The nine-day Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath, one of the most significant religious festivals of Hindus, concluded today with the pulling of ropes of the Ulto Rath. The festival began on July 16. Ulto Rath Yatra signifies the grand, emotional return journey of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra to their main temple after a nine-day stay at the Gundicha Temple. Spiritually, it symbolizes the journey of the individual soul back to its divine source after navigating the material world.
Elaborate Celebrations
Various religious organizations and temples arranged numerous auspicious religious events to mark the festival. The day’s programmes began in the morning with traditional rituals including Harinam Sankirtan (devotional songs), Agnihotri Joggo for world peace and prosperity, distribution of Mahaprasad, discussions, recitations from the Bhagabata Purana and Shrimad Bhagabata Gita, and cultural performances.
Grand Procession in Dhaka
In the capital, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organized a grand procession in the afternoon marking the Ulto Rath Yatra. Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon addressed as the chief guest a discussion on the premises of Dhakeshwari National Temple to mark the inauguration of the event with ISKCON Bangladesh General Secretary Bhaktimoy Nitai Swami in the chair. Following the discussion, Dhaka South City Corporation administrator Abdus Salam inaugurated the grand procession of Ulto Ratha Yatra featuring three large chariots carrying the images of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balarama.
The procession paraded through Palashi Moor, Jagannath Hall, Central Shaheed Minar, Doel Chattar, High Court, Jatiya Press Club, Purana Paltan, Motijheel Shapla Chattar, Ittefaq Mor, Tikatuli, Rajdhani Super Market, and Joy Kali Temple before concluding at the Swamibagh ISKCON Temple.
Tradition and Significance
According to Hindu tradition, the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins every year on the second day (Dwitiya Tithi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month of Ashar. The tradition originated at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, India. In Bangladesh, Rath Yatra is also observed as a sacred Hindu festival. Jashomadhab Dev’s Rath Yatra in Dhamrai upazila of Dhaka district is one of the oldest celebrations of the festival in the country while port city Chattogram and sacred city of Sylhet saw largest celebrations of Ratha Yatra apart from Dhaka. In addition, Return Rath Yatra celebrations were held at the Jagannath Jiu Thakur Temple in Tantibazar, Ram-Sita Temple on Joy Kali Road, temples under the Shankharibazar Committee, other temples in Dhaka, and numerous temples across Bangladesh.
