot or carriage, and ''[[Yatra]]'' which means journey or pilgrimage.<ref>{{cite book|author=Nori J. Muster|title=Betrayal of the Spirit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3uoAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA38|year=2013|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-09499-6|page=38}}</ref> In other Indian languages such as [[Odia language|Odia]], the phonetic equivalents are used, such as ''jatra''.
+==Description==
+{{Further information|Temple car}}
+''Ratha Yatra'' is a journey in a chariot accompanied by the public. It typically refers to a procession (journey) of deities, people dressed like deities, or simply religious saints and political leaders.<ref name="Michaels1996p270"/> The term appears in medieval texts of India such as the [[Puranas]], which mention the Ratha Yatra of [[Surya]] (Sun god), of [[Devi]] (Mother goddess), and of [[Vishnu]]. These chariot journeys have elaborate celebrations where the individuals or the deities come out of a temple accompanied by the public journeying with them through the ''Ksetra'' (region, streets) to another temple or to the river or the sea. Sometimes the festivities include returning to the sacrosanctum of the temple.<ref name="Michaels1996p270"/><ref name="Banglapedia">{{cite book|last=Mandai|first=Paresh Chandra|title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]|year=2012|editor1-last=Islam|editor1-first=Sirajul|editor1-link=Sirajul Islam|edition=Second|chapter=Rathajatra|editor2-last=Jamal|editor2-first=Ahmed A.|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Rathajatra}}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
+Traveler [[Faxian|Fa-Hien]] who visited India during 400 CE notes the way temple car festivals were celebrated in India.
+{{Quote|The cities and towns of this country [Magadha] are the greatest of all in the Middle Kingdom [Mathura through Deccan]. The inhabitants are rich and prosperous, and vie with one another in the practice of benevolence and righteousness. Every year on the eighth day of the second month they celebrate a procession of images. They make a four-wheeled car, and on it erect a structure of four storeys by means of bamboos tied together. This is supported by a king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and is rather more than twenty cubits high, having the shape of a tope. White and silk-like cloth of hair is wrapped all round it, which is then painted in various colours. They make figures of devas, with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli grandly blended and having silken streamers and canopies hung out over them. On the four sides are niches, with a Buddha seated in each, and a Bodhisattva standing in attendance on him. There may be twenty cars, all grand and imposing, but each one different from the others. On the day mentioned, the monks and laity within the borders all come together; they have singers and skillful musicians; they pay their devotion with flowers and incense. The Brahmans come and invite the Buddhas to enter the city. These do so in order, and remain two nights in it. All through the night they keep lamps burning, have skillful music, and present offerings. This is the practice in all the other kingdoms as well. The Heads of the Vaisya families in them establish in the cities houses for dispensing charity and medicines. All the poor and destitute in the country, orphans, widowers, and childless men, maimed people and cripples, and all who are diseased, go to those houses, and are provided with every kind of help, and doctors examine their diseases. They get the food and medicines which their cases require, and are made to feel at ease; and when they are better, they go away of themselves.|Faxian, c. 415 CE<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2124/2124-h/2124-h.htm |title=''A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms'' (Chapter XXVII: Pataliputra or Patna, In Magadha)|website=gutenberg.org |author=Fa-Hien|publication-date=415 |year=1875 |version=Translated}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>}}
-==Description==
-{{expand section|date=June 2017}}
-[[File:Ratha Yatra Moscow 2008.jpg|thumb|Ratha Yatra in Moscow]]
-''Ratha Yatra'' is a journey in a chariot accompanied by the public. It typically refers to a procession (journey) of deities, people dressed like deities, or simply religious saints and political leaders.<ref name="Michaels1996p270">{{cite book|author1=Michaels|author2=Cornelia Vogelsanger|author3=Annette Wilke|title=Wild Goddesses in India and Nepal: Proceedings of an International Symposium, Berne and Zurich, November 1994|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wbXAAAAMAAJ|year=1996|publisher=P. Lang|isbn=978-3-906756-04-2|pages=270–285}}</ref> The term appears in medieval texts of India such as the [[Puranas]], which mention the Ratha Yatra of [[Surya]] (Sun god), of [[Devi]] (Mother goddess), and of [[Vishnu]]. These chariot journeys have elaborate celebrations where the individuals or the deities come out of a temple accompanied by the public journeying with them through the ''Ksetra'' (region, streets) to another temple or to the river or the sea. Sometimes the festivities include returning to the sacrosanctum of the temple.<ref name="Michaels1996p270"/><ref name="Banglapedia">{{cite book|last=Mandai|first=Paresh Chandra|title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]|year=2012|editor1-last=Islam|editor1-first=Sirajul|editor1-link=Sirajul Islam|edition=Second|chapter=Rathajatra|editor2-last=Jamal|editor2-first=Ahmed A.|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Rathajatra}}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
 ==Places==
@@ Line 50: / Line 58: @@
 {{More citations needed section|date=February 2017}}
+A stunning example of Kalinga architecture is the Jagannath Temple, which was constructed in the twelfth century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva. The goddesses Subhadra, Balabhadra, and Lord Jagannath reside in this hallowed shrine. The festival of Ratha Yatra, which draws pilgrims and visitors from all over the world, is closely linked to the history of the Jagannath Temple.
-===Jagannath Ratha Yatra, Puri===
-{{main|Ratha Yatra (Puri)}}
-[[File:Bahuda Jatra, Nabakalebara 2015.jpg|thumb|600px|left|Ratha Yatra in [[Odisha, India]].]]
+'''Preparations for Ratha Yatra 2024'''
-During the [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Jagannath Ratha Yatra]], the triads are usually worshiped in the sanctum of the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|temple]] at [[Puri]], but once during the month of [[Asadha]] (Rainy Season of [[Odisha]], usually falling in month of June or July), they are brought out onto the Bada Danda (main street of Puri)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://odishatv.in/odisha/puri-rath-yatra-2020-seems-unlikely-srimandir-servitors-449501|title=Hopes of Puri Rath Yatra I like Dying Fast|publisher=Odisha Television|access-date=22 May 2020|archive-date=10 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510192226/https://odishatv.in/odisha/puri-rath-yatra-2020-seems-unlikely-srimandir-servitors-449501|url-status=dead}}</ref> and travel (3&nbsp;km) to the Shri [[Gundicha Temple]], in huge chariots ([[ratha]]), allowing the public to have [[darśana]] (Holy view). This festival is known as Ratha Yatra, meaning the journey (''yatra'') of the chariots (''ratha''). The Rathas are huge wheeled wooden structures, which are built anew every year and are pulled by the devotees. The chariot for Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 feet square.{{Sfn|Starza|1993|p=16}} The artists and painters of Puri decorate the chariots and paint flower petals and other designs on the wheels, the wood-carved charioteer and horses, and the inverted lotuses on the wall behind the throne.{{Sfn|Das|1982|p=40}}  The Ratha Yatra is also termed as the Shri Gundicha Yatra.
+Preparations for Ratha Yatra 2024
+Ratha Yatra 2024 is being planned months in advance, with artisans building the enormous chariots for the gods. Every year, each chariot is constructed from scratch utilizing particular wood species and customary blueprints. The largest chariot belongs to Lord Jagannath and is named Nandighosa. Taladhwaja belongs to Balabhadra and Darpadalana to Subhadra.
+'''The Chariot Festival: Day One'''
-The most significant ritual associated with the Ratha Yatra is the ''chhera pahara.'' During the festival, the [[Gajapati Kingdom|Gajapati King]] wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and chariots in the ''Chera Pahara'' (sweeping with water) ritual. The Gajapati King cleanses the road before the chariots with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with utmost devotion.  As per the custom, although the Gajapati King has been considered the most exalted person in the [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga]]n kingdom, he still renders the menial service to Jagannath. This ritual signified that under the lordship of Jagannath, there is no distinction between the powerful sovereign Gajapati King and the most humble devotee.<ref>{{cite news|last=Karan|first=Jajati|title=Lord Jagannath jatra to begin soon|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lord-jagannath-jatra-to-begin-soon/68263-3-2.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130702044115/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lord-jagannath-jatra-to-begin-soon/68263-3-2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 July 2013|access-date=28 November 2012|newspaper=IBN Live|date=4 July 2008}}</ref>
+In a custom known as Pahandi, the gods are ceremoniously taken out of the Jagannath Temple on the day of the Ratha Yatra. Devotees are dancing and chanting in the streets during this colorful and joyful celebration. After that, the gods are mounted on their appropriate chariots and prepared to travel to Gundicha Temple.
+'''The Chariot Festival Ratha Yatra Day One'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dailyevents24.com/ratha-yatra-2024-history-of-jagannath-temple/ | title=Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free | date=3 July 2024 }}</ref>
-''Chera pahara'' is held on two days, on the first day of the Ratha Yatra, when the deities are taken to garden house at [[Mausi Maa Temple]] and again on the last day of the festival, when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Shri Mandir.
+The Journey to Gundicha Temple
+The Journey to Gundicha Temple
+The atmosphere is electrifying with excitement and dedication as thousands of devotees pull the chariots. There is singing, dancing, and nonstop hymn chanting during the three-kilometer trek to Gundicha Temple. The yearly pilgrimage of Lord Jagannath and his siblings to their birthplace is represented by this procession.
+Gundicha Temple and the Nine-Day Sojourn
-As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out from the Shri Mandir to the Chariots in ''Pahandi Vijay''.
+Upon reaching Gundicha Temple, the deities are welcomed with elaborate rituals. They stay at the Gundicha Temple for nine days, during which various religious ceremonies and cultural events take place. This period is known as the Gundicha Yatra, where devotees can offer prayers and seek blessings from the deities.
+Ratha Yatra 2024 Gundicha Temple and the Nine-Day Sojourn
-In the Ratha Yatra,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bsmjsambalpuri.in/2023/06/rath-yatra-2023-photos-odia-wishes.html |title=Jagannath Ratha Yatra Festival of Odisha}}</ref> the three deities are taken from the Jagannath Temple in the chariots to the [[Gundicha Temple]], where they stay for nine days. Thereafter, the deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in ''bahuda jatra''. On the way back, the three chariots halt at the Mausi Maa Temple and the deities are offered ''Poda Pitha,'' a kind of baked cake which are generally consumed by the people of Odisha.
+Bahuda Yatra The Return Journey of Ratha Yatra
+Bahuda Yatra: The Return Journey
+Nine days later, the gods set out on the Bahuda Yatra, a trek back to the Jagannath Temple. Devotees drag the chariots back to their original abode in this equally magnificent event. For the devotees, the trip back is a time of great joy and celebration.
+Suna Besha: The Golden Attire
-The observance of the Ratha Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of the Puranas. Vivid descriptions of this festival are found in [[Brahma Purana]], [[Padma Purana]], and [[Skanda Purana]]. Kapila Samhita also refers to Ratha Yatra. In [[Mughal Empire|Moghul]] period also, King Ramsingh of [[Jaipur]], [[Rajasthan]] has been described as organizing the Ratha Yatra in the eighteenth century. In [[Odisha, India|Odisha]], Kings of [[Mayurbhanj District|Mayurbhanj]] and [[Parlakhemundi]] were organizing the Ratha Yatra, though the most grand festival in terms of scale and popularity takes place at Puri.
+At the Ratha Yatra event, the Suna Besha, where the gods are decked out in gold jewelry and decorations, is one of the highlights. The day following the gods’ return to the Jagannath Temple is when this magnificent ceremony takes place. The finale of the Ratha Yatra celebrations is the stunning sight of the deities dressed in gold, drawing thousands of devotees.
+<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dailyevents24.com/ratha-yatra-2024-history-of-jagannath-temple/ | title=Ratha Yatra 2024- About History of Jagannath Temple Free | date=3 July 2024 }}</ref>
-Moreover, Starza{{Sfn|Starza|1993|p=133}} notes that the ruling [[Eastern Ganga Dynasty|Ganga dynasty]] instituted the Ratha Yatra at the completion of the great temple around 1150 CE. This festival was one of those Hindu festivals that was reported to the Western world very early. [[Friar Odoric]] of Pordenone visited India in 1316–1318, some 20 years after [[Marco Polo]] had dictated the account of his travels while in a [[Genoa|Genoese]] prison.{{Sfn|Mitter|1977|p=10}} In his own account of 1321, Odoric reported how the people put the "idols" on chariots, and the King and Queen and all the people drew them from the "church" with song and music.{{Sfn|Starza|1993|p=129}}{{Sfn|Das|1982|p=48}}
 ===International Jagannath Ratha Yatra===
@@ Line 73: / Line 89: @@
 The Ratha Yatra festival has become a common sight in most major cities of the world since 1968 through the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|Hare Krishna]] movement. Local chapters put on the festival annually in over a hundred cities worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.festivalofindia.org/ |title=Festival of India |access-date=23 December 2012 |archive-date=25 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225085443/http://festivalofindia.org/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
-===Dhamrai Jagannath Rathayatra ===
+===Dhamrai Jagannath Rathayatra===
 {{Main|Dhamrai Rathayatra}}
-'''Dhamrai Jagannath Ratha''' is a chariot temple, a [[Ratha|Roth]], dedicated to the [[Hindu]] God [[Jagannath]] located in [[Dhamrai]], [[Bangladesh]]. The annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting thousands of people. The Ratha Yatra in Dhamrai is one of the most important events for the Hindu community of Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rathajatra festival today|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1758735781.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924203244/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1758735781.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|access-date=3 September 2012|newspaper=The New Nation, Dhaka{{Subscription required|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}|date=24 June 2009}}</ref> The original historical Roth was burnt down by the Pakistan Army in 1971<ref name="Banglapedia"/> The Roth has since been rebuilt with Indian assistance.
+'''Dhamrai Jagannath Ratha''' is a chariot temple, a [[Ratha|Roth]], dedicated to the [[Hindu]] God [[Jagannath]] located in [[Dhamrai]], [[Bangladesh]]. The annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting thousands of people. The Ratha Yatra in Dhamrai is one of the most important events for the Hindu community of Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rathajatra festival today|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1758735781.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924203244/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1758735781.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|access-date=3 September 2012|newspaper=The New Nation, Dhaka|via=[[HighBeam Research]]|date=24 June 2009}}</ref> The original historical Roth was burnt down by the Pakistan Army in 1971.<ref name="Banglapedia"/> The Roth has since been rebuilt with Indian assistance.
+=== Iskcon Swamibagh, Dhaka Rathyatra ===
-=== Rathayatra of Mahesh===
+'''Iskcon Swamibagh''' is a temple dedicated to the [[Hindu]] God [[Krishna]] located in Swamibagh, [[Dhaka]]. The annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra is a famous Hindu festival attracting thousands of people. The Ratha Yatra in Swamibagh is one of the most important events for the Hindu community of Bangladesh.
+[[File:Swamibagh Iskcon Temple' s Ratha or Chariot.jpg|thumb|'''Swamibagh Iskcon Temple'''<nowiki/>' s '''Ratha''' or '''Chariot''' is passing through a busy road in '''Dhaka'''. Disciples of '''Iskcon''' and '''Hindus''' pulling the Ratha to reach their destination.]]
+===Rathayatra of Mahesh===
 {{Main|Rathayatra of Mahesh}}
-The Rathayatra of Mahesh is the second oldest [[Temple car|chariot]] festival in [[India]] (after the Rath Yatra]] at Puri) and the oldest in [[Bengal]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Rathayatra celebrated in West Bengal |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200807041757.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=2008-10-18 |archive-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013102905/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200807041757.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> having been celebrated since 1396 CE.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bengal celebrates Rathajatra festival |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/india/news/article_1330596.php/Bengal_celebrates_Rathajatra_festival |work=Monsters and Critics |date=16 July 2007 |access-date=2008-10-18 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It is a month-long festival held at Mahesh in [[Serampore]] of [[West Bengal]] and a grand fair is held at that time. People throng to have a share in pulling the long ropes (Roshi) attached to the chariots of Lord [[Jagannath]], [[Balarama]] and [[Subhadra]] on the journey from the temple to Gundicha Bari (Masir bari) and back. [[Subhadra]] is worshipped with [[Krishna]] in Jagannath Yatra.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/why-subhadra-is-worshipped-with-krishna-in-jagannath-yatra-281354.html|title = Why Subhadra is Worshipped with Krishna in Jagannath Yatra|date = July 2011|access-date = 7 September 2021|archive-date = 7 September 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210907183032/https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/why-subhadra-is-worshipped-with-krishna-in-jagannath-yatra-281354.html|url-status = live}}</ref>
+The Rathayatra of Mahesh is the second oldest [[Temple car|chariot]] festival in [[India]] (after the Rath Yatra at Puri) and the oldest in [[Bengal]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Rathayatra celebrated in West Bengal |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200807041757.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=2008-10-18 |archive-date=13 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013102905/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200807041757.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> having been celebrated since 1396 CE.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bengal celebrates Rathajatra festival |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/india/news/article_1330596.php/Bengal_celebrates_Rathajatra_festival |work=Monsters and Critics |date=16 July 2007 |access-date=2008-10-18 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It is a month-long festival held at Mahesh in [[Serampore]] of [[West Bengal]] and a grand fair is held at that time. People throng to have a share in pulling the long ropes (Roshi) attached to the chariots of Lord [[Jagannath]], [[Balarama]] and [[Subhadra]] on the journey from the temple to Gundicha Bari (Masir bari) and back. [[Subhadra]] is worshipped with [[Krishna]] in Jagannath Yatra.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/why-subhadra-is-worshipped-with-krishna-in-jagannath-yatra-281354.html|title = Why Subhadra is Worshipped with Krishna in Jagannath Yatra|date = July 2011|access-date = 7 September 2021|archive-date = 7 September 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210907183032/https://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/why-subhadra-is-worshipped-with-krishna-in-jagannath-yatra-281354.html|url-status = live}}</ref>
 === Manipur ===
@@ Line 93: / Line 113: @@
 | image1 = Carfestival.jpg
 | width1 = 220
 | alt1 =
 | caption1 =
 | image2 = Rato Machhidranath.jpg
 | width2 = 100
 | alt2 =
 | caption2 =
 | footer = Left: A 1914 painting of a ''chariot festival'' (Ratha Yatra) in Chennai; Right: A [[Matsyendranath]] Ratha Yatra in Nepal
 }}
 * [[Ratha Yatra (Puri)|Ratha-Jatra]], [[Puri]], at Puri in the state of Odisha, is the largest and most visited Ratha Yatra in the world attracting a large crowd every year.
-* Baripada Ratha Yatra is the second oldest in the world. So Baripada is also called as Dwitiya Shrikhetra or 2nd Puri. Ratha Jatra has been celebrated here since 1575 without any interruption.
+* Baripada Ratha Yatra is the second oldest in the world. So [[Baripada]] is also called as Dwitiya Shrikhetra or 2nd Puri. Ratha Jatra has been celebrated here since 1575 without any interruption.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
-* Ratha Yatra of [[Kendujhar]] is the second largest Ratha Yatra in the world. The Keonjhar Ratha (Chariot) - '''Nandighosh''' is the Tallest Ratha in the World.
+* Ratha Yatra of [[Kendujhar]] is the second largest Ratha Yatra in the world. The Keonjhar Ratha (Chariot) - '''Nandighosh''' is the Tallest Ratha in the World.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
 * [[Rath Yatra (Ahmedabad)]] - Ratha Yatra also takes place in [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat|Gujarat State]], which is known to be the third largest in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://rathyatralive.com/ahmedabad-rath-jatra-jamalpur-jagannath-temple/48/ |title= About Ahmedabad Ratha Jatra : Jamalpur Jagannath Temple }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
 * Sukinda Ratha Yatra in Odisha is also known to attract a large number of devotees.
@@ Line 109: / Line 129: @@
 * [[ISKCON]] [[Dhaka]] Ratha Jatra is the second famous Ratha Jatra in Bangladesh.
 * [[Rajbalhat]] Ratha Jatra, West Bengal, India.
-[[File:Nabadwip somaj bari nrisingha mandir bigroho.jpg|thumb|left|The Ratha Yatra of Jagannath in Nabadwip features unusual images with hands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anandabazar.com/district/nodia-murshidabbad/worship-of-lord-jagannath-followed-by-a-different-style-in-nabadwip-1.636993?ref=nodia-murshidabbad-new-stry |title=Nabadwip Jagannath |access-date=6 July 2017 |archive-date=18 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018212335/http://www.anandabazar.com/district/nodia-murshidabbad/worship-of-lord-jagannath-followed-by-a-different-style-in-nabadwip-1.636993?ref=nodia-murshidabbad-new-stry |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
-* People of [[Bastar district|Bastar region]] observe Ratha Yatra during [[Dussehara]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-09-25/news/27514315_1_bastar-colours-temple |title=Dussehra in Bastar -- a riot of colours - Economic Times |first=Partha |last=S Banerjee |work=indiatimes.com |year=2008 |quote=The Bastar royal family figures prominently in the script and the props include a huge chariot that is first built, then ritually 'stolen', and then again recovered and pulled ceremonially through the streets of Jagdalpur |access-date=9 January 2013 |archive-date=3 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203152939/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-09-25/news/27514315_1_bastar-colours-temple |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.oneindia.in/2008/10/09/tribals-celebrate-unique-dussehra-in-bastar-1223542981.html |title=Tribals celebrate unique Dussehra in Bastar - Oneindia News |work=news.oneindia.in |year=2008 |quote=The another attraction of this 'tribal Dusshra', is a double-decked Ratha (Chariot) with eight wheels and weighing about 30 tonnes.  |access-date=9 January 2013}}</ref>
+* People of [[Bastar district|Bastar region]] observe Ratha Yatra during [[Dussehara]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-09-25/news/27514315_1_bastar-colours-temple |title=Dussehra in Bastar -- a riot of colours - Economic Times |first=Partha |last=S Banerjee |work=indiatimes.com |year=2008 |quote=The Bastar royal family figures prominently in the script and the props include a huge chariot that is first built, then ritually 'stolen', and then again recovered and pulled ceremonially through the streets of Jagdalpur |access-date=9 January 2013 |archive-date=3 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203152939/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-09-25/news/27514315_1_bastar-colours-temple |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.oneindia.com/2008/10/09/tribals-celebrate-unique-dussehra-in-bastar-1223542981.html |title=Tribals celebrate unique Dussehra in Bastar - Oneindia News |work=news.oneindia.in |year=2008 |quote=Another attraction of this 'tribal Dusshra', is a double-decked Ratha (Chariot) with eight wheels and weighing about 30 tonnes.  |access-date=11 October 2023}}</ref>
 * Radha Rani Ratha Yatra, held at the [[Radha Madhav Dham#Festivals|Radha Madhav Dham]] temple near Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
 * Ratha Yatra in [[Silicon Valley]] is organized at [[Golden Gate Park]], [[San Francisco]], California, USA.
@@ Line 134: / Line 154: @@
 ==Bibliography==
-{{Commons category|Rath Yatra}}
+{{Commons category|Ratha Yatra}}
 * {{citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RvzVAAAAMAAJ|first=J. P.|last= Das|title=Puri Paintings: the Chitrakara and his Work|location=New Delhi|publisher=Arnold Heinemann|year=1982|isbn=9788190158978}}
 * {{cite book|first=P. |last=Mitter|year=1977|title=Much Maligned Monsters: A History of European Reactions to Indian Art|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226532394|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mv59F9FoY2MC}}