Jagannath rath yatra 2025: Preparations for the Rath Yatra of Puri Dham in Odisha are on full swing. According to the Hindu calendar, every year the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath takes place on the second date of the Shukla Paksha of Ashada month. On this date, Lord Jagannath travels on a chariot with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra and travels from Srimandir to Gundicha Temple. During this time, millions of devotees throng to draw the chariot and see God. Preparations for this journey are done only on certain dates. For example, to make a chariot, wood harvesting starts from the auspicious day of Vasant Panchami. On the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, the process of chariot construction starts every year. Then, just 15 days before the Rath Yatra, God falls ill on Jyeshtha Purnima.
Actually, the Nath Lord Jagannath of the whole world is June 11 i.e. tomorrow is a festival and tomorrow is also his bathing journey. After this bathing journey, Lord Jagannath ji falls ill for 15 days and then he does not give darshan to any devotee. Rather, for these 15 days to come, they only serve the devotees.
What is the bathing journey of Lord Jagannath?
Every year on Jyeshtha Purnima, there is a bath journey of God, which is also called bathing festival, bathing full moon. During this time Lord Balabhadra, Jagannath ji and Subhadra ji come out of the temple premises and give darshan to all the devotees. After that they are bathed. The special thing about this bath is that this bath is done with 108 golden pots. The water that is filled in those pots is mixed water of all the pilgrimages and there are different types of substances in it, such as sandalwood, rose, ghee, curd etc. At the same time, Subhadra ji’s bath is done separately. Then as soon as the bath is complete, God is decorated like a king.
After that Lord Jagannath ji becomes ill for 15 days. This worship that falls ill of God for 15 days is called anrasar period. According to the almanac, this Donor starts from Jyeshtha Purnima and ends on Ashada Amavasya. But, why Lord Jagannath falls ill after such auspicious bath, let’s know the mythological reason behind it?
Why do Lord Jagannath fall ill?
Actually, an important story is attached to Lord Jagannath’s illness, which is very interesting. In Puri, there was a devotee named Madhav Das, who used to worship Lord Jagannath and spend his life with his offerings. Once Madhav Das had a very high fever. But, still he did not let any lack of devotion in such a situation. People used to advise him to go to Vaidya, but he would say, ‘When God is taking care of me, I do not need anyone else.’ Then, one day he suddenly fainted due to being more ill. Then Lord Jagannath himself came to him and started serving him.
On the recovery of Madhav Das, when he saw God serving himself, he became emotional and asked why you are serving me? Then God replied and said, ‘I never leave my devotees, but the fruits of deeds have to be suffered. There are 15 days left of your illness, I take it on myself. The surprising thing is that there was Jyeshtha Purnima that day. From that day onwards, this tradition is going on till date and every year God falls ill on Jyeshtha Purnima. After that he goes to solitude for 15 days, which is called ‘Anasar’. Then, after the recovery of Lord Jagannath, Nainasar festival is celebrated which is called Rath Yatra.
What is an irresponsible worship?
During the 15 -day period of Lord Jagannath being ill, pictures of the gods are worshiped in the temple. In which Lord Jagannath is depicted as Vishnu, Balabhadra as Shiva and Subhadra as Adishakti. After that, rituals like Mangala Aarti, lamp lighting, dental, bathing and clothes ornamentation are performed the next morning.
After that, the date of Ashada Krishna Panchami is celebrated during the Ansar which is celebrated as ‘Anasar Panchami’. On this day, all three Gods are applied to ‘Fuluri Oil’, which is to get rid of fever caused by bathing. This oil is made from aromatic flowers, sandalwood, camphor, herbs and sesame oil. Preparation to make this special oil starts from the day of ‘Hera Panchami’ on the fifth day of the Rath Yatra and it is kept safe under the ground. After Anasar Panchami, there are ‘Nav Joabana Darshan’ when God recovered and the next day he is ready for the rath yatra.