Puri Rath Yatra 2023 | Jagannath Rath Yatra Date

What is Puri Rath Yatra 2023 ?

Puri Rath Yatra also known as ‘Chariot Festival’ is an important festival of Hindus that is dedicated to Lord Jagannath. It is also called as Jagannath Rath Yatra .

It is an annual event that is celebrated on the ‘Dwitiya’ (2nd day) during the ‘Ashadha Shukla Paksha’ (the waxing phase of moon in the Ashadha month of the Hindu Calendar). Puri Rath Yatra is the biggest religious festival of Puri that attracts tourists and devotees from India as well as abroad. Over one million pilgrims visit Puri every year to witness this grand Chariot Festival.

This festival commemorates the yearly visit of Lord Jagannath visit to the famous ‘Gundicha Temple’ while passing through the ‘Mausi Maa Temple’, located near Balagandi Chaka in Puri. During Puri Rath Yatra the main deities of the temple, Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra are taken out in their respective chariots as a part of a huge procession.

Puri Rath Yatra 2023 is on June 20 Tuesday

8 days to go for the event

Puri Rath Yatra

Rituals during Puri Rath Yatra

Puri Rath Yatra festival begins with invoking the deities with special prayers and rituals and is known as ‘Ratha Prathistha’. After this the three main deities, Goddess Subhadra, Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra are seated in their respective chariots. The brightly decorated chariots are then pulled along the streets of Puri and is known as ‘Badadanda’.

‘Ratha Tana’ or pulling of the Rathas is the most exciting part of this ritual. Devotees from all across the country come with an earnest desire to pull the Lord’s chariot as this act is considered very pious.

The colourful procession moves forward with the sound of devotional songs played on tambourines, trumpets or drums. The streets of Puri are crowded with devotees who come to get a glimpse of their lords. The processions finally reaches the Gundicha Temple that is known to be the abode of Lord Jagannath’s aunt.

Important Timings On Puri Rath Yatra 2023

Significance of Puri Rath Yatra

The festival of Puri Rath Yatra is devoted to Lord Jagannath who is believed to be one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The Jagannath Temple is one among the four prime pilgrimages of Hindus and holds immense religious significance.

On the auspicious day of Puri Rath Yatra devotees who are restricted from entering the temple’s premises, can catch a glimpse of their deities.

This festival is also referred as ‘Ghosa Yatra’, ‘Dasavatara Yatra’, ‘Navadina Yatra’ or ‘Gundicha Yatra’. Rath Yatra at Puri is among the grandest events that attracts tourists from all corners of the world.

It is believed that a person who devotedly participates in this Puri Rath Yatra will be freed from the cycle of birth and death. A mere glimpse of Lord Jagannath on his chariot is considered to be very auspicious. It should be noted that every year these chariots are newly constructed from a special wood as per the religious specifications.

Even the idols of the deities are made of wood and religiously replaced every twelve years. The Puri Rath Yatra festival is symbolic of integration and equality. It is one of those rare festivals that is above all forms of discriminations. Even Muslims participate in this amazing Chariot Festival.