Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023: India is a country of festivals. One such important festival is the Jagannath Rath Yatra. It is held in Puri, Odisha in reverence of Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Krishna. This religious procession is also known as Rath Mahotsav, Navadina Yatra, Gundicha Yatra, or Dashavatar. Interestingly, it is one of the oldest rath yantras in the world and finds mention in ancient texts as well. It is an annual festival that falls on the second day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha. Let us know when this great festival of Rath Yatra will be celebrated in Puri this year and what are the merits of participating in it.

Rath Yatra 2023 date and time
The second date of Shukla paksha of Ashadh month starts: on 19 June 2023, Monday, from 11:25 am

The second date of Shukla paksha of Ashadh month ends: on 20 June 2023, Tuesday, at 01:07 pm

According to Udaya Tithi, the festival of Rath Yatra will be celebrated on 20th June.

How the chariot is made
The celebration of this vibrant festival starts long before. The devotees start building the chariots. Then, these chariots are decorated with beautiful colors made by popular artists of Puri. Three chariots are made for Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and his brother Balabhadra.

The chariot of Lord Jagannath is made up of about 16 wheels and is about 45 feet high. This is called Nandighosh

The chariot of Goddess Subhadra stands at a height of 44.6 feet and is made up of 12 wheels. It is known as Devdalan

Lord Balabhadra Ratha is 45.6 feet high and has 14 wheels. This is called Taldhwaj.

Astrological Significance of Jagannath Rath Yatra
Jagannath Rath Yatra also has astrological significance. On the day of the journey, the Sun enters Cancer. This is an important event in astrology. This transition also marks the arrival of the monsoon season in India. People celebrate Yatra during this time as it brings good luck and prosperity. Astrologically, Jagannath is associated with the planet Jupiter or Guru. Jupiter is the symbol of knowledge, wisdom, and prosperity.

During the Jagannath Rath Yatra, people take the deity out of his temple and place him on a chariot. It is believed that it represents the movement of the planet Jupiter. Another astrological connection is that the festival marks the beginning of Chaturmas, four months of spiritual and religious significance. During this time, the belief is that Vishnu enters a state of sleep, and his devotees perform penance to receive his blessings.
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