The Rath Yatra, the annual divine extravaganza of the Odisha culture, is a grand spectacle for the entire world as lakhs of devotees from all corners of the globe pour into the pilgrim town of Puri as the sibling deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra along with Sudarsan embark on a journey on the Grand Road for a nine-day sojourn to the Gundicha Temple.
A watercolour artwork of this spectacular event from 1822 forms a part of eight paintings called “Company Paintings” made by Indian artists for the British in India during the 19th century and is currently in storage at the illustrious Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design.
Painted by an unknown artist, this painting made with watercolours portrays the Nandighos chariot during the Rath Yatra, wherein Lord Jagannath is seated, being pulled by devotees. The 46.5-cm-high and 67.5-cm-wide depiction also shows an Indian nobleman and a British couple perched atop elephants amidst the crowd.
The website of the V&A says, “It is a wonderfully descriptive painting, providing an accurate depiction of the Rath’s wooden architecture and textile canopy.”
Similarly, another painting in the V&A represents the “Architectural Elevation of the Juggernaut Pagoda”. It is a watercolour drawing that portrays the elevation of the Jagannath Temple of Puri. Created in 1822, it is 51 cm in length and 71.5 cm in width.
From the eight Company Paintings, six are of the Jagannath Temple and the Atharnala bridge in Puri while the rest are of the Konark Sun Temple, also known as the Black Pagoda.