Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 Day 8: Know About Bahuda Yatra Schedule, Rituals And Significance

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Every year, Rath Yatra or Chariot festival is celebrated at the famous Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha. This year will mark the 145th Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra officially began today in Puri and people from all over the world take part in the celebrations.

Lord Jagannatha is worshipped by the devotees along with his brother Balabhadra and his sister Devi Subhadra and they are known as Trinity Siblings. According to the Hindu Lunar Calendar and is observed on Dwitiya Tithi during Shukla Paksha of Ashada month. It usually falls in the month of June or July, as per the Gregorian Calendar.

Ratha Yatra will commence on 20 June 2023. The Dwitiya Tithi begins at 11:25 am on 19 June 2023 and Dwitiya Tithi ends at 01:07 pm on 20 June 2023. Lord Jagannath will be taken out for the Ratha yatra on Tuesday, 20 June 2023 and this procession will start at 10.04 pm on this day. It will end on Saturday, 01 July 2023.

Each day there are special rituals that are also associated with this festival and on the 8th day, Bahuda Yatra will be observed which is a very significant part of Rath Yatra and it will be on Wednesday, 28 June 2023.

Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023 Day 8: Know About Bahuda Yatra Schedule, Rituals And Significance

The term 'Bahuda' in Odia language means 'return'. Bahuda Yatra is the return journey of three chariots to Jagannath Temple. After spending a week inside Gundicha temple, the deities commence their Bahuda Yatra.

During the return journey, the three chariots of deities stop for a while at the Mausima Temple, which is also known as Ardhasani Temple and is dedicated to the aunt of Lord Jagannath. At this temple, all the deities are offered 'Poda Pitha', a special sweet made of rice, coconut, lentils and jaggery. After this, the deities start their journey to the main temple.

The chariots of Subhadra and Balabhadra move forward and are parked at the Lion's gate (Singha Dwara) of the temple where as the chariot of Jagannath stops in front of the Gajapati King's palace for another event which is known as 'Laxmi Narayana Bheta'.

Legend has it that Lord Jagannath didn't take his consort Mahalaxmi to Gundicha temple during the Chariot festival or rath yatra. So, on Hera Panchami day, Mahalaxmi goes to Gundhicha temple to meet her husband but due to the closed door, she is unable to visit him and becomes angry and it continues for a few days. Then, she asks her servitors to inform Her as soon as they come to know about Lord Jagannath's return.

Therefore, on Bahuda Yatra day, when the Nandighosa chariot driven by Lord Jagannath reaches the King's palace, Mahalaxmi's servitors inform her about her husband and she becomes anxious to catch a glimpse of him. Soon the servitors sense her mood and take Subarna Laxmi (representative idol of Goddess Mahalaxmi) in a beautiful and gorgeous palanquin to the 'Chahani Mandapa' and from there to the King's palace where the Nandighosa chariot is parked.

Then Goddes Mahalaxmi starts her journey from Chahani Mandapa. A parda (screen) is put in front of the Taladhwaja chariot, which is the chariot of Lord Balabhadra so that He can't see Goddess Mahalaxmi during the procession. According to the Hindu tradition, the elder brother must not see the younger brother's wife's face or even touch her as it is considered inauspicious.

Once the journey ends, Gajapati Maharaj, King of Puri receives Mahalaxmi and escorts her to Nandighosa chariot. During this time, the king offers a special prasad to the goddess and carries the Subarna Laxmi idol on his head and takes Her for a meeting with Lord Jagannath.

On meeting with each other, the divine couple exchanges a glance and then Lord Jagannath presents his 'Agyan Mala' (consent garland) to the Goddess Mahalaxmi. Once she receives the garland, Mahalaxmi takes a circle around Nandighosa's chariot and goes back to the temple with Her servitors and waits for her husband. This divine meeting is known as 'Lakshmi Narayana Bheta', which shows that deities also have feelings similar to humans.

Further, the pulling of the Nandighosha chariot from the King's palace is again resumed by thousands of devotees and it concludes at the Lion's gate of Jagannath temple. It is here that the Lord joins His siblings who have already reached there ahead of His arrival. The deities remain in their respective chariots, which are parked in front of the temple for the Suna Vesha on the day of the Bahuda yatra.

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