Day 172/365
For someone like me growing up in Kolkata, the annual Rath Yatra is a piece of childhood. Rath Yatra, translated as the chariot festival is when Lord Jagannath, his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra are taken out in a procession in the temple town of Puri. You will be surprised to know that having lived all my childhood in Kolkata, I’ve never visited Puri even once, though it’s in our neighbouring state Orissa. The Lord hasn’t beckoned me yet. But to us, he has come in a chariot year after year even in Kolkata to give darshan. Such is the benevolence of the Lord!
As a child, whenever it was the day of the Rath Yatra, by evening ( around 5 p.m.), we could hear the sound of the chariot and the people pulling it along the streets. Traffic would come to a halt as the chariot passed by the main road, stopping at regular intervals so that devotees can have his darshan and get prasad ( mostly sweet candy). As the chariot would begin to move, we as little children along with my grandmother would hold the strong ropes and pull the chariot along to a little distance ahead! Oh! What joy and sense of accomplishment this little act held! Besides, it was believed that those who pull the chariot would reach heaven after their journey on earth. So, technically then, my place in heaven is already reserved!!
Today, as I saw posts and videos of the Rath Yatra on my phone live from Puri, I could not feel the same sense of happiness and contentment that I had as a child. Videos can never do justice to having a face to face experience, don’t you agree? Besides, I also felt bad that after many years, my son will not have any similar memory to share because 3/4th of their time is spent on gadgets. The reel is made to appear real! That’s so sad! And even if I narrate these experiences to children of this generation, they will not be able to relate to it. Instead they will think we are being overly dramatic. I’m glad that sometimes, when I feel low, I can recall some moments from my childhood and get rid of the drudgery of the present…like the one I did today.
Do you have any memory of the Ratha Yatra? Which memory of your childhood do you go back to, to recharge?
#Storyoftheday
