New Stamp on Puri Rathyatra …..

 

 

Date of Issue  - 12 July 2010

Hi ! Here is the magnificent Issue by India Post commemorating Car festival of Puri. The stamp was issued today at a special ceremony held in Bhubaneshwar. Here are the pics of the ceremony, sent by Mr Ajit Dash of EIPA, Bhubaneshwar. The wonderful Miniature sheet is shown above with  special 3 Raths of this festival. Well I am so pleased to see this wonderful stamp as I had a chance to see this car festival at Puri when I  had spent a long time in Bhubneshwar. What I remember most ….. the biggest crowd that I ever saw in my life and 3 magnificent,  massive  towering chariots that  carry the idols of Lord Jagannath, and his brother and sister. It was a memorable view that I am still thrilled to remember it…..Tomorrow will be  grand day in Orissa with a special holiday as Rath Yatra begins tomorrow. My Greetings to all my friends in Orissa on the occasion of Car Festival. My special thanks to Mr Mansoor B. of Mangalore & Mr Ajit Dash for today’s Post….. This is all for  this Post….Till Next Post……Have a Great Time !

Stamp Release Ceremony of Puri Rath Yatra Stamp at Bhubaneshwar – 12 July 2010

Puri Rath Yatra….

Rath Yatra Chariot Festival is one of the biggest festivals in Hindu culture, and nowhere is the celebration bigger then in the holy city of Puri in Orissa. Millions of devotees from all over the world come to the Jagannath Puri temple every year to participate in this grand festival.

Puri Rath Yatra, the famous chariot or car festival, at the Puri Jagannath Temple in Orissa is celebrated on the second day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon or bright fortnight) On the day of the Ratha Yatra(car festival), chariots (Rath) carrying Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra is pulled to the nearby GundichaTemple.

The making of the Rathas for the annual festival begins on the Akshaya Tritiya day. The main rituals associated with Puri Rath Yatra festival is spread over a month and several rituals, like Snana Purnima and Anasara, take place during this period.

The Snana Yatra or Snana Purnima (Bathing Festival) takes place on the full moon day in the month of Jyestha (May – June). On this day, the three deities are bathed in 108 pitchers of water.After the elaborate Snana Yatra festival, the three deities stay away from public view and this is known as ‘Anasara.’ It is believed that after such elaborate ritualistic bath the deities catch fever and therefore they do not return to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

The idols of the three deities then make an appearance after 15 days of ‘anasara’ in a new appearance known as ‘Navaya Yauvana Vesha.’

Next auspicious ceremony is the world famous Ratha Yatra. On this day, thousands of devotees pull the three huge chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra through the grand road (Bada Danda) to the Gundicha Temple. The deities visit their aunt here.

The three deities enter the temple of their aunt on the next day and stay there for seven days.

On the fifth day, Goddess Lakshmi, wife of Lord Jagannath, comes in search of him to the Gundicha temple. On finding his chariot there, she damages Jagannath’s chariot and returns back in anger. After the week-long stay, the three deities return and the journey is known as Bahuda Yatra.

During the return journey, the chariot of Jagannath stops at the Ardhasani Temple (Mausa Ma temple). Here, Lord accepts his favorite rice cake known as Poda Pitha from his aunt who is the presiding deity of the temple.The deities reach the Puri Jagannath Temple in the evening and wait outside for the day.On the next day, the deities are attired in new costumes and this new form of the idols is known as ‘Suna Vesa.’

The following day, the deities move into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and the Rath Yatra festival comes to an end.