In the case of the Car Festival of Lord Jagannāth, the collection of wood on Basanta Pañcamī (Jan-Feb) in the month of Māgha indicates the sacred beginning of the ceremony. Timbers for building the Car used to come from Dasapalla, a princely state of Orissa, but after the integration of States within Orissa in 1948,… read more »
According to the Padma Purāṇa, the Car festival ought to take place on the Śukla Dvitīyā of the month Āṣāḍha when the predominant star is Puṣyā. If it so happens that on the Śukla Dvitīyā, Puṣyā does not join the constellation, this exception may be neglected and the Ratha Jātrā be observed. The Car festival… read more »
The account of the car festival was known to the European community through the description of the visitors presented to the western world. It goes without saying that much of the accounts was distorted, exaggerated and even misconstrued. The earliest account of the festival in 1321 A.D. from ‘Friar Odoric’ as quoted in ‘Hobson Jobson’… read more »