Shree Jagannāth Ratha Yātrā (Chariot Festival)
The Ratha Yātrā (Chariot Festival) at the Puri Jagannāth temple is more than five thousand years old. Traditionally the Rath Yātrā festival is celebrated annually in Puri, Orrisa. During this festival lord Jagannāth is worshiped as part of a triad "Ratnabedi" along with his brother lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadrā. The Ratha Yātrā also has a spiritual significance – which is profusely explained in the Kathā Upanishad. It talks about Human body as Ratha and its Sārathi (driver) as God, who drives the Ratha to take him out of the Yātrā (journey) of Bhavsāgar (Material Existence). The classics mentions - the Atman as traveler in Ratha. The owner of Ratha (Chariot) is body. The intellect and total devotion to God is Sārathi (driver of chariot). Velour and persistence are wheels of Ratha. The senses are horses. Vigour, tolerance, self discipline, charity and discrimination are ground on which Ratha moves. Pity, equanimity and Forgiveness are reins of horses. Thus person wh