বাংলায় পড়ুন
‘Mahesh Rath Yatra’ is the second-oldest Rathayatra festival in India and the oldest in Bengal. Devotees have gathered around Mahesh since morning to see the ancient Rath. The Mahesh Serampore Rath Yatra follows a similar tradition as Puri Temple's Rath Yatra in Odisha. Mahesh Rath Yatra falls in its 627th year this year. The chariot that will be pulled by two parallel, thick ropes by hundreds of devotees at a distance of 1 km along the GT Road from Mahesh Jagannath Temple to his Masir Bari, that is, the Gundicha Temple. Firstly, the chariot was built of wood, but later an iron chariot was constructed by the Martin Burn Company.
Approximately 626 years ago, Lord Jagannath appeared to Dhrubananda Bramachari and requested that he carve the Lord's, Balaram's, and Subhadra's statues from a neem tree trunk that had been given to Mahesh, also known as Jagannath Ghat, on the banks of the Ganges.
From time immemorial, as per the scriptures, the trio of divine deities have been bathed in holy Ganges water and pure milk, which is known as the Snan Yatra. After the holy bath, the lord is known to have a fever and is treated by the vedic doctors of Arambagh and Dhanekhali. The lord recovers from fever two days short of a fortnight and expresses his desire to visit his mashir bari together with Balaram and Subhadra. The divine journey of Lord Jagannath to Mashir Bari is known as the Rath Yatra.
The iron chariot for Subhadra, Balaram, and Lord Jagannath weighs 125 tonnes, has a height of 50 feet, and has 12 giant iron wheels. Each fence is 1 foot high. Chaitanya Leela is depicted on the first floor of the chariot, Krishna Leela on the second floor, and Ram Leela on the third floor. The idols will be placed on four floors. This chariot was launched in 1885. Even today, that chariot has been carrying various histories and traditions. Every year the wood of the rath has to be changed before the Rath Runs, which cost around 3 to 4 lakhs.
Earlier, the Basu family of Shyambazar used to bear this cost. The Chariot Sanskar Committee will currently be responsible for covering this expense. Throughout the year, they will come to see the issue of this chariot. Temple Secretary Piyal Adhikari said that the wood of the chariot has been changed following the advice of engineers. To prevent the chariots from being harmed by the sun and water, shades are being constructed.
A fair is held in the Sthan Piri field next to the Jagannath temple. Three idols will be taken out of the temple at two o'clock in the chariot. Then, around four o'clock, the rope of the chariot will be pulled.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, Sarada Devi, and other holy persons visited Mahesh on the occasion of the Rath Yatra to have the divine blessing of Lord Jagannath.
Currently, Mahesh's Jagannath temple is newly decorated after renovation. has been brought under the tourist circuit. As a result, people come here throughout the year to see this temple. And being a chariot festival, devotees have come from different parts of the country.
