This week saw the world famous Jagannath Yatra in Puri. Preparations for building the chariots begin on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya each year. This is a truly unique form of the Lord Vishnu, where the glorious idols are also built anew every 12 or 19 years, depending on the astronomical configurations that prevail. Lord Jagannath accompanied by his siblings Baldev and Subhadra, make the about 3 km journey from the Jagannath Puri temple to the Gundicha temple, with their chariots drawn by devotees who throng in the hundreds of thousands.
The Rath Yatra commenced on June 20 this year and will see Lord Jagannath spend time in the Gundicha temple, before his return, also called the Bahuda Yatra next week on the 28th. Tomorrow sees a very special part of the ceremony, on the occasion of Hera Panchami. Worried that her husband Lord Jagannath was only supposed to be away briefly, Goddess Lakshmi’s journey to the Gundicha temple is enacted, as she arrives with a bit of a temper asking after him! Despite assurances of his imminent return, she leaves like a wife deeply attached to her husband would, still mildly upset that she is having to return alone, and breaks off a part of Lord Jagannath’s chariot, Nandigosha. This gives devotees a rare glimpse of this endearing cosmic theatre.
India is seeped in spirituality and mysticism, and besides festivals like Jagannath Yatra, which draw in tourists from all over the world, one of our most enduring gifts to the world is Yoga. This week also witnessed the International Day of Yoga celebrated in a grand way, especially as it coincided with the Indian PM’s state visit to the US, which created a Guinness World Record for the most number of nationalities represented in the Yoga event at the UN!
As the stresses and strains we have to endure on a daily basis keep growing proportionately to our wants and desires, the world is realising the importance of having a practice that they can turn to to restore the sense of inner calm. Small wonder then that Yoga is a growing phenomenon, which doesn’t just contribute to physical well being, but is perhaps the most natural way to build sustainable mental health and resilience.
