Ratha

Ratha is a Sanskrit noun meaning chariot or wagon. In classical Indian literature, rathas are depicted as the principal vehicles for gods, heroes, and warriors. The term appears in a range of texts from the Vedas and epics to the Puranas, and it serves as the root for various compound words in Indian languages.

Ratha-yatra, literally "chariot festival," is a major religious celebration associated with the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. During the festival, ceremonial wooden chariots bearing the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are pulled through the streets by volunteers, attracting large crowds and media attention. Similar processions are conducted in other cities and in diaspora communities worldwide.

In modern usage, Ratha is adopted as a surname and, less commonly, as a given name in parts of India and Nepal. It also appears as a place-name element in various localities.

Scholarly discussions of Ratha cover its linguistic function as a generic term for a vehicle, its role in ritual practice and festival culture, and its presence in literature and toponyms. The word remains widely recognizable in South Asian languages and in contexts relating to ancient and contemporary chariot imagery.