rath yatra essay in sanskrit

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Story of Ratha Yatra

Lord Jagannath travels from His Sri Mandira (temple in Jagannath Puri or Niladri), to His garden temple, Gundicha, located in Sundarachala. This temple is situated two miles north-east of the Jagannatha Temple. The residents of Odisha, hence, refer to this festival as Gundicha Yatra. When Lord Krishna went to Mathura and from there to Dvaraka, the gopis of Vrindavana were feeling separation from Him. They did not go with Him because they did not like the opulence of Dvaraka. They wanted to enjoy with Krishna as Shyamasundara in the groves of Vrindavana. Once the gopis of Vrindavana headed by Radharani met Krishna at Kurukshetra during the solar eclipse. They wanted to take Krishna back to Vrindavana. They pulled the chariot of Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra and walked towards Vrindavana. Ratha Yatra symbolizes this mood of devotees and the Gundicha temple symbolizes Vrindavana. Thousands of devotees pull the grand chariots accompanied by the sounding of conches, trumpets, drums and cymbals. Musicians and dancers perform for the pleasure of the Lord in front of the chariots.

Snana Yatra, the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannath takes place a fortnight before, on Jyeshtha Purnima (the full moon day in the month of Jyeshtha). The Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra, Sudarshana and Madana-mohana (the utsava vigraha) are brought to the snana-vedi and ceremonially bathed with 108 pots of sanctified water drawn from the well situated in the northern side of the temple. After the bathing ceremony, Lord Jagannath apparently becomes sick and moves into His private apartment. For a period of fifteen days no one can see Him. This is called anavasara. The renovations are made on the body of the Jagannath Deity at this time. This is called nava-yauvana (to indicate that the Deity of Jagannath is being restored to youth again). Once again the Lord gives darshana to the public on the day of Ratha Yatra ceremony.

After being treated for fifteen days in seclusion, the Lord appears in front of His devotees in His ever-youthful form on the day of Ratha Yatra. He is taken in procession to the chariot. This ceremony is called Pahandi Vijaya. The Gajapati King personally cleans the road with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles scented water and sandalwood powder, a tradition which is followed from the time of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when Maharaja Prataparudra took up this menial service to Lord Jagannath. By accepting such a humble attitude Maharaja Prataparudra pleased Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The descendants of Maharaja Prataparudra remember his example. Even today, before the Ratha Yatra starts, the king of Odisha takes a gold-handled broom and sweeps the road in front of Lord Jagannath’s chariot. Devotees perform grand sankirtana in front of the Ratha. The chariot of Baladeva, Taladhvaja, moves first, followed by the chariot of Subhadra Devi. The Nandighosha chariot of Lord Jagannatha comes in the last. Varieties of foodstuff is cooked and offered to the Lord and the same is distributed as prasadam to the public. Thus the Lord reaches the Gundicha temple. He stays there for a week.

Lord Jagannatha leaves His Sri Mandira with His brother and sister. On the fifth day, Goddess Lakshmi starts worrying about her husband. She personally goes to Gundicha Mandir to call her husband back home to the Sri Mandira. The Lord agrees to return soon and gives her agya mala (the garland of consent). To vent out her anger, Lakshmi devi orders her attendants to break the Nandighosha ratha. This ceremony is known as Ratha-bhanga. However due to fear of the repercussions of her angry act, she hides behind a tamarind tree outside Gundicha temple and secretly escapes through another lane to her home temple at Sri Mandira.

भगवान जगन्नाथ अपने श्री मंदिर (जगन्नाथ पुरी या नीलाद्रि में मंदिर) से सुंदराचल में स्थित अपने बगीचे के मंदिर, गुंडिचा तक यात्रा करते हैं। यह मंदिर जगन्नाथ मंदिर से दो मील उत्तर-पूर्व में स्थित है। इसलिए, ओडिशा के निवासी इस त्योहार को गुंडिचा यात्रा के रूप में संदर्भित करते हैं। जब भगवान कृष्ण मथुरा गए और वहां से द्वारका गए, तो वृंदावन की गोपियां उनसे अलगाव महसूस कर रही थीं। वे उनके साथ नहीं गये क्योंकि उन्हें द्वारिका का ऐश्वर्य पसंद नहीं था। वे वृन्दावन के उपवनों में श्यामसुंदर के रूप में कृष्ण के साथ आनंद लेना चाहते थे। एक बार सूर्य ग्रहण के दौरान राधारानी के नेतृत्व में वृन्दावन की गोपियाँ कुरूक्षेत्र में कृष्ण से मिलीं। वे कृष्ण को वापस वृन्दावन ले जाना चाहते थे। उन्होंने कृष्ण, बलराम और सुभद्रा का रथ खींचा और वृन्दावन की ओर चल दिये। रथ यात्रा भक्तों की इसी मनोदशा का प्रतीक है और गुंडिचा मंदिर वृन्दावन का प्रतीक है। हजारों भक्त शंख, तुरही, ढोल और झांझ की ध्वनि के साथ भव्य रथों को खींचते हैं। संगीतकार और नर्तक रथों के सामने भगवान की प्रसन्नता के लिए प्रदर्शन करते हैं।

स्नान यात्रा, भगवान जगन्नाथ का स्नान समारोह एक पखवाड़े पहले ज्येष्ठ पूर्णिमा (ज्येष्ठ महीने में पूर्णिमा का दिन) पर होता है। जगन्नाथ, बलदेव, सुभद्रा, सुदर्शन और मदन-मोहन (उत्सव विग्रह) के देवताओं को स्नान-वेदी में लाया जाता है और मंदिर के उत्तरी हिस्से में स्थित कुएं से निकाले गए पवित्र जल के 108 बर्तनों से औपचारिक रूप से स्नान कराया जाता है। स्नान समारोह के बाद, भगवान जगन्नाथ स्पष्ट रूप से बीमार हो जाते हैं और अपने निजी अपार्टमेंट में चले जाते हैं। पंद्रह दिनों की अवधि तक कोई भी उसे नहीं देख सकता। इसे अनवसार कहा जाता है। इस समय जगन्नाथ देवता के शरीर का जीर्णोद्धार किया जाता है। इसे नवा-यौवन कहा जाता है (यह इंगित करने के लिए कि जगन्नाथ के देवता को फिर से युवावस्था में लाया जा रहा है)। रथयात्रा समारोह के दिन एक बार फिर भगवान जनता को दर्शन देते हैं।

पंद्रह दिनों तक एकांत में इलाज के बाद, रथ यात्रा के दिन भगवान अपने भक्तों के सामने अपने युवा रूप में प्रकट होते हैं। उन्हें जुलूस के रूप में रथ तक ले जाया जाता है। इस समारोह को पहांडी विजया कहा जाता है। गजपति राजा व्यक्तिगत रूप से सोने की मूठ वाली झाड़ू से सड़क साफ करते हैं और सुगंधित पानी और चंदन पाउडर छिड़कते हैं, यह परंपरा श्री चैतन्य महाप्रभु के समय से चली आ रही है जब महाराजा प्रतापरुद्र ने भगवान जगन्नाथ की यह छोटी सेवा की थी। ऐसे विनम्र भाव को स्वीकार करके महाराजा प्रतापरुद्र ने चैतन्य महाप्रभु को प्रसन्न किया। महाराजा प्रतापरुद्र के वंशज उनके उदाहरण को याद करते हैं। आज भी, रथ यात्रा शुरू होने से पहले, ओडिशा के राजा सोने की मूठ वाली झाड़ू लेकर भगवान जगन्नाथ के रथ के सामने सड़क साफ करते हैं। भक्त रथ के सामने भव्य संकीर्तन करते हैं। बलदेव का रथ, तलध्वज, सबसे पहले चलता है, उसके बाद सुभद्रा देवी का रथ चलता है। सबसे आखिर में भगवान जगन्नाथ का नंदीघोष रथ आता है। विभिन्न प्रकार के खाद्य पदार्थ पकाए जाते हैं और भगवान को अर्पित किए जाते हैं और उन्हें प्रसाद के रूप में जनता में वितरित किया जाता है। इस प्रकार भगवान गुंडिचा मंदिर पहुंचते हैं। वह वहां एक सप्ताह तक रहता है.

भगवान जगन्नाथ अपने भाई और बहन के साथ श्री मंदिर छोड़ देते हैं। पांचवें दिन देवी लक्ष्मी को अपने पति की चिंता होने लगती है। वह अपने पति को श्री मंदिर वापस बुलाने के लिए व्यक्तिगत रूप से गुंडिचा मंदिर जाती हैं। भगवान जल्द ही लौटने के लिए सहमत हो जाते हैं और उसे आज्ञा माला (सहमति की माला) देते हैं। अपना गुस्सा निकालने के लिए, लक्ष्मी देवी अपने सेवकों को नंदीघोष रथ को तोड़ने का आदेश देती हैं। इस समारोह को रथ-भंगा के नाम से जाना जाता है। हालाँकि, अपने गुस्से वाले कृत्य के नतीजों के डर से, वह गुंडिचा मंदिर के बाहर एक इमली के पेड़ के पीछे छिप जाती है और चुपचाप दूसरी गली से होते हुए श्री मंदिर में अपने घर मंदिर में भाग जाती है।

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Hare Krishna Movement Ahmedabad is engaged in various charitable activities like annadanam, khichdi prasad distribution, cow protection or gau puja seva, Akashaya Patra poor children feeding program. Apart from this charitable activities, to fullfill the mission of Founder Acharya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Hare Krishna Mandir Ahmedabad conducts various spiritual and religious programs like Ratha Yatra, Janmashtami, Rama Navami, Dussehra, Diwali, Govardhan Puja etc for betterment of humanity at large. You can make donation for khichadi prasad distribution, gau seva, gau pooja, bhagavad gita daan, ISKCON membership or various seva like lakshmi puja, mahalaya amavasya puja vidhi, pitru pooja, rajbhog seva, hindola seva etc.

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In Groundhog Day, for example, when cynical TV weatherman Phil Collins discovers he is trapped in a time loop, living the same day over and over, only to be released after transforming his character from an egocentric narcissist to a thoughtful and kindhearted philanthropist, it’s hard not to be reminded of the Hindu notion of samsara, a cycle of reincarnation from which a soul attains liberation by realizing its divine nature after lifetimes of spiritual practice. 

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On this day, because Diwali is a time for dana (charitable giving) and seva (selfless service), Hindus traditionally perform a deep cleaning of their homes and surroundings, as cleanliness is believed to invoke the presence and blessings of Goddess Lakshmi who, as mentioned earlier, is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Many will also make rangoli or kolum (colored patterns of flowers, powder, rice, or sand made on the floor), which are also said to invite auspiciousness. Observers thus begin Diwali by cultivating a spirit of generosity, doing things like giving money to charities, feeding the hungry, and endeavoring to help those in need.

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The spread of Hinduism to Southeast Asia established powerful Hindu kingdoms in the region, most notably the Khmer Empire that encompassed modern Cambodia and Thailand, and influential kingdoms in the Indonesia archipelago. Though Buddhism and Hinduism co-existed in the region for several centuries, Buddhism (and Islam in Indonesia) eventually replaced Hinduism as a primary religion. Today, there are approximately five million Hindus in Indonesia, primarily in Bali. As Bali is roughly 90 percent Hindu, this makes it a religious enclave in a country that contains the world’s largest Muslim population. There are also roughly 60,000 Cham Hindus in Vietnam, and smaller numbers in Thailand. Hinduism in Fiji, Malaysia, and Singapore is a much more recent phenomenon, with Hindus arriving in the 19th and early 20th centuries as indentured laborers. Today, Hindus are prominent in politics and business in all three countries, though they continue to experience discrimination as religious minorities.

Hinduism Beyond India: Bali

Hinduism Around the World

In 2014, the first Smithsonian exhibition chronicling the experiences of Indian Americans, many of whom are Hindus,  in the US was unveiled at their National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. This exhibit was one of the largest ever produced by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, occupying 5,000 square feet and reaching millions of visitors. The message behind “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation,” aimed to dispel stereotypes and myths that have followed Indian immigrants since they first arrived in the U.S. in 1790. The exhibit explored the heritage, daily experiences, and the many diverse contributions that immigrants and Indian Americans have made to the United States. The exhibition at the Museum of Natural History includes historical and contemporary images and artifacts, including those that document histories of discrimination and resistance, convey daily experiences, and symbolize achievements across the professions. Music and visual artworks provide commentary on the Indian American experience and form an important component of the exhibition. In 2017, this exhibit went on the road, traveling from city to city so that all could see the impact of Indians on American culture.

All About Hindu Heritage Month

Paramahansa Yogananda was a Hindu monk and yogi who came to the United States in 1920 and lived here for the last 32 years of his life. He is considered to be the first major Hindu Guru to settle in the United States. When Swami Yogananda arrived in the US, he made his first speech, made to the International Congress of Religious Liberals, on “The Science of Religion,” and was enthusiastically received. It was soon after that he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (also known as Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India) and introduced millions of Americans to the ancient science and philosophy of meditation and Kriya yoga (path of attainment). In 1927, he was invited to the White House by President Calvin Coolidge, making Swami Yogananda the first prominent Indian and Hindu to be hosted in the White House.

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Countless Americans Have Been Influenced by Swami Viveknanda

For those of us who are Hindu, we have noticed that some of the biggest Hollywood films produced in the last several decades have mirrored many of Hinduism's most fundamental philosophical ideas. One example is Avatar, a film named for the Sanskrit word avatāra (‘descent’), in which the protagonist, Jake Sully, enters and explores an alien world called Pandora by inhabiting the body of an indigenous 10-foot, blue-skinned being, an idea taken from Hinduism’s depictions of the various avatars of the blue god Vishnu, who are said to descend into our world for upholding dharma. Instead of aligning with the interests of the humans, who merely want to mine Pandora for the valuable mineral unobtanium, Sully fights alongside the alien humanoids native to the world, called Na’vi, who live in harmony with nature, believe all life is sacred, and that all life is connected by a divine force — teachings synonymous with Hinduism. Thus, similar to the avatars of Vishnu, Sully defends and preserves a spiritual culture by defeating those who would destroy it for materialistic pursuit. While this film doesn’t indicate in any direct way that they have anything to do with Hinduism, it’s clear they are communicating Hindu ideas that everyone relates to and understands on a profound level.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a highly respected Vaishnava  (devotion to the god Vishnu and his incarnations avatars) scholar and monk. At the age of 70, Swami Prabhupada traveled from India to New York City to bring the Bhakti tradition, or Krishna Consciousness, to the west. In the 11 years before his passing in 1977, Srila Prabhupada translated, with elaborate commentaries, 60 volumes of Vaishnava literature; established more than 100 temples on six continents; and initiated 5,000 disciples. Today, his writings are studied in universities around the globe and are translated into nearly 100 languages. To date, ISKCON has over 400 temples,  dozens of rural communities and eco-sustainable projects, and nearly 100 vegetarian restaurants world-wide with 56 of them in the US. 

Statement Against Caste Based Discrimination: ISKCON

Who was that Hare Krishna at the start of “Get Back”?

Hinduism came in waves to Africa, with Southern Africa getting Hindu workers during the early years of British colonization, while East and West Africa experienced Hindu migration during the 20th century. Hinduism’s roughly 0.2% presence in Africa is seen as so inconsequential, most data organizations don’t even bother explicitly mentioning it in their census reports. But Hinduism is Ghana's fastest growing religion and one in which there are steady populations in both Northern and Southern African states. Durban is now home to most of South Africa’s 1.3 million Indians, making it, according to some sources, the largest Indian city outside of India, and thus a most powerful hub of Hindu practice. In the US, there are both communities of African Hindus who have migrated, as well as Black Hindus, who according to the 2019 Pew Survey, make up 2% of the Hindu population in the US.

Hinduism Beyond Africa

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, drew much of the inspiration for this major cultural phenomenon from the teachings of his mentor who was a lifelong student of Vedanta. In these films, many aspects of Hinduism are interwoven with the story. Some include Hanuman (Chewbaca and Ewoks), Shakti (force,energy), Yodha (Yoda), Brahman (infinite being). Besides the many philosophical parallels that can be highlighted between Star Wars and Hinduism, Star Wars also exhibits similarities in story structure and character roles to one of India’s famous epics, the Ramayana. Never seen the movie? Now might be the time to see how universally relatable Hindu thought can truly be.

The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge), translation to the knowledge of life. Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science, originating in 1000 BCE. Based on the five elements that comprise the universe (space, air, fire, water, and earth), they combine and permutate to create three health principles  that govern the functioning and interplay of a person’s body, mind, and consciousness. These energies are referred to as doshas in Sanskrit. Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine and Ayurvedic schools have gained approval as educational institutions in several states.

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In Hinduism, What is the Relationship Between Spirituality and Health?

While it’s synonymous to meditation, and seen simply as a doorway to tranquility for yogic practitioners, the true meaning of Om is deeply embedded in Hindu philosophy.

The word Om is defined by Hindu scripture as being the original vibration of the universe, which all other vibrations are able to manifest. Within Hinduism, the meaning and connotations of Om is perceived in a variety of ways. Though heard and often written as “om,” due to the way it sounds when it is repeatedly chanted, the sacred syllable is originally and more accurately spelled as “aum.” Broken down, the three letters of A – U – M represent a number of sacred trinities such as different conditions of consciousness (waking state, dreaming state, and deep sleep state), the deities in charge of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe ( Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), aspects of time (past, present, and future), among many others. 

5 Things to Know About Om

Religious Symbols

Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi is credited with being the first woman from India to study medicine in the United States. Born in Bombay in 1865, she was married at the age of ten to an older man who had been her teacher. Dr. Joshi had a child at the age of 13, but the child died when only 10 days old. She believed that with better medical care, the child would have lived, and she frequently cited this as motivation for her desire to attend medical school. Her husband encouraged her in her academic pursuits and in 1883, Joshee joined the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, now known as the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. She graduated in 1886 with her degree in medicine; her M.D. thesis focused on Hindu obstetrics. Unfortunately,  Dr. Joshi was only able to practice medicine for a few months before passing away from tuberculosis.

Science in Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of almost 25% of Guyana’s population, making it the country with the highest percentage of Hindus in the Western Hemisphere. But from British professional recruiting agents targeting rural and uneducated Indians, to the aggressiveness of Christian proselytization of Hindus with a promise of a better life, Hinduism has been in a steady decline for many decades with many escaping to the United States for better opportunities and to practice their religion freely. Today, over 80% of Guyanese Americans live in the Northeastern United States with heavy concentrations in New Jersey and in New York, where a “Little Guyana”  helps these immigrants stay connected to their Guyanese roots.

Hinduism beyond India: Guyana

Karwa Chauth or Karva Chauth (kuhr-vah-CHOATH) is a North Indian holiday in which wives fast for the longevity and health of their husbands, however, many unmarried women celebrate in hopes of meeting their ideal life partner. Typically, wives spend the day preparing gifts to exchange, and fasting until the moon is visible. It is believed that its light symbolizes love and blessings of a happy life. While there are varying legends behind this holiday’s traditions and meaning, the message of honoring the relationships women form with their family and community prevails.

Karwa Chauth

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

As sound vibration can affect the most subtle element of creation, it is interpreted in Hindu scriptures that spiritual sound vibrations can affect the atman (soul) in a particularly potent way. Such spiritual sound vibrations are said to have the ability to awaken our original spiritual consciousness and help us remember that we are beyond the ambivalence of life, and actually originate from the Divine. As such, the main goal of many types of Hindu musical expression is to help stir us out of our spiritual slumber by evoking feelings of love and connection that help us to better perceive the presence of the Divine within all. Some of the more popular examples of musical expressions within Hinduism include shlokas (verse, or poem), mantras (sacred syllables repeated in prayer), kirtans (congregational singing of mantras), and bhajans (devotional songs). You can find musical spiritual expressions through the US in temples,  Mandirs, and community centers.

The Power of Music According to Hinduism

What is Kirtan?

Yoga is considered Hinduism’s gift to humanity. At its broadest, yoga, from the root word “yuj” in Sanskrit, means to unite. Most Hindu texts discuss yoga as a practice to control the senses and ultimately, the mind. The most famous is the Bhagavad Gita (dating back to 6th-3rd Century BCE), in which Krishna speaks of four types of yoga – bhakti, or devotion; jnana, or knowledge; karma, or action; and dhyana, or concentration (often referred to as raja yoga, though not all sources agree on the term) – as paths to achieve moksha (enlightenment), the ultimate goal according to Hindu understanding. According to a 2016 study,  in the United States there are an estimated 36.7 million people currently practicing yoga in the United States.

The Hindu Roots of Yoga

According to Vedic cosmology, 108 is the basis of creation, representing the universe and all our existence. As the soul is encased in two types of bodies: the physical body (made of earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and the subtle body (composed of intelligence, mind and ego), Swami Viveknanda is often attributed with bringing Hindu teachings and practices — such as yoga and transcendental meditation — to Western audiences. In 1893, he was officially introduced to the United States at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where in his speech he called for religious tolerance and described Hinduism as “a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.” The day that Swami Vivekananda delivered his speech at the Parliament of Religions is now known as ‘World Brotherhood Day.’ And his birthday, known as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, is honored on January 12th each year. On this day he is commemorated and recognized for his contributions as a modern Hindu monk and respected guru of the Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism. In 1900, Swami Viveknanda founded the Vedanta Society in California and to date there are 36 Vedanta Society Centers in the United States.

Swami Vivekananda Influenced Countless Americans

According to Vedic cosmology, 108 is the basis of creation, representing the universe and all our existence. As the soul is encased in two types of bodies: the physical body (made of earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and the subtle body (composed of intelligence, mind and ego), 108 plays a significant role in keeping these two bodies healthily connected. Hindus believe the body holds seven chakras, or pools of energy, which begin at the bottom of the spine and go all the way down to the top of the head and it is believed there are 108 energy lines that converge to form the heart chakra. Ayurveda says there are 108 hidden spots in the body called marma points, where various tissues like muscles, veins, and ligaments meet. These are vital points of life force, and when they are out of balance, energy cannot properly flow throughout the body. Sun salutations, yogic asanas that honor the sun god Surya, are generally completed in nine rounds of 12 postures, totaling 108. Mantra meditation is usually chanted on a set of 108 beads.   In Hinduism there are 108 Upanishads, the sacred texts of wisdom from ancient sages. Additionally, in the Sanskrit alphabet, there are 54 letters. Each letter has a feminine, or Shakti, and masculine, or Shiva, quality. 54 multiplied by 2 equals 108. Ultimately, breathwork, chanting, studying scripture, and asana’s help harmonize one’s energy with the energy of the supreme spiritual source. These processes become especially effective when they are performed in connection with the number 108. Hindu scriptures strive to remind people of this divine commonality by continuously highlighting the innumerable threads connecting everything in existence. One of these threads is the number 108.

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Here's How the Number 108 Binds Us to the Universe

A decade after slavery was abolished in 1834, the British government began importing indentured labor from India to work on their estates in other countries such as Trinidad and Tobago.  From 1845 to 1917, the ships would continue to arrive, carrying over 140,000 Indians to the island, facilitating Trinidad's population growth from Indian laborers. Today, there are roughly 240,000 declared Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, comprising about 18% of the island’s population. There are a total of about 300 temples on the island, welcoming all who wish to enter and where many beloved Hindu festivals take place. But for some, the migration journey doesn’t end as New York and Florida have seen the development of large Indo-Caribbean communities.

Hinduism beyond India: Trinidad and Tobago

From ancient tribes to present-day devotees, tattoos have held a special place in Hinduism for centuries. In the Indian states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, the Ramnaami community invoked Rama’s protection with tattoos of the name “Rama” in Sanskrit on every inch of their skin, including the tongue and inside the lips.The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas that were exiled to the Kutch district of Gujarat. Today, their descendants - members of the Ribari tribe - live as their ancestors did, with women covered in tattoos that symbolize their people’s strong spirit for survival. Some Hindus consider tattoos as protective emblems,such as tattoos of Hanuman are often used to relieve physical or mental pain. People will often get tattoos of other deities to invoke their blessings. Mehndi, a plant-based temporary tattoo, is commonly done at weddings and religious ceremonies as a form of celebration of love and spirituality. While tattoos have been in Hindu communities for centuries, tattoos as symbols of honor, devotion, and even fashion are incredibly popular today. Hindus and non Hindus alike adorn themselves with Hindu emblems and tattoos that reflect Hindu teachings.

Guidelines for Commercial Use of Hindu Images

Navaratri (nuhv-uh-RA-three) is a nine night celebration of the feminine divine that occurs four times a year — the spring and fall celebrations being amongst the more widely celebrated. Some traditions honor the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga, while others celebrate the three goddesses (Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati) with three days dedicated to each. This is a time to recognize the role in which the loving, compassionate, and gentle — yet sometimes powerful and fierce — feminine energy plays in our lives.

Nine Things to Know About Navaratri

Dussehra (duh-sheh-RAH) or Vijayadashmi (vi-juhyuh-dushuh-mee) celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the ten-headed demon King Ravana. This also marks the end of Ramalila — a brief retelling of the Ramayana and the story of Rama, Sita, and Lakshman in the form of dramatic reading or dance. It also signifies the end of negativity and evil within us (vices, biases, prejudices) for a fresh new beginning. Dussehra often coincides with the end of Navratri and Duga Puja, and celebrations can last ten days, with huge figures of Ravana set ablaze as a reminder that good always prevails over evil.

Hinduism 101 & Women

Many Hindus hold reverence for the cow as a representation of mother earth, fertility, and Hindu values of selfless service, strength, dignity, and non-harming. Though not all Hindus are vegetarian, for this reason many traditionally abstain from eating beef. This is often linked with the concept of ahimsa (non-violence), which can be applied to diet choices and our interactions with the environment, and potentially determine our next birth, according to the doctrine of karma. This is part of the reason that some Hindus may choose a vegetarian lifestyle as an expression of ahimsa as well as explains the growing number of cow protection projects that are led by individuals who have felt compelled to put their Hindu values into practice. The US is home to several cow protection projects and sanctuaries

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The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 facilitated the journey of many Indian immigrants to the United States. In this new land, many created home shrines and community temples to practice and hold pujas (services). As Hindu American populations grew in metropolitan and rural areas, so did the need to find a permanent temple site for worship. In 1906, the Vedanta Society built the Old Temple in San Francisco, California but as this was not considered a formal temple, many don’t credit this with being the first. Others believe it is the Shiva Murugan Temple built in 1957 in Concord, California, whereas others believe it is the Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devanstanam in New York that should be considered the first. Today, there are nearly 1,000 temples in the United States . Regardless of where you live, you have the right to practice your faith.

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Rath Yatra, Gotipua and Salabega Connection

Deeti Ranjita Ray, Senior Fellow with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has been presently engaged in the study of the management of cultural Heritage of Odisha. She has previously worked with cultural organisations such as ICCR, AKTC, INTACH and Sanskriti Foundation.

Thousands of devotees flock to Puri every year to attend the Jagannath Rath Yatra. The centuries-old chariot procession is not only a religious ritual but also a showcase of how the Jagannath consciousness has long enriched the cultural heritage of Odisha. We look at how the Gotipua dance performance forms such an integral part of the festivities. (Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival) in Puri, Odisha, is widely recognised as the oldest chariot procession of its kind, and has led to similar processions being organised both across India as well as internationally. Jagannath consciousness has long enriched the cultural heritage of Odisha—in terms of its art, architecture, literature, music and dance. And this influence is reflected in the artistic offerings that form a part of this ritualistic procession, as devotees offer their seva (services) through performing arts, such as telengi baja (rhythmic beating of gongs), banati khela (acrobatics), nagarakirtan (public singing and dancing). One of the oldest in the list is the traditional dance of Gotipua.

Goti-pua , literally meaning ‘single boy’, is a temple dancing tradition kept alive by young male dancers, and has heavily influenced the modern-day classical dance, Odissi. After the decline of  mahari/devadasi (female temple dancers) system in the sixteenth century due to the diminishing of their social and financial status, the Gotipua dance—performed by a group of pubescence boys impersonating female expressions—became the preferred divine performance in the temple of Lord Jagannath. The arrival of the mystic saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Puri, around the same time, also helped increase its popularity in the region. Besides the daily temple rituals, gotipuas also performed at special festivities related to the temple and Lord Jagannath, such as Chandan Yatra and Rath Yatra.

Attracting thousands of devotees and visitors each year, the Rath Yatra is held during the Hindu month of Asadha (June–July, in the Gregorian calendar) in Purushottam Khstra (as Puri was once known). The three divine siblings go on their annual sojourn to the Gundicha temple—their ancestral home—accompanied with an ecstatic crowd on Badadanda, the stretch of road leading to the twelfth-century shrine. The gotipuas form a part of this frenzied procession.

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Historian Sir W.W. Hunter describes the scene in A History of Orissa : ‘Music strikes up before and behind, drums beat, cymbals clash, the priests harangue from the cars . . . the dense mass struggles forward by convulsive jerks, tugging and sweating, shouting and jumping, singing and praying and swearing . . .’

During the Rath Yatra, gotipuas perform on the verses of the Gita Govinda , a twelfth-century Sanskrit work written by poet Jayadev depicting the relationship of Radha and Krishna. What appeals most to the audience are the graceful movements of the dancers, the acrobatics and the formation of human pyramids. Gotipuas very successfully manage to hold the attention of the audience with their famous Bandha Nritya , a type of acrobatic dance (bandha, in Odiya, means limbs). To master the style, the boys start training as young as four-five in akharas to be able to enact the postures from the mythological scenes based on the life of Krishna as mentioned in the seventeenth-century manuscript Abhinaya Chandrika . Now, though, young girls are also often seen performing.

The Gotipua Tribute During the Rath Yatra, the Gotipua performance starts when the deities are taken to their respective chariots in a pompous procession called Pahandi , which means coming step by step or with gradual leaps. It continues, along with the other rituals and performance tributes, till the end. Artistes, especially dancer-devotees, get reinvigorated while offering their tribute, as they perform with a sense of spiritual surrender for their lord on this special occasion. It is the only instance when Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra leave their abode at the temple and come amidst the general populace for a direct interaction—keeping with the spirit of Jagannatha Swami Nayana Pathagami Bhaba Tume (May the Lord of the Universe be the Object of my Vision). ‘We artistes consider it an honour and privilege when we get an opportunity to offer our services and express our devotion to the Lord, directly irrespective of caste, creed and religion,’ says danseuse Dipti Routray.

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Interestingly, the addition of the Gotipua offering during the Rath Yatra began much after the origin of the festival itself. While the origin of the procession is not clear, historian Kailash Chandra Dash wrote in his essay, ‘A Study of the Origin of Ratha Yatra in the Puruṣottama Kṣetra’, that the Rath Yatra was introduced as a separate festival ‘only in the Ganga period, i.e., after the 12th century A.D.,’ which was when the famous Jagannath temple in Puri, from where the yatra begins, was also built. So, it is highly likely that initially the performative offering could have been given by the maharis/devadasis, which was then taken over by the gotipuas around four centuries later.

The Salabega Connection Gotipua has another indirect connection with the Rath Yatra as well, and that is through the seventeenth-century Muslim poet Salabega. Though the Gotipua performances are primarily based on Gita Govinda , they also find inspiration from the bhajans and jananas (devotional songs) of Salabega. Legend has it that the Odiya poet, though Muslim by birth, was an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath, much to the ire of local priests. Once, on the day of the Rath Yatra, he was apparently forcibly detained at home, but his desire and prayer to see Lord Jagannath during the procession was so powerful that the chariot came to a halt in front of his house. It was only after Salabega had paid his respects that the chariot started moving again.

In one of his poems, which forms a part of Gotipua performances even today, he wrote: Ahe nila saila, kahe Salabega hina jaati re me jabana, Sriranga charan tale karuachhi janana (I am from another caste, seeking shelter under thy feet, oh blue mountain, referring to the god). Even today, the chariot makes a brief halt at his burial place during Rath Yatra as it is believed to be the same place where Salabega composed the poems performed by the gotipuas.

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This fascinating lore and the centuries-old tradition combined makes Gotipua an integral part of the famous Rath Yatra. So much so that despite the inclusion of many other performative arts into the festival, Gotipua continues to be a highlight.

This article is was also published on The Statesman . Bibliography Hunter, William W., and N. K. Sahu.  A History of Orissa . Calcutta: Susil Gupta, 1956.

Kothari, Sunil. ‘The Living Traditions: The Maharis and the Gotipuas.’ In Imaging Odisha , edited by Herman Kulke, Nivedita Mohanty, Gaganendranath Dash, Dinanath Pathy. Ashram Patna: Prafulla, 2013.

Mahatab, Harekrushna. The History of Orissa , Vol – II. Cuttack: Parjatantra Prachar Samiti, 1960.

Dash, Kailash Chandra. ‘A Study of the Origin of Ratha Yātrā in the Puruṣottama Kṣetra.’ East and West 46, no. 1/2 (June 1996): 117–25. Accessed December 5, 2019. https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757257?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents .

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Rath yatra, puri.

The Jagannath Temple celebrates many festivals throughout the year. Arguably the grandest celebrations take place for the Nobo Koliboro . The Nobo Koliboro celebrates the rebirth of the Lord Jagannath, His transmigration from one body to another. This ritual takes place every 15-19 years. The Jyaistha (June-July) month with two full moons in the adhimasa year marks the auspicious time for the ritual.

The Bana Yaga yatra is the first festival of the year. Participants of the yatra re-enact Lord Jagannath’s arrival at Puri. The Gajapati ruler of Puri allocates roles to various actors. The roles of Vishwavasu (the tribal devotee of Nilamadhava ), Bidyapati, the first Brahmin to lay eyes upon Lord Jagannath, the Lenka Sevak , the temple functionary in charge of writing and Vishwakarma, the architect and divine engineer of the universe are assumed by the men.

The main actors tie a special Khandua (a silk fabric woven using dyed threads) on their foreheads. This Khandua has verses from the Gita-Govinda hand woven on the cloth. They embark on a trek to Dasaphalla to seek out a tree from which the deity can be carved and which is deemed suitable to host the Bramha (soul) of the Lord.

En route, they stop at the Mangala Devi temple in Kakatpur and offer her gifts on behalf of the Lord. In return, they seek her blessings to find the tree. During their rest at the Devi Matha, it is said that the Vishwakarma Servitors dream about the location of the tree. Next morning, they seek out the Daru (tree) . Upon finding the tree, the Lenka garlands it and installs the Sudarshana (the weapon of lord Vishnu) beneath it.

The tree selected as a part of the Bana yaga Yatra.

‘Nimba tree spotted out for Navakalevara’. Plate number 49 from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

The tree is then bathed and worshipped. It is touched with a gold and silver axe before the Vishwakarma servitors cut into logs which are called Chaupata . A cart made of tamarind wood is brought to carry these holy logs back to the temple. The Chaupata are wrapped tightly in silk and bound with Khandua cloth before they are roped into place on the cart.

‘The sacred Daru on a four wheeled cart’. Plate number 52 from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

The Daru selected for the idol of Balabhadra entering from the Hastidvara, the northern gate.

The logs are brought into the Temple at Puri and kept at the Nirman Gruha (“the house of creation”) , hidden from public view for one month. Only the senior priests are allowed to partake in sculpting the new body of the Lord. It is the prerogative of the eldest priest to perform the Ghata Paribartan (“the transfer of the Bramha”) . The former idol and parts of the rath from the previous year are buried after a suddikriya (a purifying ritual) is performed.

A photograph of the Chandan Yatra. The Lord as Madanmohan ji boating on the Narendra Tank.

In the month of Jyaistha , the birthday of the Lord is celebrated as Snan Yatra . The Lord and His siblings are brought out amidst the sound of loud bugles, music and celebrations. As per tradition, they are decorated with floral crowns, covered from public view and bathed with a hundred and eight pots of water from the Suna Kuan (golden well), a well within the temple complex.

‘Car being drawn by the people’. Plate number 42 from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

‘Three chariots standing in a row’. Plate number 39 from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

‘Rath yatra scene in the pedestal of an old temple found near the Dhanmandal Railway Station in the district of Cuttack’. Plate number 39A from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

A photograph of the three raths of Subhadra Balabhadra and the Lord (from left to right) stationed on the Badadanda prior to the Rath Yatra.

After their bath, the deities are dressed in Hastibesha (the garb of an elephant) for a darshan. This ritual is rooted in popular memory. It is believed that once a renowned Hindu scholar was invited by the Gajapati ruler to his court. The king invited the scholar to accompany him for a visit to SriMandir but the scholar refused, claiming that he only worshipped Lord Ganesha. The reluctant scholar was however surprised when Lord Jagannath appeared to him as the beloved elephant god, Ganesha . The Hastibesha symbolises the love the Lord has for each of His followers.

It is believed that the deities catch a cold after this elaborate bath. They retire from public view for fifteen days in order to recover. This period is called Anavasara . The Netroutsav is performed by painting the eyes onto the freshly bathed bodies of the Lords. The next day marks the beginning of the Rath Yatra.

“When the sacred images are at length brought forth and placed upon their chariots, thousands fall on their knees and bow their foreheads in the dust. The vast multitude shouts with one throat and surging backwards and forwards drag the wheeled edifices down the broad streets towards the country house of Lord Jagannath.” - Imperial District Gazetteer, Puri, 1886

A rath is built for each of the three deities, Lord Jagannath, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balbhadra. Each houses the main deity along with nine others. Nine sages are also depicted on each chariot. These are meant to signify the nine planets in the universe. A rath can be recognised by its specific name, its colours, its charioteer, its horses and even the reins used to control them.

A photograph of the three raths of Subhadra Balabhadra and the Lord (front to back) stationed on the Badadanda prior to the Rath Yatra.

The largest rath soaring at forty-five feet is the red and yellow chariot of Lord Jagannath. It is called Nandighosa and it alone takes two months to construct. The horses Shankha , Shveta , Balahaka and Haridasva have the honour of pulling the Lord’s chariot. Maruti , the Lord’s charioteer reins the horses.

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the aadyasevak of Lord Jagannath performing the ‘Chera Panhara’, the ceremonial sweeping of the Rath before the Yatra.

The festivities are inaugurated by the Chera Panhara .In this, the Gajapati ruler, as a ‘servant of the Lord’, sweeps the platform of each rath before they are allowed to proceed. Devotees pull these large chariots three kilometres down the main avenue to the ‘Garden home’ of the deities, the house of their aunt, Gundicha . They stay with her for a week. During this time, it is believed that Goddess Laxmi, upset with her husband, Lord Jagannath for having left her behind, damages His rath in anger. This ritual is practised today as Hera Panchami , ‘hera’ means to look for or find.

Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the aadyasevak of Lord Jagannath arriving at the Jagannath Temple on the day of the Yatra.

The three siblings leave their Aunt’s house and embark on the ‘ Bahuda Yatra ’ (the return journey). They are received in Srimandir by doting devotees awaiting their arrival. The ‘ Sunabesha ’ is the gold-laden form the deities take after adorning all the jewellery made from the offerings by their devotees. This short darshan marks their homecoming.

The Lord of the Universe, however, is not allowed to step into His home just yet. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi is still upset at Her Lord. Distraught, she shuts the door and refuses to let Him enter.The Lord of the Universe attempts to convince Her of His intentions and seeks Her forgiveness. After persistent appeals, the goddess allows Him to step into His home.

The yatra ends with the Niladri Bije, which marks the return of the deities into the Garbha-griha . In 1825, 2.25 lakh pilgrims thronged to the Puri Temple, 190 years later (2015) the Nobo Koliboro celebrations saw a record 17.5 lakh devotees joining the celebrations at Puri.

‘Gateway of the Gundicha Mandir’. Plate number 43 from ‘The Cult of Jagannath’ by K.C. Mishra, published in 1971.

Nobo Koliboro

Imperial district gazetteer, puri, 1886.

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

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Rath Yatra Colours: Yellow Black and White

In the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple, the presiding deities are three siblings: Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra.  

On Rath Yatra day, the three siblings come out of the Shreemandir, to embark on a journey to visit their parents at the Gundicha temple, about three kilometers away. The rationale behind this is yet unclear. The temple of the  two brothers and the sister is named after the consort of Lord Jagannatha, Lakshmi, who is also referred to as Shree.

One often sees a picture of Vishnu, sleeping on the Shesha Naga and served by Lakshmi in the mythical Vaikuntha Dham. Jagannath represents Vishnu and Balabhadra the Shesha Naga. In the Ramayana, the three went to the forest together as Rama, Lakshmana and Sita. In the mythical Dwapara yuga, however, there is no such account of the three embarking on a journey together. In that age, Krishna represented Vishnu, except that the former married several women and loved a multitude of damsels (the gopikas). Krishna perhaps did not want to invoke the wrath of his wives by going on a journey with brother Balarama and Rukmani, considered as the incarnate of Devi Lakshmi. In Dwapara, Krishna and Balarama together undertook a journey to Mathura to kill their tyrant uncle, Kamsa. In order to justify his romance with many, Krishna revealed to Arjuna, husband of Devi Subhadra, that He represented many in One.

The deities in Puri are painted in three different colurs: Jagannath is black, Balabhadra white and Subhadra, yellow. From science we know that white light is dispersed into seven colours and yellow is one of them. However, black is not a part of this. Hence it is distinct. It is unfathomed. In other words, Lord Jagannath is beyond all understanding and probes. All colours have finite wave lengths, implying that these are in the limits of measurement. Black does not have a wavelength, and hence beyond all measure.

Black is dark, implying absence of knowledge. Lord Jagannath is beyond all knowledge. Dark is ferocious. Thus Jagannath represents the all devouring annihilator, the Kala. In the Bhagwad Gita, Arjuna sees that the entire universe rushes into the darkness of the mouth of that all pervading entity and vanishes there. Dark is mysterious. Jagannath is more mysterious than mystery itself. Hence He is called Mayadhara, the mysterious among the mysteries.

Ram means the full moon, the bright light in the dark sky. Balabhadra is strong but gentle. He is as clear as the full moon which is bright and white. While Krishna is the mysterious incarnation of Vishnu, Balabhadra or Balarama is the non-mysterious manifest of Vishnu and transparent-absence of mystery. He is knowledge and thus either precedes the mystery or follows it. In Treta yuga he followed Vishnu as Lakshmana and in the Dwapara, he preceded Vishnu as Balarama. In Rath Yatra he precedes Jagannath in all respects.

Subhadra is yellow. Yellow means joy and happiness. Indeed Subhadra was much younger to Balarama and Krishna and was born after the wicked Kamsa’s demise. Yellow is a particularly important colour for physicists. Yellow light coming out of a sodium lamp can show bright and dark fringes in an interference experiment. Yellow represents a single colour, while white light is a combination of several colours and thus unable to show bright and dark fringes. Thus Subhadra represents the essence of both Jagannath and Balabhadra and hence is well protected by them.

~ by G S Tripathi

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