Some historians contend that the Car Festival or the Rath Jatra of Shri Jagannath owes iis origin to a Buddhist tradition. According to Dr. R.L Mitra. it was used by the Buddhists to celebrate the advent of Lord Buddha and in support of his statement, he has referred to the accounts given by Fahien (4th century A.D.), a celebrated Chinese traveller who travelled extensively in India and other Asian countries. Fahien has stated that he had seen Car Festival at Khotan in the province of Suikiang in West China. He even observed that the king of Khotan sprinkled water on the chariot and cleaned it with a broomstick before the image of Buddha was brought and installed over it. According to Fahien it was in the month of June (Asadha) when he had the opportunity of seeing the festival. Fahien also saw the car festival at Pataliputra and thai too on the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha.
But other historians differ in their opinion and contend that car festivals were in use among the Jainas and the Sivaites as well. According to Henrietta Caraciolo, the Car Festival was also observed in Sicity, an island in the Mediterranean comprising a region of Italy. She states, "A colossal Car is dragged by a long team of buffaloes through the irregular and ill-paved streets. Upon this are erected a great variety of objects , such as the Sun, the Moon and the principal planets, set in rotary motion and diminishing pro¬portionately in size as they approach the summit of the structure.
This erection is in itself really improving, sumptuously decorated and put in movement in honour of her, who gave birth to the God of Charity. But its functions recall to mind the famed Car of Jagannath.In Sicily it is still in vogue and is observed in the month of August.
The description of the Colossal Car having the Sun, the Moon and the planets reminds us of our Konark temple which was built in the 13th century A.D.. This temple resembles a chariot of the Sun having wheels and horses attached to it at the bottom.
It is, however, difficult far us to accept the idea that the Ratha Jatra has been borrowed from the Buddhist regime, as the Vedas contain the word 'Ratha' (Sriksetra by Sundarananda Vidyavinod. p. 169) and in Kathopanisad we find a sloka -
atmanam rathinam viddhi
sari ram ratham eva tu,
buddhim tu sarathim viddhi
manah pragrahameva ca (1:3:3:)
(when) soul becomes the voyager
and body the chariot
Will becomes the strategist
And wisdom the pilot.
Although here Ratha" has been symbolically used, nevertheless, it indicates that the idea of 'ratha' is absolutely of Hindu origin. Ratha as the vehicle during wars finds mention in the Ramayana, Mahabharat and Srimadbhagavata as well. The Vedas have mentioned the Rathas of Surya and Visnu. |
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