Industry Odisha Bureau, March 30: The sojourn of Lord Lingaraj ends today and the deities (Rukmini, Chandrasekhar (Lord Lingaraj) and Basudeva will be beginning the return journey to their abode today. The chariot pulling of Lord Lingaraj has been scheduled to begin from 2.30 pm.
On the occasion of Ashokashtami (Thursday), thousands of devotees pulled the chariots of Lord Lingaraj and the deities. The rituals prior to the journey began with Mangala Aarati at around 4.00 am.
Significance of ‘Analeuta’ Rukuna Rath Yatra:
While almost every chariot takes the same trajectory to return to their abode after a sojourn journey to Mausi Maa’s temple. The Rukuna Rath Yatra of Lord Lingaraj stands out. This Rath (chariot) is pulled backwards and it does not turn, which is why the name ‘Analeuta’. The deities cover a 3 km journey to the Mausi Maa temple and after a span of four days, return to their abode on the fifth day of Ashokastami.
It does not turn but is pulled backwards by devotees who throng to witness this surreal journey of Lord Lingaraj, Devi Rukmini and Lord Basudeva. The legend behind this ritual has been depicted in the epic – Ramayana. When Lord Ram killed Ravana, he bore the burden of killing a learned man- Ravana. He sought pardon Lord Lingaraj. Following his devotion and guilt, Lord Shiv promised to return every year which in annually celebrated as the Rukuna Rath Yatra.
The servitors atop the chariot, reverse the faces of the deities and then the chariot is turned backwards. The chariot is pulled by the crowd, echoing devotion and spiritualism as it retraces its path.
