The Academy of Yoga and Oriental Studies (AYOS) organised a lecture on ‘Rath Yatra: Its Adhibhautik and Adhidaivik Aspects’ here recently.
Former IPS officer Arun Kumar Upadhyaya was the speaker of the topic. Prof SN Tripathy, retired Professor in the Department of Geography of Utkal University, presided over the meeting. AYOS director Dr Indulata Das and delivered an introductory speech.
Upadhyaya, in his speech, said Jagannath is the representation of creative form of Brahma which is called Avyaya or Yajna Purusa. It has different meanings in cosmic, physical (on earth) and inner world (within human body). While Pura (town or any object with boundary) is a static structure, Rath (chariot) is its dynamic form. The three aspects are related in a time cycle.
Prof Tripathy said the Jagannath Temple was built on a land which was in the sea. There have been a lot of geographical changes after that. The sea has receded. Even if the whole of Odisha is destroyed by earthquake, there would not be a scratch on the Jagannath Temple because it is in a zero-seismic zone. The temple has great geographical, historical and cultural values.
There was a question-answer session in which scholars like Dr Ajit Naik and others participated with enthusiasm.