বাংলায় পড়ুন
On the second day in the bright fortnight of Ashadha month Puri gets in the mode of celebration, because of its time for the biggest festival, Rath Yatra. Puri’s Rath Yatra is the oldest celebration of Rath Yatra not only in India but across the world. it marks the annual visit of Lord Jagannath to his aunt’s house at the Gundicha Temple through the Mausi Maa Temple. Lord Jagannath along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra goes for the visit on grand chariots, hence the name ‘Rath Yatra’. The chariots have their specific names and features. The chariot of Subhadra is known as ‘Dwarpadalana’ meaning ‘trampler of pride’. Dwarpadalana is 43 feet high with 12-wheels that are of 7-feet diameter. It is wrapped in red and black colored clothes. Dwarpadalana is associated with Shakti and Mother goddess.
Lord Jagannath’s chariot is called Nandighosh, which is 45 feet high and five feet square at the wheel level. Nandighosh has sixteen wheels which are 7-feet in diameter. It is covered with red and yellow cloth and as Lord Jagannath is identified with Krishna also known as Pitambara, he is dressed in golden yellow robes.
Finally, the chariot Lord Jagannath’s brother Lord Balabhadra, his chariot is called Taladhwaja. Taladhwaja is forty-four feet in height with 14-wheels which are also seven feet in diameter. It is covered in red and blue cloth.
The chariots also have distinct flags, the flag of Subhadra’s Dwarpadalana is called ‘Nadambika’, Balabhadra’s flag is ‘Unnani’ and that of Jagannath’s is ‘Trailokyamohini’. Each chariot has nine presiding deities. The chariots have spiritual significance where the wheels denote the wheels of life the road through which the chariots travel is called ‘Bada Danda’, which leads to ‘Nirvana’. Through this journey, the Lord preaches that Nirvana should be the only aim in life while making this journey if any of the wheels break then it signifies that the journey in life will get difficult.
