CAR FESTIVAL

Introduction

The Car Festival is one of the great festivals of Odia people. It originated at Puri. Now it has spread to countries like Great Britain and America. It is celebrated in almost all parts of India.

Importance

This is a typical oriya festival. It reflects the essence of the heritage and culture of Orissa. Orissa is known as the land of Lord Jagannath. Lord Jagannath is the most revered diety of the Odias. The Car Festival is the most important festival of Lord Jagannath. To Odia people, this festival has a special dignity. Every Odiya longs to take part in this festival.

Legend

There is a legend behind the celebration of the Car Festival. King Indradyumna was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He had built a majestic temple at Puri for the God. Then he meditated upon the God to obtain a suitable idol. The God granted his prayer. The king was asked to bring a log that was floating in the sea near Banki and make idols with that. The king found the log, but no carpenter was able to make idols of the God with that log. At last God Brahma came in the disguise of a carpenter and expressed his willingness to construct the idols. With the permission of the king, he built the idols in the residence of Queen Gundicha. When the idols were built, they were taken to the temple and placed on the Ratna Simhasana. They were named Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan. Many other temples for different deities were built around the 'main temple of the Lord. But Lord Jagannath became the presiding deity of the temple. The city of Puri was named Jagannathdham according to the name of the Lord.

The origin of Rathyatra

Queen Gundicha requested Lord Jagannath to visit His place of birth at least once in a year with his elder brother Lord Balaram, sister Devi Subhadra and power Sudarshan. Lord Jagannath agreed to this request gladly The residence of Queen Gundicha was converted into Gundicha temple. The Lords go to Gundicha temple every year on the 2nd day of the brightmoon of Asadha, the day of their incarnation. They remain there for nine days. They return to their main temple on Bahuda Dashami.

The cars

For the Car Festival of the Lords, three cars are made of wood. The making of cars start from Akshaya Trutiya. After the cars are made, they are lavishly painted and decorated with coloured cloth. Several beautifully painted images are fitted to the cars at different points. In the front wooden images of winged horses and charioteers are also fitted. Only the wood of specific trees such as Fasi and Asan is used to construct the cars. The cars of Lord, Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are called Nandighosh, Taladhwaja and Devadalan respectively. The Nandighosh has 16 wheels, the Taladhwaja has 14 wheels and the Devadalan has 12 wheels.

The celebration

On the day of the festival, the deities are taken out of the temple in Pahandi. It is a rare sight. After the Gods are seated in their respective cars, the Gajapati king of Puri comes in a palanquin. The king sweeps the cars with a golden broom. This is called "Chhera Paharan". After the ceremonial sweeping. the king offers his prayers to the Gods in the presence of His Highness, Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri. After all the rituals, the devotees draw the ropes attached to the cars to the accompaniment of conch-blows, beating of gongs and ghantas, and singing of bhajanas.

Glory of Orissa

The car Festival is the most religious festival of Orissa. In this festival all the people, irrespective of caste or creed take part. Anybody can pull the rope of the Lord. People think that a darshan of the Lord on the car is the surest way to heaven. In this festival there is no difference between rich and poor, sinner or pious, high-born or low-born. People are thrilled to have their Lord among them. Lakhs and lakhs of devotees go to Puri each year to witness this great festival. This is a glory of Orissa.

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