Contrasting images of the iconic Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra from 2020 and 2019 – without the lakhs of devotees

For so long, Jagannath Rath Yatra or the most famous Jagannath car festival of Puri in Orissa has been one of the biggest festivals in India. This is a spectacular and highly significant event carrying a lot of cultural, religious and social significance. Multitudes of people throng at the city of Puri to view the grandest chariot procession in the country. The several legends associated with the Rath Yatra of Puri capture the imaginations of the humans around the globe. Here are some highly interesting facts about the Jagannath Rath Yatra. Jagannath Rath Yatra interesting facts <ul><li>As practiced in a few other orthodox Hindu temples, none other than Hindus will be allowed to enter the gates of the Jagannath temple in Puri to view the deities and offer worship. However, the entry is open to anyone irrespective of caste and religion during the Jagannath Rath Yatra. During this festival time, all people can worship the Lord and receive his blessings. </li><li>The Rath yatra sees the procession of three independent chariots for the three deities of Jagannath, Balarama and Shubadra. Hence this event is also called the festival of chariots. The names of these three chariots are Nandighosha, Taladhwaja and Devadalana. </li><li>Nandigosha is the chariot of Jagannath that is set on 18 wheels. Taladwaja, the chariot of Balarama runs on 16 wheels and 14 wheels roll the chariot Padmadhwaja in which Shubadra parades. </li><li>The most astonishing facts about the Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra is that all the three chariots are constructed anew year after year prior to the festival. The construction makes use of newer materials as the years go by. However, the structure, model, design and measurements of the chariot remain the same. In front of each chariot, four wooden horses are fixed. </li><li>The chariot tops replicate the structure of the temple towers built in the North Indian style. Hundreds of pilgrims and devotees pull the massive sized chariots with sturdy ropes. This creates an awe inspiring sight for the onlookers. For making the canopies of the chariots, about 1200 meters of cloth is used. A team of 15 skilled tailors make the canopies. </li><li>As per the traditional belief, the king of Puri sweeps the floor with a broom stick before the chariots move forward thus providing a royal procession to the Lord with his accomplices. </li><li>When the festival begins, Lord Jagannath seems to refuse moving out. Despite the efforts of the crowds, the chariot cannot be moved even an inch forward. After a few hours of mammoth efforts, finally the chariot moves forward to trigger the procession’s onward march. </li><li>There is an interesting story behind the chariot festival. It is said Lord Jagannath catches high fever year on year prior to the Rath yatra. Hence he is given rest for a period of one week before the chariot festival. The temple doors remain shut for the public and none is allowed to disturb the resting Lord during this period. The chariot procession comes as a change for the Lord to visit his maternal aunt’s house after he recovers from his fever. </li></ul>

8 Interesting facts about Jagannath Rath Yatra

<ul><li>The Supreme Court has allowed the Rath Yatra to take place only in Puri and with strict guidelines and the responsibility of the state government. </li><li>For the first time in 285 years, it was feared that the Rath Yatra would be cancelled. </li><li>This year’s Rath Yatra (June 23) was put on hold by the Supreme Court due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in Odisha and the country.</li></ul>Puri Rath Yatra, a 12th century tradition which sees the grand chariots of Lords Balabhadra, Jagannath and Subhadra taken out a procession in the city, will continue this year but with strict guidelines. The top court said that the Puri rath yatra will be held with coordination of temple committee, state and central government without compromising with health issue. “But we will not do any micro management of Rath Yatra. We will leave it to the best wisdom of the responsible state government. The State Government will act responsibly and contain the spread,” said India’s top court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on the Centre’s behalf while senior advocate Harish Salve appeared on behalf of the government of Odisha in the Supreme Court today. “A ritual going on for centuries should not be interfered with,” said <a href="https://twitter.com/barandbench/status/1274942314939637767">Mehta.</a> This was the first time in 285 years that it was feared that the Rath Yatra would be cancelled. For the pious event, lakhs of devotees from across the country gather just to catch a glimpse of Lord Jagannath and help pull the chariot. According to the tradition, if Rath Yatra is not held in a year, it cannot be held for the next 12 years. This year’s Rath Yatra (June 23) was put on hold by the Supreme Court due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in Odisha and the country. Odisha currently has over 5000 coronavirus cases. Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde had said, “Lord Jagannath won't forgive us if we allow it”. Earlier, an organisation based out of Odisha had moved the Supreme Court to put a stay on the Rath Yatra as ‘it could be catastrophic’. In 2019, ten lakh people had taken part in the festival. However, this was met by dissent from across the country, and soon petitions were filed to let the festival take place. Janardhan Pattajoshi Mohapatra, the chief servitor of Lord Jagannatha, had requested the Supreme Court to hold the festival without the crowds as it is an ‘unbroken tradition’. “Any interruption in the observance of this mandatory religious practice affects the very sanctity of the temple and all its future rituals as well as the faith of millions of devotees across the world who understand and revere the significance of the Rath Yatra,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amid-covid-19-pandemic-chief-servitor-of-lord-jagannatha-asks-sc-to-allow-puri-ratha-yatra-without-public-participation/story-bJvBzCkYWqLuub2oHZ3IWJ.html">the application stated.</a> The application had also called for a complete curfew in Puri on June 23 to ensure that crowds don’t gather on the streets and said that if held without the lakhs of devotees, the procession would be completed in less than an hour. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/reliance-industries-shares-are-worth-more-than-hdfc-bank-icici-bank-and-kotak-mahindra-bank-combined/slidelist/76504066.cms">Reliance Industries’ shares are worth more than HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank combined</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/asian-paints-and-bergers-earnings-will-show-if-people-will-risk-renovators-inside-their-homes-until-then-its-sanitisers-to-the-rescue/articleshow/76504616.cms">Asian Paints and Berger’s earnings will show if people will risk renovators inside their homes⁠— until then its sanitisers to the rescue</a>

Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra will be held this year despite coronavirus, but without the lakhs of devotees

<ul><li>India’s <keyword id="3317575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government-e-Marketplace">government e-marketplace</keyword> (GEM) has made it compulsory for sellers to state the ‘<keyword id="1340631" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Country-of-Origin">country of origin</keyword>’ for the products listed on the platform.</li><li>The feature on the government’s marketplace comes at a time when due to the Indo-China border clashes, there has been a call to dump <keyword id="108268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-products">Chinese products</keyword>.</li><li>Buyers can choose to buy only those products that meet the minimum 50% local content criteria, says the official release from the government.</li></ul>India’s government <keyword id="6572939" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="E-marketplace">e-marketplace</keyword> (GEM) has made it compulsory for sellers to state the ‘country of origin’ for the products listed on the platform. The measure has been brought in as a step to promote the Make in India initiative which got a further boost from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self reliant India). “Sellers, who had already uploaded their products before the introduction of this new feature on GeM, are being reminded regularly to update the Country of Origin, with a warning that their products shall be removed from GeM if they fail to update the same,” says the official release of the government. The feature on the government’s marketplace comes at a time when due to the Indo-China border clashes, there has been a call to dump Chinese products and people have been uninstalling Chinese apps as well. Through this filter, buyers can choose to buy only those products that meet the minimum 50% local content criteria. Launched in 2016, the government e-marketplace is an online platform for public procurement for government departments and has almost 4 lakh sellers. It also offers e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/acharya-balakrishna-the-1-6-billion-ceo-behind-the-rise-of-patanjali-in-india/slidelist/76527837.cms">Acharya Balakrishna — the $1.6 billion CEO behind the rise of Patanjali in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-jagannath-rath-yatra-2020-images-pictures-without-the-lakhs-of-devotees/slidelist/76528249.cms">Contrasting images of the iconic Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra from 2020 and 2019 – without the lakhs of devotees</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/how-the-us-germany-and-other-european-countries-tried-to-protect-jobs-amidst-the-coronavirus-pandemic/articleshow/76529361.cms">This is how the US, Germany and other European countries tried to protect jobs amidst the coronavirus pandemic</a>

India’s government e-marketplace now has a Make in India filter – sellers have to specify the ‘country of origin’ for products

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Contrasting images of the iconic Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra from 2020 and 2019 – without the lakhs of devotees

Sanchita Dash

8 Interesting facts about Jagannath Rath Yatra

BI India Bureau

Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra will be held this year despite coronavirus, but without the lakhs of devotees

Sanchita Dash

India’s government e-marketplace now has a Make in India filter – sellers have to specify the ‘country of origin’ for products

Sanchita Dash

Oil refineries improve run rate; Reliance cuts crude processing for 3rd straight month

PTI