Jagannath Yatra 2024: When is the Rath Yatra? From date to significance, all important details here

Jagannath Yatra, also known as the Rath Yatra, is an annual festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu, celebrated primarily in Puri, Odisha, India. It is a popular Hindu festival which is celebrated annually in the city of Odisha.

 It falls on the Dwitiya Tithi, the second day of the bright fortnight of the Sharad Paksha, a fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Asadh.  This year the Rath Yatra will begin on July 7.

Date and significance of Jagannath Yatra

The 2024 Jagannatha Rath Yatra will begin on July 7, with the arrival of Dwitiya Tithi at 4:26 AM. 

The Jagannatha Rath Yatra festival began in the 12th to 16th century. Some say it represents Lord Krishna’s visit to his mother’s birthplace. Another section believes that it started with King Indradyumna, who supposedly set up the rituals.

Many historical documents reveal that the festival became prominent during the rule of Odisha’s Gajapati kings.

At the core of the Jagannatha Rath Yatra is the symbolic journey of three deities: Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and their sister Subhadra. These deities are believed to leave the sanctum of the Jagannath Temple in Puri and undertake a nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha Temple, located approximately 3 kilometres away.

This festival lasts for nine days. On the first day, there is a Rath Yatra, after which the Lord rests in the Gundicha temple. On the ninth day, the Lord returns to his main temple, which is called Bahuda Yatra.

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