Sulagna Routray

Puri is certainly a very special place for me and rath yatra memories make it even more close to my heart. I spent my early school years in Puri and rath yatra used to be the most awaited festival for our family.

Grandma used to tell me the stories of Lord Jagannath and the legends behind the festival. At such a young age stories such as kanchi abhijaan and dasia bauri used to fascinate me. I was only eight when I saw rath yatra for the first time.

Watching lakhs of devotees chanting shlokas and Haribol, reciting prayers, dancing for the Lord lost in another world formed a collage of images that defines devotion for me even today.

As a kid, I used to be surprised what makes these devotees take so much pain to please the Lord, who, to me always looked happy.

Lord Jagannath is a synonym of happiness for me. I would hold papa’s hand tightly and wait to see the Lord on the chariot.

I was too small and could not see anything at all. Then papa would lift me with both hands and all I could see was one big round eye. I used to shout, “Papa I saw chaka akhi (round eyes of Jagannath),” and papa smiled.

These memories should make one nostalgic, but it only makes me happy to remember the beautiful carefree smile of the Lord as if everything is fine in the world. Rath yatra and its sea of a crowd give me an assurance that there is hope, love and faith among people and it will remain till they keep coming in lakhs to see that smiling God.

Since papa was in the police and was on special duty, he could take me to the chariot of Lord Jagannath and the priest there used to give me tulsi, touch my head and say: “Ayushmati bhaba bidushi bhaba”. And I saw the Lord from hands’ distance. That was nothing less than a victory.

Those days rath yatra used to be real fun.

When the deities used to stay at Gundicha temple we visited them almost every other day. There used to be a huge colourful mela on the Bada Danda (Grand Road). I was very fond of earthen toys and used to buy many of those from the Gramashree Mela.

Finally, late in the evening with my hands full of toys and balloons, I used to eat rabdi from my favourite Jaga Subudhi shop and come back home half asleep. Memories of rath yatra are too sweet and special for me.

Now, that I am busy, I watch the chariot pulling on TV. It takes me down memory lane to those golden days of my life. Jai Jagannath.