Bahuda Yatra – UPSC GS1

Bahuda Yatra

• A/c to folk stories Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Goddess Shubhadra and Lord Balabhadra, returns from their aunt’s place at Gundicha Temple to Jagannath Temple.
• This journey is known as Bahuda Yatra.
• Nine days after the Rath Yatra, the yatra or the return journey takes place.

About Jagannath Rath Yatra

• Ratha Jatra, the Festival of Chariots of Lord Jagannatha is celebrated every year at Puri, the temple town in Orissa, on the east coast of India.
• It involves a public procession with a chariot with deities Jagannath (Vishnu avatar), BalaBhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister) and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon) on a ratha, a wooden deula-shaped chariot.
• The huge, colourfully decorated chariots, are drawn by hundreds and thousands of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the Gundicha temple, some two miles away to the North.
• It attracts over a million Hindu pilgrims who join the procession each year.

Puri Temple Architecture

• Jagannath Temple is a very big temple and covers an area of 37000m2. The height of the outer wall is 6.1m.
• It is surrounded by a high fortified wall 6.1 m high is known as Meghanada Pacheri.
• The main portion of the temple is also surrounded by a wall known as Kurma Bheda.
• The temple is built in Rekha Deula style and has four distinct sectional structures, namely –
  1. Deula, Vimana or Garba griha (Sanctum sanctorum) where the triad deities are lodged on the ratnavedi (Throne of Pearls)
  2. Mukhashala (Frontal porch)
  3. Nata mandir/Natamandapa, which is also known as the Jagamohan (Audience Hall/Dancing Hall), and
  4. Bhoga Mandapa (Offerings Hall)