Chariot Preparation for Puri Ratha Yatra 2023

Let us know the details on Chariot Preparation of three deities Sri Jagannath, Sri Balabhadra & Goddess Maa Subhadra. The creation of the chariots begins with ritual fire worship on Akshaya Trutiya, the third day of the brilliant fortnight of Vaisakha.

Preparation of Chariot

Every year, the three chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are reconstructed with wood from specific trees such as phassi, dhausa, and others. They are traditionally transported from the ex-princely kingdom of Dasapalla by a team of carpenters with ancestral rights and privileges. The logs are typically used as rafts in the Mahanadi River. These are collected around Puri and then driven to the destination.
On the Bada Danda, the Grand Avenue, three chariots are ornamented according to a unique plan that has been followed for generations. The chariots are lined up in front of the temple near the Sinhadwara or Lion’s Gate, which is also known as the temple’s eastern entrance.

Nine Parsva devatas, painted wooden figures depicting various deities on the chariots’ flanks, surround each of the chariots. There is a charioteer (Sarathi) and four horses in each chariot.

Details of Chariot Preparation of three deities

Chariot Details	Jagannath	Balabhadra	Subhadra
Name of Chariot	Nandighosha (ନନ୍ଦିଘୋଷ)	Taladhwaja (ତାଳଧ୍ୱଜ)	Darpadalana (ଦର୍ପଦଳନ)
Alternates name of Chariot	Garudadhwaja, Kapiladhwaja	Langaladhwaja	Devadalana, Padmadhwaja
Number of Wheels	16	14	12
Total Number of wooden pieces used	832	763	593
Height	44′ 2″	43′ 3″	42′ 3″
Length and breadth	34’6″ x 34’6″	33′ x 33′	31’6″ x 31’6″
Colours of the canopies	Red, Yellow	Red, Bluish green	Red, Black
	(yellow associated with Vishnu)		(Black associated with the Goddess)
Guardian	Garuda	Vasudeva	Jayadurga
Charioteer	Daruka	Matali	Arjuna
Flag name	Trailokyamohini	Unnani	Nadambika
Flag emblem		Palm Tree
Name of Horses	1. Shankha	1. Tribra	1. Rochika
	2. Balahaka	2. Ghora	2. Mochika
	3. Suweta	3. Dirghasharma	3. Jita
	4. Haridashwa	4. Swornanava	4. Aparajita
Colour of Horses	White	Black	Red
Name of Chariot Rope	Sankhachuda Nagini	Basuki Naga	Swarnachuda Nagini
Accompanying deity	Madanmohan	Ramakrishna	Sudarshana
Gatekeepers (Dvarapala)	1. Jaya	1. Nanda	1. Ganga
	2. Vijaya	2. Sunanda	2. Jamuna
Nine parshvadevata (Subsidiary deities)	1. Panchamukhi Mahabir (Hanuman)	1. Ganesha	1. Chandi
	2. Harihara	2. Kartikeya	2. Chamunda
	3. Madhusudana (Vishnu)	3. Sarvamangala	3. Ugratara
	4. Giridhar (Krishna)	4. Pralambari (Balarama)	4. Banadurga (Durga)
	5. Pandu Narasingha	5. Halayudha (Balarama)	5. Shulidurga (Durga)
	6. Chitamani Krishna	6. Mrityunjaya (Shiva)	6. Varahi
	7. Narayana (Vishnu)	7. Natamvara (Shiva)	7. Shyamakali
	8. Chatra Bhanga Rabana (Rama)	8. Mukteswar (Shiva)	8. Mangala
	9. Rama seated on Hanuman	9. Sheshadeva	9. Vimala