Patiagarh gears up for annual sojourn of deities
Bhubaneswar: A strong urge to revive age-old traditions and preserve culture inspired villagers of Patiagarh to resume Rath Yatra in 2010 at their 18th century Jagannath Temple, after a gap of 78 years.
Revival of Rath Yatra shows its importance among the villagers, who ensure the festival is organised every year peacefully and smoothly. Adwait Charan Champati, former managing trustee of Sri Jagannath Temple Trust Board, Patia, said they first conducted research on rituals and rules before deciding to revive Rath Yatra in the temple. "The whole village was excited to hold Rath Yatra again," he added.
He said they discussed in detail the height of the chariot and the length and width of the road (400 metres) to be used for the annual sojourn of the sibling deities from Jagannath Temple to Mausima Temple (Sri Gundicha Ghar Gopinath Deb Mandir) located in the heart of Patiagarh village.
"It took one and a half months to construct the chariot. Batakrushna Moharana of Old Town built it. We faced several challenges during chariot construction in 2010, but everything was solved with divine intervention," he recalled.
Rajaguru Kartik Prasad Tripathy, managing trustee of the temple trust board, said construction of the chariot began on Akshaya Tritiya. "The structure of the chariot remains the same, but its weak parts are replaced every year.
Villagers are eager to celebrate the festival this year with great devotion," he added.
The event attracts thousands of visitors from surrounding areas who come to witness pulling of the chariot. "We also organise singing, dancing and other cultural programmes between Rath Yatra and Niladri Bije. As this is the most important festival in our locality, we give it utmost priority every year," Tripathy added.
Ananta Charan Mishra, priest of the Patia Jagannath Temple, said he feels lucky to get an opportunity to take part in the festival.
"Though we have to work very hard on Rath Yatra day, the effort is worth it. Its a blessing to serve Lord Jagannath and his siblings," he added.
Mamata Jena, 50, a villager, said she never misses the Rath Yatra. "The chariot is decorated with artwork and colourful clothes. We eagerly wait for the festival every year. I cannot express my feelings in words. Rath Yatra has a special place in my heart," she added.
Another villager, Rajendra Prasad Mohanty, said the festival promotes unity. "We are happy that we are continuing the rich tradition. It has immense importance in our lives," he added.
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