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    Get Away for Jagannath Rath Yatra 2024 With a Stay at Trident, Bhubaneswar

    Read Time: 4 Minutes

    Jagannath Rath Yatra festival is an annual event that sees hundreds of thousands of Hindus flock to the city of Puri for a chance to earn religious favour from Lord Jagganath, an avatar of Lord Krishna. It is also the one time each year that Hindus and non-Hindus can sight three religious idols that are otherwise concealed within their respective temples, so it attracts hordes of visitors from around India and worldwide.

    This year, the rituals of Nabajouban Darshan – the washing of the deities - and Netra Utsav – the fresh painting of their eyeballs - which are usually performed in the days preceding Jagannath Rath Yatra, will be performed on the same day as Rath Yatra itself. This will make Rath Yatra 2024 an even more exciting event, and attract even greater numbers of visitors.

    History

    Legend has it that Lord Jagganath made annual visits to Gundicha Temple, with his brother and sister: Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra. Rath Yatra commemorates this annual tradition with a grand ten day festival, which includes celebrations, darshan, music, dancing, chanting and drumming, as well as a momentous chariot-pulling event through the streets from Puri to Gundicha Devi Temple.

    What to expect

    The King of Orissa, traditionally the only person with authority to remove the idols from their temples, opens the festivities by strewing the chariots with petals. He also sweeps the ground in front of the chariots with a gold broom and sprinkles it with sandalwood water to purify and bless it. In the meantime, the fervour of devotees rises with the beating of drums, chanting and dancing. Music and dancing accompany the procession the whole way.

    Idols of Lord Jagganath, the Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra are pulled in separate wooden chariots embellished by local artisans to resemble South Indian temples. Lord Balabhadra’s comes first. This stands just below 14 metres high and has 14 wheels. In the middle of the parade is Goddess Subhadra’s chariot, which is 14 metres high and has 12 wheels. At the rear, Lord Jagganath’s chariot is the largest and most vibrant. This has 16 huge wheels and measures over 14 metres high. Each chariot is tied to 50 metre long ropes, which devotees jostle to pull, as a way of showing their piety.

    The whole event is imbibed with a feeling of brotherhood, with believers of all faiths coming together to witness this epic event alongside each other.

    Timings

    Jagannath Rath Yatra festival takes place on the second day of the new moon in the Hindu calendar month of Ashada. This year, celebrations start on 29th June. Rath Yatra 2024, the chariot pulling event, happens on 7th July. Although the route is only 3 kilometres, due to the throngs of people lining the streets, it can take around two hours for the chariots to reach Gundicha Devi Temple. After resting for nine days in the temple, the deities are pulled back to Puri via Mausi Maa Temple, their aunt’s temple, where they are served with sweet pancakes.

    Where to stay

    During the Rath Yatra festival, hotels near Puri Jagannath temple are very full and can be disturbed by the raucous celebrations. Other hotels near Puri might be a better option. Bhubaneswar to Puri by road takes just under 2 hours. By train, it takes around 1 hour. Administration is making thorough preparations to accommodate visitors coming to Bhubaneswar for the Puri Rath Yatra 2024.

    Trident, Bhubaneswar is one of the top hotels near Bhubaneswar railway station. With warm hospitality, comfortable accommodation and beautiful grounds that cover almost 57 thousand square metres of lush gardens with fruit trees, flowerbeds and manicured lawns - making Trident, Bhubaneswar the perfect escape from the hustle bustle of Rath Yatra 2024.

    Dining options include a restaurant with lavish décor, resonant of the temple region the hotel is located in. The menu includes vegetarian, non-veg and seafood dishes with Indian and international flavours. There is a 24 hour fitness centre, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a jogging track, for resident guests’ exclusive use. Trident, Bhubaneswar is also equipped with electric vehicle charging stations for the convenience of guests making the Puri to Bhubaneswar trip by car.

    Exclusive offer is available at Trident, Bhubaneswar to make your Rath Yatra stay special. Click here to know more.

    History

    Legend has it that Lord Jagganath made annual visits to Gundicha Temple, with his brother and sister: Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra. Rath Yatra commemorates this annual tradition with a grand ten day festival, which includes celebrations, darshan, music, dancing, chanting and drumming, as well as a momentous chariot-pulling event through the streets from Puri to Gundicha Devi Temple.

    Published on: June 28, 2024