Bhubaneswar, July 6: The stage is set for the grand annual Rath Yatra, the chariot festival of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, beginning on Sunday in the holy coastal city of Puri, Odisha.

Hundreds of traditional carpenters and painters are busy giving finishing touches to the three huge chariots of the Lords.

“The Rath Yatra, observed on the second day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha month in the Hindu calendar, is the most important festival of the Jagannath temple. During this time, the holy triad embarks on their annual nine-day journey to their birthplace, Gundicha Temple (the Yagnya Vedi or the Garden house of the Lord), about three kilometers from the Jagannath Temple. Devotees from all sects and creeds gather to glimpse the divine siblings during the Rath Yatra,” Jagannath culture researcher Bhaskar Mishra told IANS.

Traditionally, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra fall ill after being bathed with 108 pitchers of scented water during the Snan Yatra on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month in the Hindu calendar (considered the birthday of Lord Jagannath).

The deities remain in seclusion for 15 days, known as the ‘Anasara’ period, during which devotees are not allowed to see them. Secret rituals are performed by a specific group of servitors called ‘Daitapati’.

During this period, the holy siblings are offered Ayurvedic herbs and fruits to help them recover from the fever caused by the sacred bath. Once fully recuperated, the deities give darshan to the devotees in an event called ‘Nava Youvan Darshan’, usually observed a day before the Rath Yatra.

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