Know How The Chariot Festival Rolls From Shrines Of Odisha Capital

Bhubaneswar: While the grandeur of Rath Yatra in Puri has people flocking to the Holy Town in large numbers, folks in Odisha Capital too, have been preparing to get the chariot festival feels in the city. The eagerness to pull the chariots will soon be over with around 60 temples in Bhubaneswar getting ready for this festival.

Here are all major ones in the city:

Chidananda Vihar Jagannath Temple:

Tallest among the idols in Bhubaneswar are ones at this temple in Kolathia, Khandagiri.

While the height of Shri Jagannath and Shri Balabhadra idols are 3’11’’,  Devi Subhadra is 3’6’’. Rath Yatra celebrations of this temple has also been mentioned in a song of foretell ‘Malika Bachana’ and thus, is also known as Malika Sidhhanta Rath Yatra.

Rath Yatra in this temple began in 2002 after being established in 2001.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple:

Carpenters and painters have been working day and night to complete the chariots. On Ratha Yatra, the Gods and the Goddess will begin their journey for the Gundicha temple through CRP and Unit-VIII DAV School.

The city receives lakhs of the tourists during Rath Yatra every year. This year too, the temple authorities are expecting a huge footfall.

Shrivani Khetra of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS):

The world famous Rath Yatra will also be celebrated at the Shrivani Khetra of KISS amid religious fervor and gaiety.

What makes the festival at this temple different from the rest, is that the number of wheels in the chariot is same as that of the Rathas in Puri.

As per the tradition, Shri Jagannath’s chariot Nandighosh has 16 wheels. Lord Balabhadra’ Rath Taladhwaja has 14 wheels and Devi Subhadra’s Ratha 12 wheels.

Jambeswara Patana Sahi

For a change, this temple celebrates the festival in a unique manner where more than 100 children pull the chariots organized by Jambeswara Patana Sahi Ratha Yatra committee.  Committee secretary Basanta Samartha said the chariots will go to Ganga Jamuna temple through Tinimundia and Lingaraj temple.

Women will pull chariots

As prevalent in Baripada, women including young girls also pull the chariot of Devi Subhadra at ISKON, RCM, KISS and Tamando. Apart from that, tribal people also performi n front of RCM chariot.