Rath Yatra is a celebration where Lord Jagannath is seated in a divine chariot (Rath) and taken through the city of Jagannath Puri. As the chariot is pulled along, everyone chants the name of the Lord whilst gracefully dancing. It is traditional for devotees to bring offerings to the Lord and to gather after the procession to perform a Poojan in the company of learned Saints and Brahmins.
The Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha is one of the four sacred dhams (holy sites) of Hinduism. The Rath Yatra here is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, with millions of devotees attending.
Three giant wooden chariots are constructed each year for Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra, and his brother Balabhadra. The chariots are pulled by devotees through the streets of Puri to the Gundicha Temple, where the deities reside for nine days before returning.
In the Swaminarayan Sampraday, Rath Yatra is observed with the procession of the Lord’s murti in a decorated chariot or palanquin around the Mandir grounds. Devotees pull the chariot in a spirit of devotion, considering it a great privilege to serve the Lord in this way. Kirtans are sung throughout the procession.