Akshaya Tritiya : The Countdown for Jagannatha Ratha Jatra Begins

HOUSTON: Akshaya Tritiya which literally means the “never diminishing and eternal third day” falls on the third day of the bright phase of the “Baisakha” month. This day is considered very auspicious and any new venture started on this day is believed to be blessed with ‘akshaya’ – imperishable good fortune. Across India and Indian diaspora, people celebrate this day by starting new ventures, investing in movable and immovable property. In many parts of India, gold sales see a certain spike, as traditionally gold has been the safest investment, and investing in gold on Akshaya Tritiya implies like any other venture, this investment will also multiply. Akshaya Tritiya is also known as Akha Teej, Akshaya Trutiya, Akhitrutiya.

Different communities mark this auspicious day in myriad different ways. For Jains this day marks Risabhadeva’s culmination of a yearlong penance and ascetic life. Hindus have many legends to corroborate the sanctity of this special day, one of them being River Ganga appeared on earth on this very day. For Odias, the people of the eastern state of Odisha, Akshaya Tritiya has a very distinct significance. On the day of Akshaya Tritiya, Odias begin the countdown for the world-famous, centuries old annual Ratha-Jatra – the chariot festival of the beloved deities, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha.

Odias mark this auspicious day with the commencement of construction of the three majestic wooden Ratha – chariots, the Taladhwaja, Dwarapadalana and Nandighosa, one each for the three deities. Ratha-Jatra typically occurs in the month of July, but the preparation and the elaborate arrangement starts on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, almost three months prior. The first event in the series is the Chandana Jatra which is also celebrated on Akshaya Tritiya. Apart from Ratha-Jatra, Akshaya Tritiya also ushers the cropping season in most of Odisha, farmers choose this blessed day to start the agricultural venture just before the onset of the monsoon season.

The month of April is a very important one for Odias, as three major events, each of different significance is observed. April starts with ‘Utkala Dibasa’ commemorating the formation of the state of Odisha. Odisha was the first state to be constituted on linguistic basis on April 1st, 1936. In the second week of April, on April 14th, we Odias celebrate “Mahabisuba Sankranti” which is our New Year, the first day of Baisakha month. We share our New Year with the Assamese, Tamils, Punjabis, Bengalis, Malayalis, Sri Lankans, Thai, Burmese and Cambodians. The April trilogy is aptly completed by the observance of ‘Akshaya Tritiya’ in the second half of the month.

We in the Houston Odia community like our brethren world-wide have geared up the forth-coming Ratha-Jatra by marking Akshaya Tritiya in a way which showcases a unique Odia-Texan fusion. The resident Odia community celebrated this pious day with prayers and offerings to Shri Jagannatha, which was followed by Texas-style cook-out bonhomie with traditional Odia dishes at the outdoorsy environs of Shri Jagannath Dham in the heart of Houston. The Houston Odia community led by Orissa Culture Center (OCC) in collaboration with Shri Sitaram Foundation will celebrate Houston’s eleventh Jagannatha Ratha-Jatra on July 14, 2018 at the India House, 8888 W Bellfort Blvd., Houston, TX. As has been the case for the last decade, we eagerly look forward to the synergy of people from all walks of life as we recreate the high-octane devotional spirit in our own humble way in Houston, Texas.