The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri has officially approved the ritual schedule for the upcoming Rath Yatra on July 7, as finalized by Chhatisa Nijog, a confederation of servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple. The approval came after a detailed discussion on the arrangements for the festival, as confirmed by SJTA chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav. This year, the Nabajouban Besha, a special ritual marking the rejuvenation of the sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra, will only be witnessed by sevayat (servitor) families inside the temple. This decision was made as the Nabajouban Besha will coincide with the Netra Utsav and Rath Yatra on the same day, July 7. Additionally, the ticketing system for the ‘Pahandi Bije’ ritual, where the deities are carried to their chariots, has been abolished for this year.
The ritual schedule begins on July 6 with the fetching of the ‘agyanmala’ from Pati Dian after the morning meal, as per the tradition described in Niladri Mahodaya. During this period, the deities are considered to reside in Patabrahma and offerings are made to it during the Anabasara ritual. Madhav Pujapanda, a servitor, explained this process, highlighting that the last similar arrangement was in 1971 due to specific celestial conditions. On July 7, the rituals will commence early, starting with ‘Mangal Alati’ at 2 am, followed by ‘Netra Utsav Bandhapana’ at 4 am. The Daitapati servitors will perform ‘Chhenapatta Lagi Seva’ (applying body armor to the deities) from 7.30 am to 12 pm to prepare them for the ‘pahandi bije’ procession. The deities will be carried from the sanctum sanctorum to their respective chariots between 1.10 pm and 2.30 pm, marking the first public glimpse of the Lords after Snana Purnima.
The Chhera Pahanra ritual, a symbolic sweeping of the chariots by Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, is scheduled for 4 pm. Due to special circumstances this year, the chariots will start being pulled at 5 pm instead of the usual 3 pm. The procession will be halted at 6 pm, as chariots are not pulled after sunset, and will resume the following day. The SJTA has instructed the sevayats to prepare well in advance for the smooth conduct of the festival. These directives aim to ensure the seamless execution of the complex rituals and the comfort of the devotees. The adjustments in the ritual schedule are reminiscent of the arrangements made in 1971, influenced by specific celestial alignments. This year’s Rath Yatra promises to be a unique event with significant historical and cultural importance.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri has officially approved the ritual schedule for the upcoming Rath Yatra on July 7, as finalized by Chhatisa Nijog, a confederation of servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple. The approval came after a detailed discussion on the arrangements for the festival, as confirmed by SJTA chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav. This year, the Nabajouban Besha, a special ritual marking the rejuvenation of the sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra, will only be witnessed by sevayat (servitor) families inside the temple. This decision was made as the Nabajouban Besha will coincide with the Netra Utsav and Rath Yatra on the same day, July 7. Additionally, the ticketing system for the ‘Pahandi Bije’ ritual, where the deities are carried to their chariots, has been abolished for this year.
The ritual schedule begins on July 6 with the fetching of the ‘agyanmala’ from Pati Dian after the morning meal, as per the tradition described in Niladri Mahodaya. During this period, the deities are considered to reside in Patabrahma and offerings are made to it during the Anabasara ritual. Madhav Pujapanda, a servitor, explained this process, highlighting that the last similar arrangement was in 1971 due to specific celestial conditions. On July 7, the rituals will commence early, starting with ‘Mangal Alati’ at 2 am, followed by ‘Netra Utsav Bandhapana’ at 4 am. The Daitapati servitors will perform ‘Chhenapatta Lagi Seva’ (applying body armor to the deities) from 7.30 am to 12 pm to prepare them for the ‘pahandi bije’ procession. The deities will be carried from the sanctum sanctorum to their respective chariots between 1.10 pm and 2.30 pm, marking the first public glimpse of the Lords after Snana Purnima.
The Chhera Pahanra ritual, a symbolic sweeping of the chariots by Puri Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, is scheduled for 4 pm. Due to special circumstances this year, the chariots will start being pulled at 5 pm instead of the usual 3 pm. The procession will be halted at 6 pm, as chariots are not pulled after sunset, and will resume the following day. The SJTA has instructed the sevayats to prepare well in advance for the smooth conduct of the festival. These directives aim to ensure the seamless execution of the complex rituals and the comfort of the devotees. The adjustments in the ritual schedule are reminiscent of the arrangements made in 1971, influenced by specific celestial alignments. This year’s Rath Yatra promises to be a unique event with significant historical and cultural importance.
