Rashmi Rekha Das
Lord Jagannath is an embodiment of ‘Param Bramha’ or the complete concentration of all powers on Earth. All the main deities of Hinduism merge in Him. Shaped like the silhouette of a conch shell, the holy city has been attracting pilgrims from far and wide since time immemorial. Devotees throng Shreemandir throughout the year to have a ‘darshan’ of the Trinity and attain spiritual bliss. However, not everybody has access to the temple. For those deprived of access, Jagannath and His siblings venture out of the temple on Rath Yatra every year to oblige devotees with ‘darshan’. The annual festival is the only grand fair in the world which is so gracefully and devotionally accepted and observed by the masses cutting across the social distinctions of caste, creed, colour and community. The festival, which is a journey from darkness to light and from ignorance to enlightenment, offers a chance to devotees, especially non-Hindus and those who hail from foreign countries, to catch a glimpse of the deities from up close, without any obstacle or assistance from the temple priests. How do these devotees pay obeisance to the Lord of Universe when He comes out of His sanctum sanctorum along with His siblings and rides in a beautifully crafted wooden chariot along the Grand Road? Devotees from different countries pout their heart out to Sunday POST.
Su Lata from Spain, who arrived in Puri three days ago to witness the grand carnival, says: “My Gurudev told me about Jagannath and the history of Rath Yatra. He used to tell us that when we pray to Lord Jagannath we should never ask for a handsome husband, beautiful wife, a house, lovable children or wealth because all these things were material possessions. Jagannath will fulfill all your wishes but you cannot be released from suffering. The only thing we should pray for is bhakti or devotion for the Lord. If we have bhakti we can be released from suffering. Jagannath is the origin of all beauty, love, music and romance. If you pray for material things, you can never be released from suffering. In an age torn by animosity and plagued with hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. Love for God can never be the type of love showered on wife, children and property. There is a big gulf of difference. How then does love give us liberation from ‘samsara’ or the attachment from worldly possessions? Man is an egoistic entity, but ego is his only enemy. He feels he is entirely different from other beings in the world. He is convinced that he is sharply marked off from the rest of the universe, by his physical form.
He is sure he is only the body, even though he may try to deny this fact. I always keep these lines of my Guru in mind and act accordingly.”
A staunch believer of Lord Jagannath, she is participating in Rath Yatra for the first time. “I am a diehard devotee of Lord Jagannath – the incarnation of Lord Krishna. Jagannath’s Rath Yatra holds much significance for me and I have made it a point not to miss the Lord’s annual sojourn, she added.
Pullara, a visitor from Hong Kong, was on cloud nine after watching the Trinity at Saradhabali from up close. About her spiritual connection with the Almighty, she says: “There is only one truth – God. There is nothing else. The world is His manifestation. All activities, happenings, doings, are His workings. He is omniscient. This world is ephemeral, a passing show, a phenomenon restricted only in time and space. There is no individual existence. Individuality is imaginary, an ignorant condition of the mind. Whenever I find an escape from this constricted life, I greedily clinch the opportunity to interact with my Lord Jagannath, who comfortably resides in the palatial temple of Puri. I am lucky to have got an opportunity to be part of Rath Yatra in Puri.”
Asked whether Lord Jagannath has ever rescued her from a difficult situation, the ardent devotee replies: “Not once but every day in my life He saves me from many situations from which I don’t expect to get rid of. He is my best friend.”
Samani, who accompanied Pullara to Puri, was happy after pulling Jagannath’s chariot. Expressing her pent-up feelings, she says: “It was like flying in the sky. I was filled with a sense of ecstasy when I pulled the Almighty’s chariot. John Keats had rightly said, ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever.’ I had never got a chance to pay obeisance to Kalia as he is popularly called here. I know every year Rath Yatra is held with fanfare in Puri. Thanks to God’s grace, this year I made it to the holy city. While pulling the chariot I really found it increasingly difficult to fight back tears.”
Ambika Krishna Dasi (the name given by her Guru after she embraced Vaishnavism) says: “Though we have Rath Yatra in Colombia, Peru, South Africa and other places, Rath Yatra in Puri is really noteworthy. I am doing service for Vrindavan. I got goosebumps when I witnessed Pahandi Bije ritual of the Lord and His siblings. Lakhs of devotees eagerly wait to have a glimpse of the Lord and His siblings taken on a procession as everyone wants a share of the divine cloth. I got to know from an old lady who was standing by my side during the whole affair that having ‘darshan’ of Lord on chariot saves one from all the evils spirits and all kinds of maladies. I reached Puri three days ago. This was my second visit to the shrine and we enjoyed a lot. He is the Lord of the Universe. It is the only time when He came out of the heavenly abode for His devotees. He gives mercy in this way. I have great faith in Him.”
Narayani Debidasi’s happiness knew no bounds when she got a firsthand experience to learn more about Jagannath culture here in the Lord’s own land. She says: “When I saw the Lord of the Universe atop His chariot, I felt the big round eyes have devoured all the pains of my life, solaced my fretting soul and instilled an eerie sense of satisfaction and euphoria in me. I have been praying to Him since I took ‘dikshya’ from my Guru. I did not expect that I could ever land at this sacred place,” she said, adding that she was lucky to have got a ‘darshan’ of the Trinity.
Another devotee, John, from America was busy taking down the names of the dishes (‘bhog’) offered to the Lord at Jagannath Temple every day. The devotee has been observing the rituals performed during Rath Yatra. “Although we look different, the soul within is part of divinity,” he says.
John claims to have learned about Rath Yatra 20 years ago. “I am an ardent follower of Lord Jagannath, who is the incarnation of Lord Krishna. Jagannath’s Rath Yatra holds a lot of significance for me. I have never got a chance to witness the Lord’s annual sojourn in the last 20 years. This was the first time I saw the God and his siblings from close proximity. I am not too worried about the bar on our entry into Jagannath temple. What matters is devotion to the Lord,” he says.
Williams from Philippines is a frequent visitor to Jagannath dham. Explaining his love for the Lord, he says: “A bhakta always does everything to please the Lord. And this is what I did. I abandoned my family because they were against my religious passion. For them, I am a madman. I have been in India since the last five months. I have explored different places of religious significance. Scores of foreign tourists, including me, were waiting for the D-day to have a glimpse of the presiding deities of Puri Jagannath temple aboard their chariots because we are not allowed entry into the temple. It was really amazing. I enjoyed the gala event wholeheartedly.”
“God is love. Love is God. God is nectar. Bhakti is supreme love towards God. Bhakti is the greatest power on earth. It gushes from one’s pure heart. It redeems and saves. It purifies the heart. Devotion is the seed. Faith is the root. Service of the saints is the shower. Communion with the Lord is the fruit. When I took ‘dikshya’ from my guru, I was not treated well by my family members especially my mother. She was never happy with me. She scolded me and asked me to leave house after he learnt that I am an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath. I have never thought that my family members who were once against of Jagannath culture will accept me. But they not only accepted me, they also became devotees of Lord Jagannath. This is nothing but God’s miracle,” he says.
Hailing from Chile, Julio Antanio Payeras, who has become Hari Das Chaitnya Das after embracing Vaishnavism, says: “It was a wonderful experience to be in the holy city during the Car festival. When the deities were brought out amid the blowing of conch shells, drums and cymbals, my happiness knew no bounds. It was amazing when the Lords came out of the temple. I watched how the king of Puri became a humble servant and swept the street before Jagannath’s cart during Rath Yatra. I feel blessed to be a part of the festival which is attended by people irrespective of cast, creed and colour.”
Sebastian Kauak who got his name changed to Sri Bhakti Das, was speechless when asked to share his rapport with the Lord. “The most unique feature of Rath Yatra is that it becomes a symbol of equality and integration as people from various communities enthusiastically participate in it. I came to know about Lord Jagannath from our guru Srila Prabhupada. The scriptures mention that whoever takes ‘darshan’ of the gleeful grin of Jagannath seated on his cart transcends the cycle of rebirth in this material world. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the Trinity coming out of the temple. It was a moment I captured in the camera of my heart. The fairground was completely packed with people. I really admire the policemen in Puri for managing the thick crowd skillfully. Besides, I must say that the pandas have done a great job of handling the rituals,” the pious soul says.
Ileana Oliver from Mexico says: “I will never forget this moment. It was like a dream come true. Lord Jagannath is the most merciful Lord of the Universe. The entire Saradhabali, packed to capacity, reverberated with the soulful singing of the maha mantra. The world around us seemed to fade away as we delved deeper and deeper into chanting. I was nostalgic seeing the God atop His chariot. My heart melted as I focused intently on the rituals. The gala affair mesmerised me. It is believed that mere sighting of the deities atop chariots helps in redemption from sins. I may get liberated from the ceaseless cycle of birth.”