What is the story about?
The ancient Jagannath Rath Yatra, which takes place in Puri, Odisha, will begin on 16 July 2026. The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, goes
on for nine days and will conclude on 24 July with a series of sacred rituals. The festival is said to be 1,000 years old, and the procession was started during the ruling Ganga dynasty in the 12th century. Millions of devotees reach Puri to attend the Rath Yatra, where they witness the pulling of the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra.
The ancient origins of the Rath Yatra
Some records also suggest at the ancient origins of Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, that goes beyond Ganga dynasty. According to tradition, it dates back to the early years of the Kali Yuga. The Utkala Khanda of the Skanda Purana contains a detailed account of the festival. It is believed that the journey began at the wish of Lord Krishna, when he travelled to Puri with his sister Subhadra.King Indradyumna's devotion
King Indradyumna of the Malwa kingdom was a devoted follower of Lord Jagannath. On one occasion, he travelled to Nilachal Hill in the hope of seeing the Lord, but was unable to have his darshan. As he returned disappointed, he heard a divine voice assuring him that the Lord would soon reveal himself on earth. Inspired by this message, the king resolved to have the deity's idols carved.The sacred wood from the sea
One day, while walking along the shore at Puri, King Indradyumna noticed two enormous logs floating in the sea. Remembering the divine message, he realised that this wood had been sent for the creation of the sacred idols. He immediately ordered that the logs be brought ashore. He wanted the idols of the deities crafted from this wood.Vishwakarma in disguise
Following the Lord's command, Vishwakarma, the divine architect of the gods, appeared in the guise of a carpenter. He had agreed to carve the idols on one condition - that he would work in complete seclusion, and no one was to disturb him. The king accepted the condition, and Vishwakarma began his work near the Gundicha Temple.Read More: Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026: Why Lord Jagannath Stays at the Gundicha Temple for Seven Days
Why the idols remain unfinished
After several days, King Indradyumna grew impatient when he stopped hearing any noise from the workshop. He ended up entering the workshop without permission. The moment Vishwakarma saw him, he vanished. The idols remained unfinished. A divine voice then declared that the Lord wished to be worshipped in this very form. The king later built a grand temple and installed the unfinished idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra there.The beginning of the Rath Yatra
Lord Jagannath is believed to have instructed King Indradyumna that he should visit his birthplace once every year. It was to fulfill the demands of Lord Jagannath, the tradition of the Rath Yatra began on the second day of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Ashadha.The Rath Yatra is much more than a religious event. It's a grand celebration of faith and devotion that has carried on for thousands of years. Last year, The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had initiated the process to inscribe Rath Yatra in the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
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