Dr. Fakira Mohan Nahak
Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra: The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, held every year in the Shankhakshetra of Puri, is much more than a grand religious procession. It is a profound spiritual experience and a philosophical journey, symbolizing the eternal bond between the Divine and the devotee, the cyclical nature of life, and the transcendence of all material barriers. Rooted deeply in the ancient traditions of Sanatan Dharma, the Rath Yatra’s rituals and symbolism convey messages of unity, humility, and the omnipresence of God.
In most Hindu temples, the deity remains in the sanctum sanctorum, and the devotees come to Him. But during Rath Yatra, it is the Lord who steps out of His abode to meet His devotees, irrespective of caste, creed, social status, or religion. This journey signifies that God belongs to all, and He seeks out His devotees with equal compassion.
The Skanda Purana mentions:
“Patitapavan Jagannathah Sarvanugrahakarakah”,
that means Jagannath is the purifier of the fallen and the benefactor of all.
This act of the Lord’s journey to the Grand Road of Puri is a declaration that the Divine does not reside solely within temples or rituals but amidst the masses, in the lives of the common people.
The three majestic chariots — Nandighosha (Lord Jagannath’s chariot), Taladhwaja (Lord Balabhadra’s chariot), and Darpadalana (Devi Subhadra’s chariot) — symbolize the human body, and the soul’s journey through life’s myriad paths.
According to the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the body is referred to as a chariot, the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins. Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra metaphorically reminds us of this teaching:
“Atmanam rathinam viddhi shariram ratham eva tu”
(Bhagvad Gita 3.42)
“Know the Self as the master of the chariot, the body as the chariot itself.”
Thus, the festival represents the journey of life, where every being is a traveller moving from ignorance to wisdom, from the material world to spiritual realization.
The origin of the Rath Yatra is often linked to one of the touching episodes from the Mahabharata. It is believed that Lord Krishna, along with Balabhadra and Subhadra, once visited Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse. The residents of Vrindavan, including the Gopis and Radha, who had been pining for Krishna, travelled there to meet Him. Overwhelmed by separation, their reunion became a moment of divine ecstasy. The Rath Yatra is said to commemorate this sacred journey. The pulling of the chariots by devotees symbolizes the Gopis’ desire to bring Krishna back to Vrindavan, to their hearts. The Lord, during the Yatra, becomes the object of universal love — accessible, approachable, and infinitely compassionate.
Before the Rath Yatra, the Lord undergoes the ritual of Anasara, where He falls ill after the grand Snana Purnima bath. For fifteen days, He remains hidden from public view — symbolizing the death of the ego and the body’s transient nature. When He emerges for the Rath Yatra, it is akin to a rebirth — a spiritual awakening for both the deity and the devotee.
Another remarkable aspect is the act of Chhera Pahanra, where the King of Puri Gajapati Maharaj sweeps the chariot platforms with a golden broom, reaffirming the philosophical truth of equality before God. Whether a monarch or a mendicant, all are equal in the eyes of Jagannath. This act reminds one of the Bhagavad Gita’s wisdoms:
“Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini
shuni caiva shvapake cha panditah sama-darshinah”
(Bhagvad Gita 5.18)
The wise see the same in a learned Brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater.
The name Jagannath means Lord of the Universe, and the festival aptly reflects this universality. During the Yatra, no religious or social restrictions exist. Even non-Hindus, foreigners, and marginalized communities participate in pulling the ropes of the chariots — reaffirming that divine grace knows no boundaries.
The poet-saint Salabega, a Muslim devotee of Jagannath, composed immortal Odia bhajans yearning for the Lord’s sight. His devotion transcended religious divides, and today, his samadhi lies on the route of the Rath Yatra — a testimony to the Lord’s impartial embrace of all beings.
Beyond its grandeur, the Rath Yatra is a deeply philosophical and spiritual allegory. It teaches that the journey of the soul is sacred, that material attachments are transient, and that divine love is the ultimate refuge. It reminds humanity of equality, compassion, and the omnipresence of God.
As thousands of hands pull the sacred ropes chanting “Jai Jagannath”, it becomes a collective act of surrender, where the boundaries between the Lord and the devotee dissolve, offering a glimpse of moksha (liberation) in this very world.
The Rath Yatra is not merely a festival. It is a celebration of life’s sacred journey, an invitation to partake in the eternal procession of the soul towards the divine.
(Dr. Fakira Mohan Nahak, Professor, Journalism and Mass Communication, Manipal University Jaipur, Rajasthan, Call – 9937252464)
