Jagannath Rath Yatra 2022: Date, history and significance

The Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of the biggest and most prominent Hindu festivals. The nine-day annual festival will start on July 1 and end with Bhauda Yatra on July 9. Rath Yatra is held every year in Odisha’s Puri, which marks the sojourn of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra on three chariots to Gundicha temple, the birthplace of the deities.

There are many mythological stories regarding the origin of the Rath Yatra. According to one legend Lord Jagannath with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, visit the Gundicha temple every year as promised to queen Gundicha, the wife of King Indradyumna, who built the Jagannath temple in Puri. As per mythology, the present statues of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra were made by Lord Vishwkarma at the temple, which is known as Gundicha temple, from a wood log. It took many months and while Lord Vishwakarma was creating the idols of the deities queen Gundicha opened the temple door and Lord Vishwakarma disappeared leaving the statues incomplete.