We all by now know the famous tale of Puri RathYatra.
But the story of the 2nd Oldest #RathYatra is unknown to most.
The story is from Bengal.

Here's how it started with the grace of swayam Jagannath Prabhu completing 625 years this year.

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#talesofkrishna

Once upon a time there was a Bengali Sadhu named Durbananda Brahmachari. He was a biiiig devottee of Prabhu Jagannath. So one day he decided to go to Puri for pilgrimage & offer Bhog to Prabhu with his own hand.
All his desires were crushed when the Temple authority denied him the privilege. Broken-hearted, the sage decided to fast until dεαth.
But dont we know Prabhu loves us so much that he can never deny his Bhaktas. One the 3rd day of his fast, Prabhu swayam came to speak to him in his dreams. Jagannath then told to the sage, "Hey Bhakta, i am moved by your devotion- i myself desire to have Bhog from your hand".
Saying this Prabhu asked the sage to return back to Bengal . In the banks of Bhagirathi, there's a place called Mahesh where He will send the sage a huge Daru Brahma (trunk of neem tree). Prabhu then instructed Sadhu baba to make idols of Jagannath, Balaram & Subhadra with it.
Hearing Prabhu in his dreams, Durbananda returned to Bengal & continued his sadhana. Finally on a rainy night the trunk appeared at Mahesh. Jumping in the water, with a lot of toil finally the sage picked up the trunk & erected the idols of the three.
We call it Mahesh er Rathyatra This is the 2nd most oldest Rathyatra after Puri & the oldest in Bengal. Lakhs of people visit here every year for Darshan thus making it famous.

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