Puri, Jul 16: The three majestic chariots of the Jagannath Rath Yatra are believed to symbolically carry the presence of the 33 crore (330 million) deities of Hindu tradition, making the annual festival one of the most spiritually significant events in Sanatan Dharma.

According to senior Chitrakar Sevak Chandrasekhar Maharana, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are not three separate divine beings but different manifestations of the one Supreme Lord. Throughout different ages, the Supreme Being has incarnated in various forms to perform divine acts, and the Holy Trinity represents these eternal manifestations.

Each of the three chariots is adorned with nine Parswa Devatas (side deities), bringing the total number of side deities across the three chariots to 27. In addition, each chariot has two Dwarapalas (guardian deities), making a total of six guardian deities.

Together, these 27 Parswa Devatas and six Dwarapalas add up to 33 divine forms, which are regarded as symbolic representations of the 33 crore deities mentioned in Hindu scriptures.

Maharana explained that the Rath Yatra attains its complete spiritual significance only when these divine forms are ceremonially installed on the chariots along with the presiding deities. Their presence signifies that the entire celestial realm accompanies Lord Jagannath during His annual journey from the Srimandir to the Gundicha Temple.

For devotees, the three chariots are therefore not merely grand wooden structures but moving temples that embody the collective presence of the divine universe, reaffirming the belief that all forms of God ultimately merge into the Supreme Lord Jagannath.