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Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the Erstwhile King of Puri, shared the significance of the Jagannath Rath Yatra, calling it one of the rare opportunities for the devotees of Lord Jagannath to have darshans outside the temple.
While talking to the media, Deb claimed that the rituals of Jagannath Yatra were decided by Lord Jagannath himself. Noting the significance of the festival, he added that Rath Yatra encourages devotees of different communities to come together in one spirit of devotion and participate in the festival. "Lord Jagannath himself commanded the king that you have to follow my festivals in this manner... Jyeshtha Purnima every year is celebrated as snan yatra because he is the lord of the universe, and everyone has an equal right and equal opportunity to have his direct darshans. So, therefore, it is a very rare opportunity for all devotees all around the world to have darshan of Lord Jagannath outside the temple, where the devotees can come without any restriction at all," said Dibyasingha Deb. He added, "People of all nationalities, of all religions, of all different communities come together in one spirit of devotion and love to participate in this festival. But this should be celebrated according to the command of Lord Jagannath himself. We cannot betray him, we cannot go against his commands." Meanwhile, the construction of the three majestic chariots for the Jagannath Yatra in Puri has reached its final phase. Skilled artisans and servitors are working tirelessly to complete the last of the decorative and structural tasks, including the construction and decoration of the three chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. The three chariots, which are newly built every year for the world-famous festival, have taken shape as scheduled ahead of the grand procession. Maharana Sebayats, engaged in the Rath Nirman Karya (chariot construction work), said the construction is being carried out in strict adherence to traditional customs and rituals under the supervision of designated servitors. The work commenced after the customary rituals performed on Akshaya Tritiya and included the preparation and assembly of the three grand chariots associated with the deities. In 2026, the Jagannath Rath Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 16, marking the grand chariot procession to the Gundicha Temple. The nine-day festival concludes with the return journey (Bahuda Yatra) on July 24, 2026, with the deities officially entering the main temple on July 27, 2026. (ANI)
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