Puri temple panel urges ISKCON not to violate traditions on Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath
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News18
5 days ago
- News18
The World's Longest Festival Is Celebrated In This Indian State
The world's longest-running festival, Bastar Dussehra 2025, began on Friday, July 25, with Hareli Amavasya in Chhattisgarh. Spanning an extraordinary 75 days, this unique celebration is steeped in centuries-old traditions and spiritual rituals that set it apart from the typical Dussehra festivities observed elsewhere in India. The grandeur of Bastar Dussehra, rooted in tribal culture and local beliefs, draws visitors and devotees from across the country and abroad. (News18 Hindi) The festival starts with Pat Jatra, a ritual where wood from the sacred Sal tree is brought from the forest and worshiped at the temple of Goddess Danteshwari, the presiding deity of Bastar. What makes it even more special is that it begins long before Navratri and continues well beyond the usual Dussehra dates. Each ritual in the festival is deeply symbolic and integral to the tribal way of life in the region. (News18 HIndi) 3/5 Among the most striking features of Bastar Dussehra is the construction of a massive wooden chariot, a responsibility given exclusively to the residents of two designated villages. The wood for this chariot is sourced from the Bilori forest, and the construction process reflects a blend of ancient craftsmanship, cultural pride, and royal tradition. The Rath Yatra has become a major visual and spiritual highlight of the celebrations. (News18 HIndi) Throughout the 75 days, numerous rituals are performed in sequence, such as Deri Gadai, Kalash Sthapana, Jogi Bithai, Nisha Jatra, Mawali Parghav, Muria Darbar, and the final Kutumb Jatra. Each holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning and showcases the rich heritage of the tribal communities that have preserved these customs for generations. The continuity of these traditions underscores the festival's enduring significance. (News18 Hindi) 5/5 Legend has it that Bastar Dussehra is linked to Lord Jagannath. King Purushottam of Bastar is said to have undertaken a Dandavat Yatra (a pilgrimage in prostration) to Jagannath Puri, where Lord Jagannath, pleased by his devotion, awarded him the title of ' Rathapat i' and a divine chariot. As a result, the Rath Yatra is central to Bastar Dussehra. While Dussehra will end on October 2 across most of India, Bastar Dussehra will conclude on October 7, marking the end of its 75-day-long spiritual journey. (News18 Hindi)
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Time of India
Kolkata tourists help Digha earn Rs 100 crore during first Rath Yatra Season, boosting local economy
KOLKATA/DIGHA: The first season of Rath Yatra in Digha has yielded a net cash inflow of Rs 100 crore for the coastal town, a final count by various trade bodies and the Jagannath temple management has revealed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The business boost has been felt across sectors — hotel and hospitality, transport and local commerce — and stakeholders say the temple is paving the way for a churn in Digha's economy. They expect the annual festival to be a major driver of growth. The temple itself received about Rs 17 lakh as pranami during the two-week festival, which will be used for 'maintenance and further development work', said Radharaman Das, a trustee of the Digha Jagannath Dham and vice-president of Iskcon Kolkata. According to his estimate, over 12 lakh devotees visited Digha for Rath Yatra. Local businesses say the chariot festival turned the post-summer vacation period into another 'peak tourist season'. 'We get maximum tourists during summer and winter vacations when schools and colleges are closed. The Rath Yatra came just after the summer vacation and we saw a steady inflow of new groups of tourists from the last week of June to the first week of this month. For us, the festival turned out to be a source of additional revenue during a period that was considered off-season till last year,' said Ashok Samanta, president of New Digha Saikatshree Market Traders' Association. The 1,100-odd stalls on Saikat Sarani along the beach selling local merchandise together earned an estimated of Rs 5 crore, he said. Of the Rs 100-crore revenue that Rath Yatra generated, a significant portion went to the hotel and hospitality industry and allied sectors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There are about 850 hotels with more than 25,000 rooms in the seaside town and daily tariffs range from Rs 1,000 for a non-AC room to about Rs 4,000 for a premium AC one. Bipradas Chatterjee, joint Secretary of Digha Sankarpur Hoteliers Association told TOI that during the Rath Yatra season, on average, 12 rooms per hotel were rented out for anything between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000 per room. 'Based on this, the income from hotel room rentals in Digha over the past 10 days stands at around Rs 30 crore. The average hotel bookings per day stood at around 22,000,' said Chatterjee. Besides, there were about 10,000 flying tourists who came in for a few hours each day and returned by night. Somnath Ghosh, an official in charge of the Digha bus depot, said revenue from buses stood at about Rs 50 crore during the festival. 'Tourists came from different parts of the state, especially Kolkata. Besides, some tourists reserved buses. Each reserved bus fetched us Rs 35,000 per day,' he added. According to restaurant owners in the town, transactions worth nearly Rs 15 crore took place over the past 10 days for snacks and meals. The Rail Coach Restaurant, a train compartment turned into an AC restaurant adjacent to Digha railway station was a top draw for tourists. Biplab Senapati, who runs this restaurant, said, 'The crowd started pouring in about two days before Rath and their number swelled gradually over the next 10 days. Our daily transactions surged and we had to roped in 10 additional workers to attend to customers.' Murtaza Shah, a resident of Jatimati village near Digha's helipad ground, who has been selling conch and shell products for over three decades, says the new temple has come as a blessing and will set them off on the road to prosperity. 'Digha saw a lot of development in the past five years and now the Jagannath temple is drawing devotees throughout the week,' he said.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Time of India
Govt plans for Rath Yatra 2026 with focus on rising vehicular traffic
1 2 Bhubaneswar: In the wake of severe traffic congestion during this year's Rath Yatra, the Odisha govt has planned comprehensive measures to effectively handle increasing vehicular traffic during festivals. Puri, which hosts lakhs of devotees during its celebrated annual festivals, including Rath Yatra, Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha, witnessed unprecedented vehicular traffic this year, pushing its existing infrastructure to its limits. The situation has prompted govt authorities to reassess the pilgrim city's traffic management system. "The govt will make Puri future-ready to effectively deal with heavy vehicular flow. After witnessing unimaginable rush of vehicles, we have already initiated a preliminary discussion keeping an eye on long-term solutions," law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said. Statistical data reveals the magnitude of the challenge: while the city had designated 21 parking lots with a maximum capacity of 6,500 four-wheelers during the recent festivals (Rath Yatra on June 27, Bahuda Yatra on July 5 and Suna Besha on July 6), the actual influx exceeded 20,000 vehicles per day. This threefold surge in traffic volume left law enforcement personnel scrambling to maintain order with limited resources. "The govt has planned a collaborative approach, bringing together various stakeholders, including former district collectors, superintendents of police and urban planning experts. This consortium will work to develop sustainable solutions for Puri's growing traffic management needs," Harichandan added. Commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena outlined the govt's multi-pronged approach to address these challenges. "The chief minister (Mohan Charan Majhi) already announced Puri's elevation to municipal corporation status. This will unlock new possibilities for infrastructural development. This administrative upgrade will facilitate larger budgetary allocations and enable implementation of modern traffic management systems," Jena said. Local residents and business owners have called for urgent infrastructural development ahead of next year's Rath Yatra. "The number of four-wheelers is increasing rapidly. Those who used to travel Puri via trains and buses have their own cars now. Even though Puri's parking facilities have improved in the last four to five years, they need further enhancement," Debasis Das, convenor of Srikhetra Swabhiman Mancha, a Puri-based cultural outfit, said. Hoteliers said that parking infrastructure and enhanced traffic management are essential to handle potential rise in the arrival of tourists to Puri as per govt's 'Vision Document 2036 and 2047'. "Puri's economic potential is closely tied to its ability to handle large crowds during festivals. Modern infrastructure will not only benefit pilgrims but also boost local tourism and commerce," Debasis Kumar, vice-president of Hotel Association of Puri, said. Kumar suggested that development of more parking facilities, implementation of smart traffic management systems, construction of new road networks to reduce congestion, integration of public transport solutions and installation of modern surveillance systems may help authorities to address the traffic issue. "As Puri continues to attract increasing numbers of devotees and tourists, these infrastructure developments are crucial steps toward maintaining the city's status as one of India's top pilgrim destinations," Kumar said.
