Japanese connect Puri Rathayatra with Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri

Puri (Odisha). The world-known Lord Jagannath Rathyatra in Puri – the spiritual capital of Odisha, India, is equally revered by many global communities across the globe. And it is evident from the ever-increasing participation of foreigners in the Yatra, and much of the credit goes to the Japanese community who find a connection between Puri and their city Kyoto.

It is said that similar Yatra named as ‘Gion Matsuri’ is celebrated in Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan.

Some of the elderly people in Japan say they collected this concept from Puri Rathayatra and it finds a brief mention in some of the books there.

Puri, a small Indian town in the eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal is one of the four Dhamas (pilgrimage sites), sacred and sought for Shree Jagannath Temple and its golden beach.

And the credit of spreading Yatra concept among the Japanese community goes to India-Japan Friendship Center, an organization promoted by Kunna Dash – a native of Puri who migrated to Japan about 30 years back.

With the objective of bringing more foreign tourists to Puri by involving the few foreigners available then and thereby spreading Jagannath cult among their communities when returning to their respective countries, the India-Japan Friendship Center started ‘Rathayatra of foreigners’ or ‘expats’ Chariot Festival ‘ in the premises of hotel Santana at the outskirts of Penthakata fishing village along CT Road in Puri.

“In the year 2010, some of our Japanese friends mostly from Kyoto getting inspired by the gigantic chariots decided to build a miniature form of it. And from the very next day, they went on working for hours with utmost devotion and took full one month to complete the chariot. During this time, they remained on vegetarian food. Soon after, the women folks got busy decorating it to look colorful like the original one. When asked, they said, Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan and they too celebrate it in the name ‘ Gion Matsuri’. Elderly people in Japan say they collected this concept from Puri Rathayatra and in some of the books also it has been mentioned, they added,” said Kunna Dash.

During those days very few foreigners were found in Puri. So, after persuasion, some of them agreed to accompany on their way to Grand road. Amid clarion, cymbals, chanting and dancing they kept to their right to the VIP road to reach Grand road at Hospital square and meet the original chariots.

Amid unbelievable crowd stood three gigantic colored chariots. As if the world has gathered without discrimination to sing hymns of humanity looking at the gigantic chariots and presenting himself in his miniature like the small one they have pulled all the way to reach here.

“Perhaps they got an invitation from Lord Jagannath. They never looked back. Every year in an increasing number of foreign tourists gather in CT Road to join this ‘foreigners Rathayatra ‘ by the friendly effort of India-Japan Friendship Center,” added Dash.

Previously the foreigners had a feeling that since Jagannath (Lord Krishna) is Hindu God and they are not allowed inside the temple so they may not be allowed to participate in its festivities too.

“But India-Japan Friendship Center dispersed their doubts telling them that Jagannath stands for the Lord of the Universe and so even if Hindu deity, once in a year during this Rathayatra irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion, and nationality all are allowed to participate that spreads universal brotherhood. So, to create this spiritual awareness especially among foreigners and finally to get them involved in the main festival this simulation has been chosen,” said Dash.

According to Kunna Dash, it also commemorates the myth of Balaram Dash when sitting on the beach at Chakratirtha (now CT Road) he invited Lord Jagannath to his chariot made of sand. And here finally the Trinity adorned the chariot and pulled across CT Road by a handful of Japanese devotees to reach Subhas Chandra Bose square when all along the road they had been trying hard to persuade a few foreign tourists here and there looked curiously at the chariot and the Japanese pulling it.

The temple and its Trinity is an embodiment of cultural and religious unity. Lord Jagannath being black represents Afro-Asian, His siblings Prabhu Balabhadra belongs to European being white, and Devi Subhadra being yellow represents the rest like Chinese, Korean or Japanese. So, it stands for the colour of humanity.

“The desire of Lord has been fulfilled and we are thankful to all our Japanese and friends from other countries those who have initiated in the year 2010 and passed it through years to different parts of the world. These decade long celebration has been immensely helpful towards the steady growth and people from all over the world now visit Puri Rathayatra. Being inspired by Jagannath cult the world community is now celebrating Rathayatra in every corner of the globe,” said Dash.

While explaining the lesser known facts about Yatra, Dash said on the occasion of Snana Purnima (full moon), the birthday of Lord Jagannath when the deities are brought out in a procession and are offered a celestial bath, they fall sick for two weeks like human beings catching the cold and fever. This period is called Anasara when the deities remain secluded under the treatment of Raja Vaidya taking herbal medication that normally cures most of the viral fevers and also diminishes the chances of spreading out.

During Anasara when the deities remain on full rest, devotees are not allowed to visit the temple. After getting cured in two weeks, the deities come out of Anasara house to the sanctum sanctorum and soon followed by the celestial visit of the siblings to their aunt’s house Gundicha temple where most of their childhood was spent.

Three massive brand new chariots wrapped in decorative colourful fabrics are set ready to adorn the deities in their respective chariots. Every year, three such gigantic chariots are made new for this celestial visit. After their sojourn for nine days, they return to Bada Deula (Jagannath temple) which is famous as Bahudajatra (Return journey). It commemorates Lord Krishna’s visit from Gopapura to Dwarika in Mahabharat era.