Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri

Описание: Lord Jagannatha’s Rath Yatra in Puri is renowned all over the globe. While in many places his devotees organise Rath Yatras locally, nothing can compare to the glory and energy of a million people who assemble in the temple town of Puri to witness this annual festival.

Our quest to find him and the mysteries associated with this place took us to his abode in the Holi festival of 2022. We were resuming travel after the complete lockdown and tumultuous pandemic period and wanted our first visit to be to Puri to seek his blessings. The lord did not disappoint us, for his magnificent presence there reverberated through our very beings.

We were enchanted with every ritual, the columns of the temple were splashed with the colours of Holi, the swaying crowds did not dim our devotion. It made us stronger and firmer to see him, as there were several interruptions in the closing and opening of the shrine due to Dol Yatra festivities.

The food was sublime and blessed as we devoured every morsel and took back many packets in colourful baskets made of bamboo for our friends and family.

Our Sarathi who took us around the place - driving through the most scenic eastern coast with the blue Bay of Bengal shimmering like sapphire, asked us to come back next year to see the Rath Yatra. “The feel and atmosphere is different,” said Krishna (for that was his name).

We completely agree, but for now, our vision of the Rath Yatra will have to be confined to this video and the glorious vision of the Lord and his devotees…