Grand chariot festival of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi.
About This Festival
Ratha Yatra is the grand chariot festival dedicated to Lord Jagannatha, His elder brother Baladeva, and sister Subhadra Devi. In this magnificent procession, Lord Jagannatha mercifully comes out of the temple so that everyone can receive His blessings.
This festival has been celebrated in Puri, Odisha, for over 5,000 years.
Spiritual Significance
- Lord Jagannatha comes out to bless everyone
- Commemorates Krishna's journey to Kurukshetra
- Simply seeing Lord Jagannatha gives liberation
- Pulling the chariot ropes is highly auspicious
The Sacred Story
The story of Lord Jagannatha's appearance involves King Indradyumna and the mysterious carving of the deities without hands and feet, representing the divine trance state.
How We Celebrate
1
Building and decorating magnificent chariots2
Grand procession with deities3
Devotees pulling the chariots4
Continuous kirtan and dancing5
Distribution of maha-prasadam