Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2013 Live

Hinduism celebrates  God as a friend, philosopher, guide,child, lover..in short in any form one could think of.

As such every temple has a set of festivals and rituals.

Generally the Birth day of the God,the day when He /She conquered Evil, the important mile stone during God’s Avatar on the earth.

There are also interesting Customs and festivals associated with the Temples.

Every major consecrated Temple has a Temple Cart( Chariot) , the God is taken around in procession around the major streets of the City, there are practices in some temples in the South the daily Accounts are read out to God at the Night!

These Temple Chariot processions are famous in India..

While there are many Chariot Festivals being conducted every year,The Thirvarur and Srivilliputhur  Chariot Festivals are very grand as the Puri Rath Jagannath Rath Yatra( The Journey of Lord Jagannath onthe Chariot, Puri, Orissa)

This Festival is conducted every year,   every-year on Ashad Shukla Dwitiya that generally falls between the months of June-July. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the annual visit of the presiding deities of the Jagannath Puri temple to their Aunt’s house. It is believed that during this festival, Lord Jagannath comes out of their holy abode and gives Darshana (holy view) to the people…

Rath Yatra 2013 date falls on the 10th July (Wednesday) and Return Car Festival or Bahuda Jatra falls on 19th July this year. Also known as Chariot Festival or Car festival, this is one of the most awaited Hindu festivals of the state as well as the country.

The festival is also known as Gundicha Jatra, Ghosa Jatra, Navadina Jatra, Dasavatara Jatra and by a variety of other names. For the devoted and believers, it is considered the most auspicious occasion.

The festival begins with the Ratha Prathistha or invoking ceremony in the morning, but the Ratha Tana or chariot pulling is the most exciting part of the festival, which begins in the late afternoon when the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhdra start rolling. Each of these carriages have different specifications: The chariot of Lord Jagannath is called Nandighosa, has 18 wheels and is 23 cubits high; the chariot of Balabhadra, called Taladhvaja has 16 wheels and is 22 cubits high; Devadalana, the chariot of Subhadra has 14 wheels and is 21 cubits high’.

The chariots on which the deities are taken to the temple are massive pieces of art that are adorned with numerous designs & patterns. The construction of the chariots starts with the Chandana Yatra and is undertaken by carpenters known as “Maharana”, who hold hereditary rights for the same.

Further, these chariots are distinguished from each other by a set colored pattern of cloth robes such as Lord Jagannath’s chariot (Nandighosa)is covered with red & yellow robes, Lord Baladhabra’s chariot (Taladhwaja) has red & blue robes of cloth and Devi Subhadra’s chariot (Dwarpadalana) is covered with red & black cloth.

Watch Rath Yatra Here, Live:

Rath Yatra 2013 Live Streaming

 

Ref:

http://incredibleorissa.com/en/rath-yatra-2013-date-live-odisha/

Related:

However Hinduism encourages worship Gods in Idol for, and attribution of Human properties are allowed as they are a tool to Realize God or Self.

 

For details please read my post ‘Gods have name and Form, Yes and No’

 

Birthdays of God , like Janmastami for Lord Krishna, Arudra Darisanam of Lord Siva, Pooram Nakshatra For Andal, Marriages Uthiram  Nakshatra for Lord Siva and Parvati are all celebrated with grandeur.

http://ramanisblog.in/2013/03/30/chariots-of-godstemple-cars-of-india/