Ratha Yatra is also called Navadina Yatra, Gundicha Yatra, Dasavatara and Gundicha Yatra. It is a yearly event dedicated to Lord Krishna (Lord Jagannath). The festival falls on the second day of Shukla Paksha as per the conventional Oriya Calendar.
Ratha Yatra 2021
| Date | Day | Festival | Holiday Type |
| 12 July 2021 | Monday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
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List of Ratha Yatra Holidays 2022-2028
| Year | Date | Day | Festival | Holiday Type |
| 2022 | 1 July | Friday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2023 | 20 June | Tuesday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2024 | 7 July | Sunday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2025 | 27 June | Friday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2026 | 16 July | Thursday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2027 | 5 July | Monday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
| 2028 | 24 June | Saturday | Ratha Yatra | Restricted Holiday |
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Description Of Ratha Yatra
Ratha Yatra, also known as Chariot festival, falls either in June or in July each year. This festival attracts foreigners as well since it is globally acclaimed. Primarily, the festival of Ratha Yatra denotes equivalence and integration. It is a good opportunity for people to witness the divine being. Three divinities are worshipped on the festival day. They include Lord Balabhadra, who is the elder brother of Lord Jagannath; Subhadra, who is the sister of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra; and Lord Jagannath.
The divinities will be taken to the streets of the city of Puri so everybody can seek the blessings. Each divinity has a chariot. While the chariot of Lord Balabhadra has 16 wheels, the chariot of Lord Jagannath has 18 wheels. Likewise, the chariot of Subhadra has 14 wheels. Jagannath Temple is believed to be the holiest temple in the country.
Why do People Celebrate Ratha Yatra?
Ratha Yatra is organised in Puri, which is a prime city in Odisha. Devotees entrust that Lord Krishna or Lord Jagannath desires to visit Mathura, which is his birthplace. They organise this festival in order to fulfil his desire yearly. Devotees also believe that they are freed from the phase of birth and death if they take devotedly take part in this festival. Muslims also celebrate the festival.
How is Rath Yatra Festival Celebrated?
Devotees carry the idols of Lord Krishna, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra to Gundicha Temple from Jagannath Temple. The idols are then positioned in chariots. Priests perform Snana Purnima, which is a custom wherein three idols are bathed with water (109 buckets). The bathed idols will be placed in isolation until the procession day. This event is called Ansara. The Odisha’s royal successor performs the ceremonial of Chera Pahara. The king carries the divinities and positions them on chariots during the event of Chera Pahara.
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Tourist Points near Jagannath Temple
The city of Puri offers several tourist points for visitors but the prime attractions include temples and beaches. If you are planning to visit the city during the festival of Ratha Yatra, consider visiting Gundicha Temple, Puri Beach, Chilika Lake, Pipili Village, Konark Temple, Sakshigopal Temple, Raghurajpur Artist Village etc.
Ways to Reach Puri
- By road: Puri is a well-connected city by roads. The special bus service is offered during the festival. People can take buses to Puri from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar at a frequency of 10-15 minutes. The direct bus facility is provided from Visakhapatnam and Kolkata. Visitors can also consider renting a taxi.
- By Air: Biju Patnaik Airport is the most nearest airport to the city of Puri. The distance between the city and the airport is 60 km. A taxi can be hired to travel this distance. From this airport, you can travel to various cities, including Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam etc.
- By Rail: Puri can be connected via direct expresses from other Indian cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Okha etc.
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