PURI: The 10-day annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath came to a close in Orissa on Monday (July 22). The festivities started on July 12 when the images of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra mounted on ceremonial chariots were taken out in a procession.

The Rath yatra

           The three chariots which are supposed to be drawn by horses are actually pulled by thousands of devotees.The yatra is a round trip from the main temple to another nearby temple where the idols of the deities rest for seven days before their return to the main temple.

           On July 22, a day after the return, the deities, still mounted on chariots, are decorated with golden ornaments and kept open for worship by devotees. Each idol is decorated with ornaments weighing about 40 kg at a ceremony known as 'Sona Vesha' (golden dress). The decoration is done by midnight and thereafter thousands of devotees visit the chariots and offer prayers.Thousands of Hindu devotees came from across the country to witness the grand celebrations.

           "The Jagannath temple in Puri, about 60 km from Bhubaneswar, is one of the holiest places in India for the Hindus. Lord Jagannath's idol is carved in wood, a practice going back to early history when the people of Orissa worshipped trees. The Rath Yatra is celebrated in June-July and has been going on for the last ten centuries though the existing temple was built in the 12th century.

           Lord Jagannath is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver, one of the trinity of the Hindu pantheon. The other two are Brahma, the Creator, and Shiva, the Destroyer.

July 23, 2002