Guptipara Rath Yatra held at Guptipara at Balagarh in West Bengal is a popular Jagannath Rath Yatra festival outside Odisha and is slightly different from the world famous Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra festival. Guptipara Rath Yatra 2024 date is July 7. The Rath Yatra at Guptipara began in 1730s. A single chariot is pulled during the annual Guptipara Rath Yatra not three as in Puri.
The present ratha or the chariot is a wooden Nabaratna temple having nine shikharas.
The framework of the ratha is made of Shorea Robusta
hardwood.
The ratha has a square base measuring 34 feet by 34 feet.
It is four storied, having a height of 36 feet. The gigantic
nine-pinnacled rath is decorated with colourful festoons and banners; it
is also fitted with wooden horses and several wooden statues
The ratha is fitted with 16 wheels made from Vachellia
nilotica hardwood.
It has four ropes in the front, each 300 feet long which are
used for pulling the ratha forward. There is one more rope at the back which
acts as a brake. One of the front ropes is reserved for women.
The procession starts from Guptipara Shree Shree Vrindavan
Chandra Jiu Math (Brindabanchandra temple) and proceeds towards Gundicha house
in Gosainganj Barabazar, about 1.5 km away. The distance covered is said
to be the second longest among the Ratha Yatras held in India.
Guptipara is the birthplace of the famous folk singer Bhola
Moira. The presence of folk singers is an added attraction of the Guptipara Ratha
Yatra.
A day before ulto rath (return journey), a ritual called bhandara
loot is held at Mashir Bari or Jagannath's aunt's place where the devotees
literally fight for the bhog placed inside the temple complex.