Rath Jatra A Journey Through History

Tarun Goswami

Noti Binodini, the legendary actress of Bengali theatre was a worshipper of Lord Jagannath. She had performed in a number of devotional plays including the role of Nemai in Chaitanyalila which earned her love and blessings of Sri Ramakrishna. Binodini used to celebrate Rath Jatra at her residence located at 3, Star Lane in north Calcutta with much fanfare.

The chariot was three feet high and two feet wide and made of gold. It carried the image of Lord Jagannath but instead of Balaram and Subhadra, Binodini kept the images of Sri Ramakrishna and her own spiritual guru. Though a popular actress, Binodini had left stage at the age of 23; but she continued to be in touch with her fellow artists, Bonobiharini and Bhuni and her mentor, Girish Ghosh and Amritalal Bose whom she invited on the day of Rath Jatra. The visitors were treated to simple but delicious vegetarian fare and in the evening. The small chariot decorated with white flowers was pulled by Binodini, all decked up in an expensive saree and gold ornaments. Instead of open streets the rath was pulled in the verandah. Food and cash were distributed among poor children as well on that day.

Sri Ramakrishna also used to take part in the Rath Jatra festival celebrated in the house of his disciple, Balaram Bose. He and his disciples would pull the chariot with accompaniment of dhak beats at 3 PM in the afternoon. Kirtaan singers would also perform on the occasion. Sri Ramakrishna often went into a trance. Even after his death the tradition has continued and the chariot is still pulled at 3 PM. Thousands of devotees take part in this function organised by the Ramakrishna Mission at Balaram Mandir.

Though the Rath Jatra festival held at Mahesh in Srirampur is the most famous in Bengal, it was also celebrated by the zemindari families of Calcutta with much pomp and glory. Many of them were devotees of Jagannath and took annual pilgrimage to Puri during Snan Jatra or Rath Jatra. The family idol of Raja Rajendra Mullick was Lord Jagannath and he firmly believed that his wealth was due to the Lord’s blessings. The Rath Jatra festival is still the most important celebration in the family. The wooden rath is given a fresh coat of paint. Lord Jagannath wears yellow, silk dhoti and a crown made of gold. Balaram wears a white dhoti while their sister, Subhadra’s blue sari is made of the finest silk. The festival is exclusively a family affair and the chariot is pulled by family members inside the Marble Palace. A special puja of Lord Jagannath is held during the morning.

The chariot of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family of Barisha is more than 200 year old. It was started by Lakshikanta Mazumder, who had initiated the Durga Puja in his household. The Rath Jatra of Dhamrai in Sinthee is also quite famous. The wooden rath was brought from Bangladesh after independence which is nearly eight feet high. Every year expert craftsmen and carpenters come from Tripura to carve out the chariot. Thousands of people take part in this annual affair in the northern suburbs. The Rath Jatra at Oriyapara has been going on for nearly 80 years. It had begun with the Oriya migrants who began worshipping Lord Jagannath. The wooden chariot gets a fresh coat of paint every year before the festival.

Fairs are also held during Ratha Jatra. Two popular fairs that are held in the city are at Ramlila Maidan in central Calcutta and Rashbehari Avenue. There are stalls selling fried papads and other traditional Bengali food and sweetmeat shops. Utensils and other household items are sold and the buyers comprise mostly lower and middle class families. Clay toys of Krishnagar and wooden toys are also important attraction for the children, sold in the fair. Usually, the fair starts a day before the festival and continues for a fortnight or more.

Ratha Jatra is an important day in the Bengali calendar as Jatrapara gears with puja bookings and announces the new plays. The first scene is enacted and the Bengali newspapers are splashed with announcements of the new plays by various houses. On this auspicious day the artisans at Kumortuli also performs pujas and formally begin making of idols of goddess Durga signifying the beginning of the countdown to the biggest festival of Bengal.