Only attending Rath Yatra won’t seem to be complete your religious tour package in Puri, must see the Bahuda Yatra also which completes the process or Rath Yatra festival. If you are a great devotee of Lord Jagannath then definitely not going to miss Rath yatra and Bahuda yatra of this year, which are happening on 4th July and 12th July of this year. The return journey or Lords from Gundicha temple to Puri temple is called as Bahuda Yatra.
The details that make you attend Bahuda Yatra also:
- Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of the chariots of Lord Jagannath from the Gundicha Temple to the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
- Bahuda Yatra 2019is on 12th July which is 9 days after the auspicious day of Rath Yatra. Lord Jagannath and his siblings are received with great affection and devotion when they return back to the Jagannath Dham.
- On their way back, the deities make a stop at the renowned Mausima Temple, which is considered to be dedicated to Lord Jagannath’s aunt.
- At the Mausima Temple, the deities savor the famous dish of Poda Pitha, which is a sweet delicacy meant to appease the Lord. After this, the chariots start their journey toward the Dham again.
- On reaching the Jagannath Temple, Balarama and Subhadra’s chariot are stopped at the Singh dwara or Lion Gate. The chariot of Lord Jagannath himself stops in front of the King’s palace.
- Maa Lakshmi’s idol is then carried on a palanquin to the chariot of Lord Jagannath. This is a ritual which is a mark of Lakshmi’s love and devotion for the Lord and is observed every year too.
- Lord Jagannath and his siblings then enter the temple premises and their chariots are parked in front of the temple. On the next day, there are several rituals, including the offering of Adhara (a nutritious drink), which the deities consume and cool off after their long journey.
- Then on the evening of Ekadashi, the Lord and his siblings are dressed in golden garb. This ceremony is known as Suna Besa and is done before the deities leave their chariots to go inside the temple.
- On the next day, the deities enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and take their usual places. This marks the end of the holy weeks of Rath Yatra.
Come to Puri and enjoy Toshali Sands’ Rath Yatra package which includes complete car festival procession. Along with Rath Yatra, you can also enjoy the Bahuda Yatra which is the homecoming festival of Lords.