The privilege of readying the raths for Rathyatra has been with the Khalas family for decades now.
The privilege of readying the raths for Rathyatra has been with the Khalas family for decades now. And this year will be no different. Every year, a month before Rathyatra, the family starts repairing the raths (the same raths are used every year), decorating and repainting them for the pious procession.
At least eight people required for finishing work on each of the three raths, and all of them belong to the Khalas family. This year, the work involved replacing the old wheels with new ones in all the raths, so the family geared up to refurbish the raths a month and a half in advance. While the raths are made of Saag, Baval wood is used for the wheels.
It is generally believed that the raths and the idols of lord Jagannath, his brother Baldev and sister Subhadra have to be changed when the right planets (gruhs) do not meet.
The last time the raths were remade was in 1950 when the old raths completed 100 years.
Around Rs25,000-Rs27,000 is spent every year on the beautification of the raths, and the expense is mostly borne by the Khalas family. Of this, around Rs10,000 is spent only on painting the raths. However, this year, the expense is expected to be comparatively higher and may touch Rs35,000-Rs40,000.
“We do not keep a count on such expenses since it is for a religious purpose,” said Mafatlal Mangaldas Khalas, who supervises the work of the raths every year. In case the raths had to be remade entirely, the cost would have amounted to Rs3-Rs4 lakh, which would have come from the Jagannath Temple Trust.
However, in 1950, this cost was also borne by the Khalas family. At that time it cost them Rs80,000-Rs90,000.
According to the longstanding ritual, Lord Jagannath’s rath goes first in the line followed by Subhadra’s and Baldev’s. The idols are kept at the Jagannath temple throughout the year. It is believed that on the poonam (full moon day) before Rathyatra, lord Jagannath wears new clothes and visits his maternal uncle’s place. He comes back blindfolded only on Amavas (no moon day) and the Rathyatra is on Bij, the following day.
In the raths used before 1950, Baldev’s rath was bigger than the other two, and while his rath had 16 wheels, the other two had 12 each. Now, however, all the raths are of the same size and all have six wheels and a steering.
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