About Ratha yatra…..
Ratha Yatra or the Chariot festival is celebrated at the temple of Jagannath,odissa. This festival is also celebrated in other cities of india and even countries outside India.
The world famous Car Festival of Lord Jagannath is held on’ AshadhaSukla Dwitiya’ -i.e. the 2nd day of the bright fort-night of Ashadha (June- July) every year. This festival is popularly known as Ratha Yatra or Chariot festival or Gundicha Yatra or Ghosha Yatra.
Ratha-yatra is derived two Sanskrit words, Ratha which means chariot or carriage, and yatra which means journey or pilgrimage.
On the Car Festival day, the deities are taken out of the temple and placed in their respective chariots, kept near the Singhadwar. The deities are carried to the chariots in a traditional ceremonial manner-first Sudarshana, followed by Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannath , pulled by devotees to the Gundecha temple, about two kilometres away. In the Gundecha temple, they stay for nine days. The deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in Bahuda yatra. On the way back, the three chariots halt at the Mausi Maa Temple (aunt’s home of lord jagannath) and the deities are offered Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake which are generally consumed by the people of Odisha.
The chariot of Lord jagannath is named as Nandighosha or Garudadhwaja or Kapiladhwaja. The Lord is accompanied by Madanmohan.
The Chariot of Balabhadra named as Taladhwaja or Langaladhwaja. The Lord is accompanied by Ramakrishna.
The chariot of Subhadra named as Darpadalana or Devadalana or Padmadhwaja. The Goddess is accompanied by Sudarshana.
Jay Jagannath…