Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023: How Lord Jagannath Appeared As Rama To Tulsidas At Puri?

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Tulsidas and Puri Jagannath have an undeniable connection with each other historically. Puri Jagannath is where Lord Ram appeared firstly as Jagannath and then as Lord Ram to Tulsidas to make him happy. Let us go through the story in detail.

One day, as Tulsidas was reading his usual daily scriptures, someone reached him with a news that Ram was going to appear before Tulsidas at Puri Jagannath.

Tulsidas, delirious with joy about receiving this news, set out to Puri on a padayatra to have a glimpse of his favourite lord. He was a staunch devotee of Ram who wrote the famous Ram Charit manas. He took few more pilgrims with him and reached puri after walking the distance which took a long time.

Reaching the temple, they quickly went in to the sanctum to have a glimpse of Ram. But unfortunately, the sanctum had a idol of Puri Jagannath and not their deity Ram. They were highly disappointed that their prayers were left unanswered, sat down wearily under a tree and waited for him to appear before them.

Tulsidas was full of thoughts and worries. He was surprised how a carved log of round and smooth tree can be his Favourite lord Ram? Jagannath is in the form of a log of wood that is carved to look like Jagannath. Tulsidas invariably waited there and quickly got bored in no time. He was obviously crestfallen that he was not finally able to see Ram despite such attempts.

He saw a little boy running up to him asking if his name was Tulsidas. He had a pot full of prasadam of Jagannath. Tulsidas' guess at that time was that some one who had heard him inside the sanctum must have brought that prasad of the lord to him.

He opened his mouth to say that he was Tulsidas and Lord Jagannath had indeed sent this prasad through the boy to him. But since he is not supposed to take the prasad of any one else other than Ram, he could not take the prasadam.

Boy looked surprised. He said that the Jagannath's prasad is sought after by everyone. Tulsidas answered him that he does not eat anything unless he finishes worshipping Lord Ram. He is unable to offer this prasad to Rama because it is already offered to Lord Jagannath. Tulsidas did not want to Feed Rama with Jagannaths prasad.

He also asked how Jagannatha with no palms and feet can become Lord Rama/ The boy laughed and told him to look into the book Ramcharit Manas where Tulsidas had written about the formless deity Brahma.

Jagannath could taste all the foods without even having a tongue and can speak eloquently without uttering a word? It struck at this time to Tulsidas that this boy was indeed his Lord Ram who had reached out to him with his prasad.

As he turned his head up to the boy, misty eyed, the boy laughed and said "Tulsidas, I am the same Rama who you were looking for. Hanuman is guarding me from all directions. Vibheeshana comes to me every morning for my darshan. Come tomorrow and have my darshan. Saying this he disappeared.

Tulsidas had no doubt now and cried like a baby for having seen his Ram finally. He ate the prasadam with due devotion. The next morning, he went inside the sanctum to find Ram, sita, hanuman and Lakshman in the place of the jagannath idols.

The place where Tulsidas waited the whole night for his Lord is known as Tulsiya Chaura. The place where he sat is called Badasthamatha.

The place where Tulsidas spent the night is still known as 'Tulsiya Chaura'. The place where he was sitting is known as Badasthamatha. Jagannath of Puri settled in Puri to give it an importance and status of international level.