With 'Ratha Chhuan' chariots roll down on Sambalpur streets

Ratha Chhuan tradition 

As the the chariot of Lord Jagannath was rolling down the streets of Modipara in Sambalpur town on  Sunday, many people, including the youngsters, were disappointed not to see the dancing action of the girls, who are specially invited from outside to dance in front of the chariot.

To pay respect to the feelings of a large number of devotees and intellectuals of the town, the members of temple management committee had decided to completely strike-out dancing item from the Ratha Yatra celebration from this year.The committee decides to organize week long cultural programme in front of the temple during the period to make the celebration more attractive. The committee members described that it was a difficult task to change an age-old tradition “but for the greater interest of the society and to pay respect to the feeling of the devotees, such a decision was quite justified,” the head priest of the Modipara Jagannath temple, Byamokesh Panda, said.

The priest said that dancing in front of the chariot during Ratha Yatra was a long tradition for Modipara yatra. No one knows when such a tradition was attached with Modipara Ratha yatra, he said, but due to the this many a time the organisers face difficulties because of law and order situation. The administration was not in favour of it either, because of the law and order problems. “Last year, we took this decision on experimental basis. Looking to the overwhelming response from the people we decide to change the tradition of dance during Ratha Yatra,” Panda said.

Meanwhile, Ratha Yatra celebrations, that began on Sunday will continue till Monday evening as celebration continues for two days in Sambalpur. All chariots that remain halfway at Municipality chowk on the first day,  are taken to Mausimaa temple at Binakhandi on the  second day. There are more than 20 places in Sambalpur town where Ratha Yatra is being celebrated. The chariots are pulled down by the devotees one after another in sequence. The Chariot of Barhampura temple of Jharuapara leads others.

“Ratha Yatra in Sambalpur has certain unique character. When every where yatra completes on a single day, in Sambalpur it takes two days,” pundit Amaranth Mishra said.On the other hand, the ‘Ratha Chhuan’(touching chariot) is a tradition that is seen only in western part of the state. Kids of above one year and bellow 2 years are taken to the chariots to get the blessing of lord Jagannath. Children are lifted to the chariots by the priest from the parents who wait in lines near the chariot. 

“This is an old tradition which reflects the faith and believes of the people on lord Jagannath. There is a strong believe that child will lead a prosperous life with lord’s blessing," social activist, Bhagawat Nanda, said.Meanwhile the Ratha Yatra was also organized in Bhatli of Bargarh district where Lord Ladhibaban was mounted on the chariot. The shrine of Bhatli is also known as srikhetra of western Orissa. Ratha Yatra was also performed at Kotsamalai in Sonepur district  which is famous as Patali strikhetra.