All About the Chariot
The Chariot festival originated in the holy city of Puri, India and has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is a grand culmination of a series of celebrations spread over the summer and the monsoon month and is the most splendid of them all!
This festival is popularly known as Ratha Yatra, Gundicha Yatra and also Ghosha Yatra. The most remarkable thing about the chariot festival is that it is held not inside the temple but outside the temple on the road called 'Badadanda'. Symbolically, the chariot festival is a journey to light from the dark. This festival is celebrated at Puri with great pomp and ceremony. People from different corners of the earth come to Puri to witness this festival. During this festival the entire city of Puri becomes ceremonious.
The construction of these massive chariots takes place near the palace of the king of Puri and on the Chaturdasi (4th day after the new moon), preceding the day of the Ratha Yatra parade. The chariots are dragged to the main entrance of the temple in Puri. The three chariots are:
Nandighosha: This is the chariot of Lord Jagannath and is a little more than 33 feet high. It originally had 18 wheels representing the 'astadasa siddhi' or eighteen categories of spiritual success the Hindus long for. But to minimize its potential accidents, the number of wheels has since been reduced to 16. According to available accounts, 832 logs are required for the construction of this chariot. Jagannatha's chariot is painted yellow and covered by red and golden cotton cloth.
Taladhvaja: This is the chariot of Lord Balabhadra and is a little more than 32 feet high with 14 wheels. According to available accounts, 763 pieces of wooden log are required for the construction of this chariot. Balabhadra's chariot is painted blue and covered by red and green cotton cloth.
Devadalana: This is the chariot of Goddess Subhadra and is a little more than 31 feet high with 12 wheels. According to available accounts, 593 pieces of wooden log are required for the construction of this chariot. This chariot is painted black and covered by red and black cotton cloth.
(Left) The famous Los Angeles Ratha Yatra parade takes place near Venice Beach.
Vibrant and volatile Venice Beach makes way when Festival of India joins forces with its west coast counterpart to construct a thriving city within the city. Food courts, numerous centers of entertainment, multi-cultural displays and demonstrations are a few of the highlights. The beach front event has become a modern tradition.