Chandan Yatra is the most famous religious festival associated with Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Also known as Gandhalepana yatra festival, it falls in the month of April-May which marks the beginning of construction of Rathas or chariots for the deities. ‘Chandan Yatra’, literally, Sandalwood paste festival, indicates the worshiping of the deities with sandal mixed water.
In the festival, the deities of the representative images of the deities i.e, Rama, Krishna, Madan Mohan, Laxmi and Saraswati (Biswadhatri) are taken in a procession to the famous Narendra tank. The deities enjoy an evening cruise and various models of worship in the picturesque Narendra tank with the accompaniment of music and dance. On the last day of the festival ‘Bhaunri Yatra’ is performed.
According to the opinion of Puri people this Chandan Yatra was contemplated perhaps to impact training to our young men in the field of sea-voyage. After the completion of the outer Chandan Yatra, the inner Chandan Yatra starts inside the temple and lasts for 21 days. Various rites and rituals are performed inside the temple, out of view of the public.
Narendra tank on which the deities are rowed ceremoniously was built by Narendra Dev, son of Kapilendra Dev. Being shouldered the responsibility of the kingdom in the hand of Purrosottam, Narendra devoted his time and energy and spent a lot to the all round development of this holy tank. The representative deity of Jagannath is brought during the Chandan Yatra to this sacred tank.