July
Fairs & Festivals
RATHYATRA (Orissa)
This
spectacular chariot festival is held at the famous Jagannath Temple at Puri.
Images of Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are taken
out in procession in three chariots to their summer temple of a week. The main
chariot is 14 meters high and 10 meters square with 16 wheels. The ropes of
the huge chariots are pulled by millions of devotes who also believe that this
act bestows salvation upon them.
At the temple town of Puri in Orissa, the image of the god Krishna (known as
Jagannath in the State) is taken out with great ceremony in June-July each year.
Images of the god and his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are placed in
giant large yellow chariots or raths which are then drawn by pilgrims.
The chariots are 45 feet high and have 6 wheels. The procession or rath yatra
draws huge crowds from all over the country.
An atmosphere of almost hysterical devotion prevails on this day and in earlier
years, devotees were known to have thrown themselves under the wheels of the
rath in the hope of obtaining instant salvation.
GURU PURNIMA (All over India)
A special worship is performed on this day to all teachers and is caled Guru
Purnima. Worship of the great Vyasa, the author of the great epic, Mahabharata,
is a part of the celebration. On this day students visit their elders, teachers
and guides in order to show respect to them with gifts of cocounts, clothes
and sweets. These gifts are called gurudakshina. Discourses are held in community
gatherings to hear the readings of the holy book, Bhagwad Gita.
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