Parts of Puri Rathyatra Chariots

The famous Rathyatra or Car festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha will be held on July 6, 2016. Huge number of devotees will witness the massive event at the grandtrunk road (Badadanda) where the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and mata Subhadra will be pulled. All these chariots are constructed every year. Here are the names of different parts of the chariots.

TALADHWAJA, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra

The Chariot of Lord Balabhadra is called Taladhwaja, which literary means the chariot having with the picture of palm trees in the flag. The 44 feet high chariot runs with the help of fourteen wooden wheels and each of them are seven foot in diameter. The vehicle is covered with red and blue cloth. 763 numbers of wooden pieces are used in the construction of the chariot while the length and breadth is 33 feet * 33 feet. It is guarded by Basudeva and name of the charioteer is Matali. Tribra, Ghora, Dirghasharma, Swornanava are the four horses and the rope attache to pull the chariot is called Basuki Naga. The presiding deities (called parswa devatas) are Ganesh, Kartikeya, Sarvamangala, Pralambari, Hatayudha, Mrutyunjaya, Natamvara, Mukteswar and Sheshadeva.

DARPADALANA, the chariot of devi Subhadra

The Chariot of devi Subhadra is called Darpadalana, which literally means suppresser of pride. The forty – three feet high chariot is decked with black and red clothes. It runs on 12 wooden wheels of seven foot diameter each. 593 number of wooden pieces are used to construct the chariot while length and breadth is 31’6″ x 31’6”. The vehicle is guarded by Jayadurga while name of the charioteer is Arjuna. The horses are Rochika, Mochika, Jita and Aparajita while the rope is called Swarnachuda Naguni. The presiding nine deities are Chandi, Chamunda, Ugratara, Vanadurga, Shulidurga, Varahi, Shyamakali, Mangala and Vimala.

NANDIGHOSHA, the chariot of Lord Jagannath

Nandighosha, the chariot of Lord Jagannath is of fortyfive feet. It has 16 wheels, each of seven feet diameter. The vehicle is decked with red and yellow clothes. 832 wooden pieces are used in the chariot while its length and breadth is 34’6″ x 34’6″. It is guarded by Garuda and Dahuka is the charioteer. Is the name of its flag and Trailokyamohini Shankha, Balahaka, Suweta, Haridashwa are the horses. Name of the rope is Sankhachuda Naguni and the presiding deities of the chariot are Varaha, Gobardhan, Krushna, Gopi Krushna, Nrusingha, Rama, Narayan, Trivikrama, Hanuman and Rudra.