Doors of Jagannath temple opened for devotees, Rath Yatra from June 27
Varanasi: The holy city plunged into Rath Yatra Mela festivities as Lord Jagannath recovers from a fortnight-long illness. The doors of the Jagannath Temple in Assi locality were opened for devotees on Wednesday.
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Lord Jagannath fell ill following water offerings by devotees on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month and was offered a special herbal drink for recovery for 15 days. After recovering, on the 15th day, the new moon day of the month of Ashadha, the deity regained health and appeared before the devotees on Wednesday morning.
The temple's chief priest Radhe Shyam Pandey adorned the deity with white garments and white flowers, offered Panchamrit, and performed a grand prayer ceremony.
After the ceremony, the Panchamrit was distributed among the devotees as prasad. On Wednesday, Lord Jagannath was offered parwal (pointed gourd) juice. On Thursday, the Lord's palanquin will be taken out, and from June 27 to 29, during the festival, Lord Jagannath, along with with his elder brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, will be seated on the chariot for Rath Yatra.
Rath Yatra Mela is one such rare festival when gods come out of their sanctum sanctorum and make a round of the city to meet their devotees.
Kashi witnessed the grandeur of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra for the first time in 1802 and since then, the annual festivities have continued. The tradition of Rath Yatra Mela is celebrated here resembling the Puri's Rath Yatra Mela.
The festival begins from Jyeshtha Purnima when Lord Jagannath falls ill due to excessive bathing after which he is given kaadha made of parwal and Tulsi for the next 14 days. The doors of the Jagannath Temple remain closed for devotees during this period.
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After the deity recovers from the fortnight-long illness, the doors of the Jagannath Temple are opened for devotees on the 15th day. The idols of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings, are placed on a palanquin and taken to Pt Beniram Bagh for a night stay.
By the next evening, the chariot reaches the Rath Yatra road. The idols are placed on the chariot after which devotees perform special aarti and offer prayers. After the end of the fair, the idols are taken back to the temple.
The three-day Rath Yatra Mela pulls a huge crowd of devotees. A splendid fair is organised with shops selling colourful articles, handicrafts, toys, and balloons. Flower men sell flowers, and holy basil (Jagannath's favourite) and the special attractions of the fair remain 'nankhatai' the special cookies.
Organiser of the Mela Deepak Shapuri, who along with his brother Alok Shapuri looks after Shri Jagannath Mandir Trust, said that all the rituals of the Rath Yatra festivities are similar to those performed at the Jagannath Temple of Puri. The tradition was started by the then chief priest of Puri Jagannath Temple, Tejonidhi Brahmchari, who moved to Varanasi from Puri.
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