India Post News Service
Fremont Hindu Temple, the first abode of Lord Jagannath in Bay Area, California, USA, and FOG Odisha together with members of the Odia Community in Bay Area hosted the 27th annual Ratha Yatra Utsav on Sunday, July 11, 2021.
Attended by members of the Odia community and the larger Indian American Community, sponsored by Priya Living and by the kind and generous members of the community, the event attracted 600 plus people. The Consul General of India in SFO, Dr TV Nagendra Prasad and his wife Padma, Anuraag Pal representing State Assembly member Alex Lee, Mayor of Fremont Lily Mei, Fremont City Council Member Teresa Cox graced the occasion.
The first Sri Jagannath sthapna by the Odia community in Bay Area happened at the Fremont temple and since then it has been following Sri Jagannath traditions and rituals for the past 27 years ritualistically that attracts folks from the Odia community, Indian American and beyond. Mayor Lily Mei said “I have been attending the Ratha Jatra for over 15 years here at the Fremont Hindu Temple and enjoy the programs of the vibrant Odia and Indian American community.”
Devotees continued to follow covid guidelines by wearing masks indoors and came to take blessings of the Holy Trinity. Says Dr Romesh Japra, Chairman of the Fremont Temple, “The temple has finally opened with in person activities with this Ratha Yatra utsav. By Lord Jagannath’s grace hopefully we will come out of the pandemic soon. The Temple follows all the rituals to complete this annual tradition of Ratha Yatra. Its a blessing for us to be able to conduct Ratha Yatra every year and all due to the efforts of the temple management and a group of Odia community members and devotees.”
He appreciated the contribution by an Odia senior member and a committed devotee, the late Shri Deba Mohanty who was instrumental in initiating and starting the first Ratha Jatra in Silicon Valley, here at Fremont Hindu Temple in 1994. Over the years, with increase in Odia community members, additional Sri Jagannath mandirs have been set up in different parts of the State in California, USA.
The Consul General congratulated Dr Japra, the organizers and the temple for hosting the event and was happy to see the in-person participation praying that the pandemic goes away with the beginning of Ratha Yatra. He said, “My wife, Padma & myself are very blessed to participate in the Fremont Temple Ratha Yatra this year in Bay Area.”
Ratha Yatra rituals started with two senior priests by offering pooja to deities, “pahandi” to ratha followed by “chhera pahara” done by Dr Japra, starting the preparatory rituals for readying the chariot for pulling. This year the ratha (chariot) frontage and dome was updated by local Odia community artistes, who decorated it with beautiful Odishi art and crafts to replicate the Puri Dham Ratha. Nataraj School of Dance performed a traditional Odissi dance in front of the chariot before the chariot was pulled by the devotees with Kirtan and Bhajan, and the chants of “Jai Jagannath” led by Kirtan Mellows of Silicon Valley Iskcon temple.
Various prasads were prepared by Odia devotees for the three deities and distributed amongst the devotees. Then the three lords moved to “gundicha” temple for rest of the rituals to be performed over there. The rituals began with bhajans by Bay Area artiste Alka Bhatnagar and our own Odia devotees that filled the environment with devotion. And the event rounded off with a cultural program coordinated by Shouvik Ray & Reena and emceed by Swati Rout, RJ Radio Zindagi.
The program showcased dances from across India by Nataraj School of Dance, Nartaanalaya, California Nupur Dance Academy, songs by local singers- Adithri & Pratibha – and a musical band – Bhalobasi Tai Gai- who dedicated their performances to Sri Jagannath. A simple Odia Mahaprasad and all the delicacies that Sri Jagannath is fond of, was prepared by the devotees.
“This year Ratha Yatra at Fremont Temple was held in a form of a mini utsav. One of a kind memorable event that our devotees enjoyed and prayed that the COVID- 19 pandemic will go away soon. We are thankful and grateful to our sponsor Priya Living and our kind and generous donors and the devoted and committed sevaks- Odias and beyond – whose support made our event a success” say Reena Patnaik and Mahesh Pakala, trustees of the Temple and natives from the State of Odisha who coordinate/organize Ratha Yatra and other activities of Lord Jagannath parivaar at the Fremont temple. “We feel blessed to get the opportunity to serve Sri Jagannath parivaar here in the USA.”
Says Sanjana Chopra, who attended the Yatra with her family said, “When I touched the Ratha with the Trinity sitting on the Ratha, I felt a very strong force of positive energy.” She felt blessed to have been part of the Yatra this year.
Despite the pandemic, the Fremont Temple continued to keep the 27 year old tradition of Ratha Yatra alive with the belief that “Jagatara Natha” will shower the blessings over the devotees across the world to overcome this pandemic. Bahuda Yatra was equally celebrated with lot of fervor. During the Bahuda Yatra Sri Jagannath parivaar were adorned with the sacred and holy patta sarees that came straight from Shree Jagannath Mandir of Puri Dham in Odisha. This was followed by niladri bije with the beautiful Suna Vesha.
Ratha Yatra 2021 Sevaks/Devotees – Priyadarshy, Sanjib, Reena & Mahesh, Debajyoti, Debashis, Jasho, Pratibha & Bhabani, Sarjeeta & Lal Mohan, Anuj & family, Sasmita & Tanmay, Sarada & Sonali, Sangita & Priti Ranjan, Nibedita & Suvrangshu, Swati, Shouvik, Ashis, Tapan, Malay, Sitansu, Jasmine, RajShekhar, Vinita & Amit, Sharada Prasanna, Chandrashekhar, Niki, Kamalji & family, high schooler Shubham, Baby Yashvi, Baby Nyra, with their families and friends and several other volunteers and sponsors.
