Puri Rath Yatra 2020: How To Worship Lord Jagannath At home

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Jagannath Rath Yatra, which continues for nine days, began on 23 June this year. Every year, lakhs of devotees have descended at the Jagannath Temple of Puri. The procession is carried out every year. This year it is the 143rd celebration of the Rath Yatra. Going to the temple and offering prayers to the deity is considered to bring auspiciousness in life.

Even if you cannot go to the temple for some reason, you can offer prayers to the deity at home as well. Just another form of Lord Krishna, Lord Jagannath is easy to please and fulfils all the wishes of his devotees. You can offer your prayers to him through the procedure mentioned below. However, this year the festival was cancelled by the Supreme Court in the view of COVID-19 pandemic but later it took a u-turn and told centre and the temple management have to deal with the managing of yatra this year.

How To Perform Lord Jagannath Puja

This year, the Dwitiya Tithi will begin at 11:59 am on Jun 22, 2020, and the Dwitiya Tithi will end at 11:19 AM on Jun 23, 2020.

To perform Jagannath Puja at home, you should just carry out the aarti in the right and way it is sufficient to please the god for a true devotee. Coconut and sandalwood paste is very dear to Lord Jagannath; hence, you must not forget to offer coconut in the puja tray. Just performing the aarti two-three times a day will please the deity.

Before performing the aarti, make sure you decorate the idol well, especially using flowers and sandalwood paste. Then offer timber pushpanjali and light dhoop and deep (an earthen lamp). Spread the fragrance of dhoop using the mantra -

_Etasmaye Dhoopaye Namah_

Then sprinkle some Gangajal. After this, offer the Gandh Pushpam while chanting the mantra -

_Idam Dhoopam Om Namoh Narayanaye Namah_

Then perform Dhoop Aarti. After the aarti, take five diyas, offer them to the deity and chant the mantra -

_Etasmaye Nirajan Deep Malaye Om Namoh Naraynaaye_

Sprinkle Gangajal again. Once again, take Gandha Pushpa and perform the aarti chanting the mantra -

_Esh Nirqanjan Deep Malaaye, Om Namah Narayanaaye_

Now offer camphor and water using a shankh (conch shell). Conclude the aarti by blowing the shank and offering pranama to the goddess. Now you can offer dhoop deep aarti to the devotees, and then distribute bhog prasad amongst them.

But not to forget, if you have performed the aarti on the first day of Rath Yatra, then you must offer prayers and aarti on the Poorna Rath Yatra day as well.

Jagannath Rath Yatra As An Important Festival

Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra is seen as the most important festival not only in India but across the world. Lots of devotees gather to witness the yatra. Lord Vishnu in his Jagannath avatar, along with brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, is carried in chariots through the streets.

While the chariot of Baalbhadra leads, the chariot of Subhadra follows and then moves the chariot of Lord Jagannath. It is believed that foreigners and non-Hindus are not let inside the temple premises; thus, the procession is the only chance they can see the temple deities.

The procession is carried from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple. On the way, it stops at a place where a Muslim devotee was cremated. It is believed he waits to pay his prayers to the deity, while the chariots pass him by. The chariots stay for a few days at the Gundicha Temple and on the ninth day, they are taken back to the Jagannath Temple.

On the way back, the chariots stop at Mausi Maa Temple, where they are offered the favourite sweets of Lord Jagannath which Mausi Maa used to prepare.

People Seek Chances To Be A Part Of The Procession

During the Rath Yatra, the devotees seek chances to drag the chariot, doing which brings good luck to them. Others walk along with and behind the procession, singing prayers and dancing in groups. Children and their enthusiasm add colour to the whole Rath Yatra.

Lord Jagannath Cannot See His Devotees Suffering

According to the story which is often narrated behind the procession, Lord Jagannath fell sick for fifteen days because he had taken the fever and sufferings of one of his devotees.

Lord Jagannath blesses his devotees and fulfils all their desires provided they worship him with dedication. If you can, go there to offer prayers to the god during this holy occasion.