The Jagannath Rath Yatra 2024 is set to begin in Puri on Sunday, with President Droupadi Murmu attending the grand event.
The festival attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad, celebrating with immense enthusiasm.
This year’s Rath Yatra will be a rare two-day event, a phenomenon last witnessed in 1971, due to specific celestial arrangements.
To ensure smooth festivities, the newly-elected Odisha government has made special preparations for President Murmu’s visit, emphasizing her roots in the Mayurbhanj district.
In honor of the event, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has declared a two-day public holiday on July 7 and 8.
The chariots are positioned in front of the Lion's Gate of the Jagannath temple, from where they will be pulled to the Gundicha temple on Sunday afternoon. They will remain at the Gundicha temple for a week, marking the deities' annual sojourn.
Special Highlights of This Year's Rath Yatra
Departing from the customary practice, several rituals involving the three sibling deities: Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra, will be performed on a single day this Sunday.
This year, the Rath Yatra and associated rituals like ‘Nabajouban Darshan’ and ‘Netra Utsav’ will all take place on July 7. Typically, these rituals are conducted before the Rath Yatra.
‘Nabajouban Darshan’ signifies the youthful appearance of the deities, who remain behind closed doors for 15 days during ‘Anasara’ (quarantine) following ‘Snana Purnima’.
According to mythology, the deities fall ill due to excessive bathing on ‘Snana Purnima’ and thus stay indoors. Before ‘Nabajouban Darshan’, priests perform the special ritual ‘Netra Utsav’, where the deities' eyeballs are freshly painted.
The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is as ancient as the Jagannath Temple itself. It marks the journey of the Holy Trinity to their maternal aunt, Goddess Gundicha Devi's Temple, and concludes with their return after eight days.
The festival spans from Akshaya Tritiya in April and concludes with the deities' return to the Shree Mandir premises.
The state government has organized arrangements to ensure the festival proceeds smoothly and on time.
"With the cooperation from all stakeholders, all the rituals are going on smoothly. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, all other rituals will also be conducted according to schedule," said Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.
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