Ratha Yatra and the Legend of the Lord
Ratha Yatra festival comes in the rainy season, during the months of June and July. This is a special event in the eastern part of India, particularly in Puri, in the state of Orissa. It is held in honor of Lord Jagannath, which literally means the Lord of the Universe. Jagannath is a form of Krishna. The name of Puri comes from the word Janagannathpuri which means the home of the Lord of the Universe, Jagannath. There is a big temple of Jagannath in Puri. It is one of the four major traditional centers of pilgrimage in India. The temple of Lord Jagannath enshrines wooden images of Lord Krishna, his brother Balaram or Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The massive temple was built nearly eight centuries ago. The images stand in a row. The fair-colored Balaram, stands on extreme left. Dark-colored Krishna or Jagannath is on the extreme right and the yellow-colored sister Subhadra is in the center. These deities represent a close knit family which is ideal for all Hindus. Hi...