Jagannath Rath Yatra: Pulling the Ropes of Grace

Can a simple coir (coconut husk) rope bridge the gap between the material world and take one towards ultimate Moksh?

When it comes to the annual Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra, the answer is a big yes. When devotees pull the Divine rathas amid the chants of "Jai Jagannath!" they are pulling their own consciousness away from worldly attachments and steering it directly toward moksh, becoming one with the Lord. The sacred festival of Jagannath Rath Yatra transforms the coastal city of Puri in Odisha into a sea of devotion.

During this grand event, the “Lord of the Universe” comes out every year to shower his grace by being accessible to all devotees. This inclusive tradition is rooted in a unique form of ‘Odia Vaishnavism’, known as Jagannathism, in the sacred land of Utkal (present-day Odisha). The Purushottam Kshetra Mahatmya in the Vaishnav Khand of the Skand Puran details the manifestation of Lord Jagannath and the Rath Yatra.

Let us dive deep to understand the divine katha of the manifestation of the Lord,  the meaning, significance and symbolism behind the world's largest and oldest chariot festival, showcasing unparalleled devotion, public participation, and cultural heritage.

Highlights of the Blog:

• What is Jagannath Rath Yatra?
• How has Lord Jagannath manifested in Puri, Odisha?
• What is the legend behind the celebration of Rath Yatra?
• Why did Ma Lakshmi order the breaking of Lord Jagannath’s Rath?
• What is the Bahuda Yatra?
• What do the three chariots of Rath Yatra signify?
• What is the connection of Lord Jagannath with the Shakta tradition?
• How is Rath Yatra celebrated across India?
• How to observe Jagannath Rath Yatra at home?

What is Jagannath Rath Yatra?

The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, a festival celebrated annually in Puri, Odisha, is the grand procession of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother, Lord Balabhadra, and his younger sister, Goddess Subhadra, to the Gundicha Temple. This festival is a beautiful manifestation of universal brotherhood and absolute equality as the Lord of the Universe comes out to bless all people across caste and creed in a shared celebration of divine love.

To see the Lord on his chariot, a concept known as Rath Dasanam Punya, is believed to cleanse the soul instantly.

How Has Lord Jagannath Manifested in Puri, Odisha?

(The sacred Sri Kshetra)

According to the Purushottam Kshetra Mahatmya section in Skand Puran, King Indradyumna of Malwa wished to worship Lord Nila Madhav, a blue-hued manifestation of Sri Hari Vishnu revered in the land of Odisha. The King sends a messenger, Vidyapati, who discovers the secret location and reveals the Lord’s presence to the King.

However, by the time the king arrived, the deity had vanished, proving that the Lord reveals himself only by grace. Moved by the King's intense prayers and sacrifices, the Lord manifested as a daru (divine wooden log) floating in the sea, marked with sacred symbols like Sankha and Chakra. It was from this holy wood that the Lord manifested in Chaturdha Murti (Four-fold Forms), which are:

• Lord Jagannath or Janardana, with a complexion resembling a cloud.
• Lord Balabhadra, with a white complexion.
• Goddess Subhadra, with a saffron complexion and a gentle face.
• Chakraraja Sudarshan, represented as a vertical wooden pillar, stands directly on the left side of Lord Jagannath. This sacred Sudarshan Chakra is represented by the huge Neela Chakra (Blue Wheel) fixed at the top of the temple. It protects the city and is visible from almost anywhere in Puri.

The chaturdha-murti are worshipped collectively as one divine form of ‘Lord Jagannath’, who is a living, dynamic manifestation of the Supreme Divine.

What is The Legend Behind The Celebration of Rath Yatra?

According to the legends, Goddess Subhadra expressed a strong desire to visit her maternal aunt or mausi (Queen Gundicha, wife of King Indradyumna) and explore the city. To fulfil his sister's wish, Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra agreed to take her on a magnificent chariot ride. The deities travel approximately 3 kilometres to stay at Gundicha temple for nine days, a journey celebrated by devotees every single year.

The festival makes Lord Jagannath accessible to everyone, and the devotion is expressed through the shared act of pulling the chariot. That is why Rath Yatra is both a sacred pilgrimage and a shower of divine grace.

(Snana Yatra of Jagannath Mahaprabhu)

What makes this festival so grand and special is the unique rituals that happen before the yatra begins. A few weeks before the main yatra, on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month of Jyeshth (May-June), the deities are given a massive bath with 108 pots of water called Snana Yatra. This causes them to catch a fever.

They spend fifteen days resting in private (Anasara), away from public view, while being treated with herbal medicines. During this period, in place of the original wooden deities (Daru Vigrahas), special Pattachitra paintings of deities called Patti Diyan are worshipped. Once they are fully healed, on the day of Navayauvan Darshan, the temple doors reopen, and the deities reappear in completely rejuvenated and youthful form.

After this, the festival begins with Chhera Pahanra, when the King of Puri sweeps the path around the chariots using a golden broom, proving that everyone is equal before the Lord.

Chakraraja Sudarshan leads the procession taking the Lord from the Garbhagriha to the rathas. Finally, millions of devotees from all walks of life gather to pull the newly constructed wooden chariots by thick coconut husk rope. It is believed that just laying hands on the ropes or seeing the Lord on his rath washes away lifetimes of bad karma and brings Moksh (liberation).

Why Did Ma Lakshmi Order the Breaking of Lord Jagannath’s Rath?

On the second day of the festival, the Lord reaches the Gundicha temple. Goddess Lakshmi gets angry because her husband goes on a vacation with his brother and sister while leaving her behind at the main temple. On the fifth day, she travels to the Gundicha Temple in a decorated Bimana (palanquin) to look for him. This event is called Hera Panchami. In this name, "Hera" means to look for, and "Panchami" means the fifth day.

Because she is so upset, she refuses to meet him directly. Instead, her attendants break a small piece of wood from Lord Jagannath’s chariot. This act is part of a ritual called Rath Bhanga. To calm her down, Lord Jagannath sends her an Agya Mala (garland of permission) as a promise that he will return home in three days. Satisfied with his words, the goddess leaves through a side lane in a ritual called Hera Ghori.

(The divine darshan of the Mahaprabhu)

On the final evening, huge crowds gather for the darshan of the deities in the Gundicha Temple, seated on the sacred Adapa Mandap and take Mahaprasad cooked in the Gundicha kitchen. This is known as Navami Darshan or Sandhya Darshan. Skand Puran emphasises that even a glimpse during Sandhya Darshan grants blessings equal to a lifetime of worship at the main temple. The vaishnavas consider Gundicha Temple as Vrindavan during Lord Jagannath's stay there.

What is The Bahuda Yatra?

Bahuda Yatra, celebrated on the 9th day (Ashadha Shukla Dashmi) of the festival, is the return journey of the Lord from the Gundicha Temple back to the front gates of the main Jagannath Temple in Puri. “Bahuda” in Odia means return.

Once the rathas arrive and park outside the main temple gates, Suna Besha is celebrated, where the sibling deities are dressed from head to toe in gold ornaments. It reflects the divine royalty of Mahaprabhu as the King of Kings.

(The Adhara Pana ritual)

In the evening after Suna Besha, Adhara Pana is celebrated. A special sweet, spiced drink is offered to the deities in tall clay pots. Right after the offering, priests intentionally shatter the pots on the chariots. This is not for the devotees, but the spilt drink flows across the chariots to satisfy and liberate the Rath Rakshaks (guardian deities) and invisible entities that protected the rathas during the 9-day journey.

In the final ritual of Niladri Bije, Ma Lakshmi locks the temple gates to block the deities’ entry. To calm his angry wife and enter his home, Lord Jagannath offers her Rasagollas. Ma Lakshmi accepts the sweet token of love, forgives him, and allows the deities inside. This beautiful Odia tradition is also widely celebrated across the state as Rasagola Dibasa. 

The sibling deities are then re-seated in the garbhagriha on their Ratna Singhasana until the next year's yatra. While the three giant rathas are completely broken down and the wood is used in the temple kitchen for cooking the Mahaprasad throughout the year.

What Do The Three Chariots of Rath Yatra Signify?

(Three sacred rathas pulled by devotees)

The Skand Puran mentions how the Supreme Lord Sri Hari Vishnu himself instructed King Indradyumna to construct the chariots and conduct the sacred journey to the Gundicha temple. Every year, the rathas are prepared with the same specifications.

These rathas have distinct physical traits and carry profound spiritual symbolisms that represent the journey of the human soul.

Nandighosha, the rath of Lord Jagannath, means "The one that brings joy" or the "sound of happiness". It is also known as Garuda-dhwaja or Kapi-dhwaja. It is the tallest chariot at 45.6 feet and has 16 wheels. It is made with vibrant yellow and red cloth. It represents divine joy, absolute wisdom, and ultimate cosmic energy while symbolising the final destination of a soul's spiritual journey—merging back into supreme consciousness.

Taladhwaja, the rath of Lord Balabhadra, means "The one with a palm tree on its flag", is also called as Langala-dhwaja. It has 14 wheels and is made with red and bluish-green cloth. Lord Balabhadra, as an incarnation of Sheshnag, represents primordial strength and stability. His chariot symbolises spiritual power, grounding, and the protection necessary to sustain life and overcome obstacles.

Darpadalana, the rath of Devi Subhadra, means "The remover of pride" or "destruction of ego", and is also known as Devadalana or Padma-dhwaja. It has 12 wheels and is covered with red and black cloth. Black is traditionally associated with Shakti (cosmic energy) and the Mother Goddess, which Devi Subhadra represents. The profound meaning of her chariot is that true devotion cannot begin until human pride and ego are destroyed.

Chakraraja Sudarshan does not have a separate rath; instead, he shares the chariot with Devi Subhadra.

The symbolism of a rath given in the Kathopanishad is used to understand the significance of the Jagannath Rath Yatra. It mentions that the rath represents our physical body, while the deity sitting inside represents the Atman (soul). The movement of the chariot symbolises the soul's journey away from the darkness of material ignorance toward the light of spiritual enlightenment. The large wooden wheels symbolise the continuous cycle of life, time, and karma.

What is The Connection of Lord Jagannath With The Shakta Tradition?

In Shakta tradition, Lord Jagannath is considered a form of Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiv. This is practised in the nearby Vimala Devi Shaktipeeth. Here, Lord Jagannath is worshipped as the Bhairava of Bimala Devi, and the offerings of Lord Jagannath become mahaprasad only after they are offered to Goddess Bimala. In the Kalika Puran and in Yoginitantra too the city of Puri is referred to as Purushottam

Rishi Markandeya, in the Markandeya Puran, too mentions that Lord Jagannath and Lord Shiv are one. Similarly, various sacred yantras have been engraved on the Ratna vedi, the sacred seat where Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra sit. The Niladri Mahoday (a Sanskrit manual for the Jagannath temple) states that the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra are placed on the Chakra Yantra, Shankha Yantra, and Padma Yantra, respectively.

Devi Subhadra is also considered a manifestation of Ma Durga or Ma Yogmaya, the sister born along with Sri Krishna on the same day of his birth, and she is worshipped with the Ma Bhuvneshwari beej mantra. Even the priests of the Jagannath Temple belong to the Shakta tradition, showing the deep connection of the temple with the Shakta philosophy.

How is Rath Yatra Celebrated Across India?

People across India celebrate the sacred journey of Lord Jagannath with huge processions and miniature homemade rathas. This widespread devotion takes a grand form in Ahmedabad, home to India's second-largest Rath Yatra, which starts from a 400-year-old temple and dates back to 1878. Moving eastward to West Bengal, the Mahesh Rath Yatra in Serampore is the oldest in Bengal, originating in 1396 CE. Unlike Puri, the wooden idols here are not changed every 12 years.

Further south in West Bengal, the Mahishadal Rath holds the title of being the tallest wooden chariot in the world. The cultural uniqueness of Mayurbhanj, Odisha, is that the Baripada Rath Yatra features a rath for Devi Subhadra pulled exclusively by women since 1975. Another distinctive ritual is practised in the Guptipara Rath Yatra's return journey, where excited devotees engage in the famous 'Bhandar Loot' to claim sacred food offerings. 

Equally spirited is the Goncha Rath Yatra of Bastar, Chhattisgarh, where devotees offer a playful 'tupki-salami' by mock-shooting at the chariot with bamboo pistols. A similar creative adaptation occurs in Imphal, where Meitei Hindus celebrate the festival as Kang Chingba. This tradition even crosses international borders into Bangladesh, where the massive Dhamrai Jagannath Roth Yatra takes place. Today, this global phenomenon extends far beyond South Asia, rolling through major international cities like San Francisco, London, and Auckland as local communities recreate the sacred streets of Puri worldwide.

How to Observe Jagannath Rath Yatra at Home?

One can observe Rath Yatra at home by aligning with the rituals performed at Puri. Here’s how to do it.

Preparation: Clean and purify the puja room. Place an image, idol, or painting of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in the correct order on a Chowki (raised wooden platform) covered with a yellow or red cloth. Use flowers, tulsi leaves and beautiful rangoli patterns to decorate the space. Prepare a small wood or cardboard rath and place it in front of the altar.

Sankalp: Mentally place yourself in Sri Kshetra Puri, offering the puja as a remembrance of Mahaprabhu’s Rath Yatra for spiritual progress and family well-being.

Snana or Abhishekam: Since traditional wooden Jagannath idols are not bathed directly with water, offer a symbolic bath by sprinkling water mixed with gangajal and tulsi leaves on them using a flower.

Offer fresh yellow, red, or green clothes to the deities and apply sandalwood paste (chandan) to Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, and kumkum to Devi Subhadra. Decorate them with flower garlands. Offer individual Tulsi leaves at the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath. Light an incense and a ghee lamp.

Offering Bhog: While traditional temples offer 56 items (Chappan Bhog), you can prepare a simplified, pure sattvik food at home. Kheer or rice pudding, Dalma (an Odia dish combining lentils and vegetables cooked without onion or garlic, Malpua (sweet fried pancakes soaked in sugar syrup) and Poda Pitha (baked rice and coconut cake) are traditionally made during the festival.

Sadhana & Spiritual Practices: Chant the ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’ (Dvadashakshari or 12-lettered) mantra, Jagannath Ashtakam, Srimad Bhagavad Gita shlokas or Vishnu Sahasranama. You can also visit ‘Vaikunth’ on the Sadhana App to chant the guided Dwadasakshari mantra.

Pull the small cardboard rath a few steps within the home temple space, or close your eyes and visualise yourself pulling the ropes of the grand Nandighosha rath of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Sing or play traditional Gitagovinda tracks or popular Jagannath bhajans to fill the home with divine vibrations. Light a ghee lamp, offer camphor arti, and blow the conch shell (Sankha) to conclude the day.

Immerse in seva-bhav: treat the day as an opportunity for anna-dana and share prasadam with birds, cows, or the poor.

The universal pull of the Jagannath Rath Yatra transforms ‘Jagannathism’, a regional culture into a global celebration of unity. Driven by this shared devotion, the sacred rathas acts as bridge between diverse cultures, inviting all souls to connect directly with Lord Jagannath, the supreme Lord of the Universe.

*All the images in this blog are representational and created using AI