Jagannath rath yatra 2025: On April 30, on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the traditional beginning of building grand chariots for the annual rath yatra of Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Balabhadra ji. This centuries -old tradition has mythological significance. According to mythological belief, Lord Krishna along with his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra in Dwapar Yuga had a rath yatra to visit the city on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. Recalling this incident, their chariot construction is started every year on this date.
Mythological history of rath yatra
According to the Srimad Bhagwat Purana, Lord Krishna, along with his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra, residing in Dwarka, rode on a chariot and considered a city tour. To fulfill this desire, he got three grand chariots from Vishwakarma. According to another belief, when Lord Krishna’s maternal uncle Kansa planned to kill him, Kansa sent his court to Gokul with a chariot and Sri Krishna sat on the chariot with his brother Balram and left for Mathura. It is said that the people of Gokul considered this day to be the departure of the Rath Yatra.
Jagannathji sits on Nandighosh chariot
The chariot of Lord Jagannath ji is named Nandighosh, which artisans use 832 pieces of wood to make. This grand chariot stands on 16 wheels, which is 45 feet in height and 34 feet in length. The charioteer’s charioteer is named Daruk, while the protector is Garun. The name of the rope pulling the chariot is conch shelling Naguni and on it it hoists the flag of Tallokya Mohini. The names of the four horses who draw the chariot are conch, restored, Suvet and Haridashva. Nine deities like Varaha, Govardhan, Krishna, Gopikrishna, Narsingh, Ram, Narayan, Trivikram, Hanuman and Rudra are riding on the chariot of Jagannath ji. This chariot is also known as Garunadhwaj and Kapidhwaj. Nandighosh Rath is not only the medium of visit to Lord Jagannath, but it is also a unique symbol of reverence, tradition and spiritual energy.
Goddess Subhadra on Darpadalan chariot
The chariot of Lord Shri Krishna’s sister Goddess Subhadra ji is named Devdalan, which people also know by the name of Darpadalan. 593 wooden pieces are used to make this chariot. This chariot stands on 12 wheels, which has a length of 31 feet and height is 43 feet. It is believed that the charioteer of this chariot is Arjuna himself and the Rakshika of the chariot is Jayadurga Devi. The rope tied in this chariot is called Goldenchud Naguni and the name of the flag hoisting on the chariot is Nadambika. There are four horses to draw the chariot of Subhadra ji – Ruchika, Machika, Jeet and Aparajita. This chariot is considered a symbol of the power, mildness and victory of Goddess Subhadra.
Balbhadra ji riders are on the taldhwaj chariot
The chariot of Balabhadra ji is called Taldhwaj. It is the strongest and spacious in all three chariots, which is used to make 763 wooden pieces. This chariot stands on 14 wheels, which is 44 feet and length is 33 feet. The charioteer of this chariot is named Matli, while the protector is considered Vasudev. The rope tied in the chariot is called Vasuki Nag and the name of the flag hoisting on it is upgraded. There are four horses who pulled Balaram ji’s chariot – intense, gross, long and golden. This chariot is considered a symbol of Balaram ji’s power, patience and leadership.
Rath is prepared from neem and coconut wood
The wood selected for the construction of the chariot is brought from the forests of Dasalla near Puri. Only special trees of neem and coconut are cut when permission. The wood reaches Puri only after the worship of Van Devi and permission of village goddess.
How is the chariot manufactured?
The responsibility of designing the chariot, the group of carpenters, cuts the wood and carries them out. Parts of painters are the work of painting and painting on the chariot. Then on the next status, the clothes or the Darji Sevaks sew clothes for the decoration of the chariot. The last comes in the last Rath Bhoi, who is a assistant and laborer of the major artisans. Without their chariot construction cannot be imagined. They help for every artisans. The special thing is that for centuries, those who build the chariot in Puri are the same generation people and they are hereditary about this work.