Every year on the auspicious day of Ashadh Sud 2, in early July, Rath Yatra festival is celebrated at Jagannath Puri in the state of Orissa. The Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad also organizes the yatra. Jagannath Puri is considered to be an important pilgrim for the Hindus.. In the Satyuga, there was a mountain called the Nilanchal and on the peak of the mountain was placed the idol of Lord Neel Madhav (one of the incarnations of lord Jaganath). All the Gods from heaven came down to worship him. But with the onset of Kalyuga, the idol of the Lord was taken away to the heaven. The place where this mountain was located is now replaced by the Jagannath Temple.
Once in Dwarka, Lord Krishna's eight queens requested mother Rohini to narrate the divine episodes of Lord Krishna with the Gopis. But Rohini was unwilling to narrate the episodes. After a great deal of insistence she relented. She asked Subhadra to guard the door when she recited the episodes. The Vraj katha soon absorbed Subhadra. Soon, Lord Shri Krishna and Balaram arrived at the doorway. With arms wide apart she stood between the two and prevented them from entering. However, Rohini's story telling soon engrossed them all! Just then the sage Narad arrived. Seeing the siblings standing together like idols, he humbly prayed, 'Will the three of you grant darshan in this manner forever'.Lords granted the boon. And the three eternally reside in the Jagannath temple in Puri.
In Satyuga, there lived a noble and virtuous king named Indradyumna. He was a great worshiper of Lord Vishnu. He went to the Nilanchal mountain to worship him but he was disappointed to see that there was no idol of Lord Vishnu as it was taken away to heaven by the Gods. There was a divine utterance from the heaven that he would be reincarnated in the form of a stone or wood. He would be named Jagannatha. So he was manifested in the form of wood to please his devotees.
The benefits one can derive by participating in this festival are as follows:
By getting a glimpse of Lord Jagannatha on the chariot, one can make rapid spiritual progress and gain instant purification.
If anyone just sees the cart passing and stands up to receive the Lord, one can purge all sinful acts.
Even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered enough to confer the results of several pious deeds.
One can uplift one's soul beyond all meditations by engaging in dancing and chanting during the Ratha Yatra.
By performing activities which contribute to the success of this ceremony one is granted with divine blessings of the Lord.
By donating one's time, effort or money - one's home, family and friends will be fully blessed forever.
One who recites 'Vishnusahastra' will abide in heaven forever.
One who gets the glimpse of Lord Jagannatha's face and rolls in dust and mud receives salvation and abides in heaven forever.
Rath Yatra is celebrated with great pomp and devotion in Ahmedabad and the 'Khichri' made of rice and different types of vegetables are offered to God.
Ganesha's Grace, Dharmesh Joshi The GaneshaSpeaks Team
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