The Chandan
Yatra celebrating the Hindu New Year. The Snana Yatra,
celebrating Lord Jagannath's ritual bath is held on the day of the full
moon in June (Jyestha). The original deities are taken out for public
viewing. During the Jhulana Yatra, proxy images of the deities are carried
out in grand processions for 21 days, to cruise in beautifully decorated
boats in the Narmada Tank.
And, of course, the prime attraction
for tourists all over India and abroad, which is, the Rath Yatra,
which falls in the month of June- the ideal time to visit Puri.Lord
Jagannath with his sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra take an annual
vacation to the 'Gundicha Ghar', a smaller sanctum, 2 kms from the main
temple. This journey constitutes the Rath Yatra Festival. The three
deities, in separate raths (wooden chariots), are pulled by
devotees to the Gundicha temple. These raths are elaborately
dressed in a riot of colours, the colours symbolising the significance of
each deity.
The Rath Yatra and Nava Kalebara,
are the famous festivals of Puri. Both these events are related to the
reigning deity, Lord Jagannath. The Nava Kalebara festival is an
immensely significant religious ritual, wherein the the idols of the three
deities - Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra change their external forms.
New idols are carved out of specially sanctified Chandan-Neem trees,
within strictly prescribed regulations. The 'daru' (wood) is then
transported to the temple in full regalia.
At this point the
Vishwakarmas (wood sculptors) step in and work for 21 days and nights, in
strict secrecy, giving final shape to the idols. The new idols are then
enshrined after transferring the 'Brahma' within each idol into their new
form. This is again done in strict accordance to the religious norms.
Puri
Beach Festivalis celebrated annually in early November, in
Puri.Orissan craft, cuisine and cultural evenings are the highlights of
the event.
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