Aswin Pai
Hard at Work
Ratha Yatra or the Chariot Festival is a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha, India.
The main feature of the Puri Rath Yatra festival is three towering temple-shaped chariots that carry the three deities from the Jagannath Temple. The chariots are an architectural marvel.
What's really fascinating is the detailed process by which the chariots are newly made every year. It's a labor of love for around 200 carpenters, helpers, blacksmiths, tailors, and painters who work tirelessly according to a strict 58 day deadline.
The craftsmen don't follow any written instructions. Instead, all the knowledge is handed down from generation to generation. Only one family of carpenters has hereditary rights to the construction of the chariots.
Hard at Work
Ratha Yatra or the Chariot Festival is a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Odisha, India.
The main feature of the Puri Rath Yatra festival is three towering temple-shaped chariots that carry the three deities from the Jagannath Temple. The chariots are an architectural marvel.
What's really fascinating is the detailed process by which the chariots are newly made every year. It's a labor of love for around 200 carpenters, helpers, blacksmiths, tailors, and painters who work tirelessly according to a strict 58 day deadline.
The craftsmen don't follow any written instructions. Instead, all the knowledge is handed down from generation to generation. Only one family of carpenters has hereditary rights to the construction of the chariots.