Hundreds and thousands of devotees enthusiastically came out on the streets of Kolkata to welcome Lord Jagannath during 54th Kolkata Rath Yatra festival organized by Iskcon. The Rath Yatra procession began at around 2 pm but devotees in large numbers were there many hours before to take a glimpse of Jagannath who was happily sitting on a beautiful and huge chariot.
Lord Baladeva and sister Subhadra too were there on their chariots. Lord Baladeva was in front, sister Subhadra in the middle and Lord Jagannath at the last. Prabhupada’s deity was on the chariot of Lord Baladeva.
The program started with Pahundi, when Lord Jagannath was taken from the altar to the chariot along with his brother and sister. After the Lord ascended the chariot, his arati was performed and for the pleasure of the Lord there were traditional musical and dance performances in front of the chariot.
Meanwhile arrangements were made for all who had come for the Rath Yatra festival to take delicious prasadam.
Colourful Rath Yatra Procession
As soon as the procession started from Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple at Minto Park, devotees thronged near the chariot to pull the rope of the chariot. Rath Yatra procession was huge. In the beginning of the procession devotees were doing ecstatic kirtan.
There were ladies who were carrying arati plates, some were carrying flags, some devotees during the entire procession were performing folk and traditional dance, there were children dressed as Radh, Krishna, gopas, gopis. There were kirtan parties in front of the chariot of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra.
Everyone was chanting Jai Jagannath and were singing the Hare Krishna Kirtan. And while singing devotees were joyfully dancing too. There were devotees cleaning the road with brooms. The roads were decorated with colourful rangolis.
While the procession was going on thousands of people were standing on the street to welcome the Lord. As soon as they saw the Lords on the chariot, their faces lit up. They immediately offered their respects to the Lord; some even bowed down on the road to pay their obeisances.
After doing so, they immediately rushed towards the chariot to pull the ropes. People working in the offices wearing their ID cards too came out to pull the ropes.
While they were eagerly pulling the chariot, they were also helping and encouraging others to pull the chariot. At one place when one old lady was facing difficulty in pulling the chariot, then people came forward to help her. There were small children too who got to pull the rope of the chariot.
Some thought that it won’t be possible for them to walk with the Lord for hours till the Lord reaches Gundicha temple. They thought that they will take darshan of the Lord and after pulling the chariot will immediately leave. But as they started marching with the Lord Jagannath, they forgot their fear and fatigue and remained till the end of the Rath Yatra.
Some were not well so had decided not to come but when they saw the procession live on You Tube and heard from their friends that how they are celebrating the festival they immediately took a cab and joined the Rath Yatra procession.
Old men and women who had difficulty in walking were seen welcoming the Lord from their balconies.
At different places arati of Jagannath, Baladeva and Shubhadra was performed. And after arati, bhoga was offered to the Lord. Prasadam of the Lord like different varieties of sweets and fruits were abundantly distributed.
Also, at different places people were freely offering water, fruit juices, lassi to those who were in the Rath Yatra procession. They were quite eager to serve the devotees.
The weather too was good. Neither it was too hot nor it rained.
Jagannath is everyone’s Lord
In the Rath Yatra festival, everyone was there – men and women, young and old, rich and poor, Hindus and non-Hindus, Indians and non-Indians.
And it is natural too; Lord Jagannath is everyone’s Lord. He is not just the Lord of the Hindus, but he is the Lord of all the people of the world. He is not an Indian Lord, but he is the Lord of the entire Universe.
Lord Jagannath resides in everyone’s heart and everyone belongs to him. Some know about it and unfortunately some do not know about it. But by the grace of Jagannath’s devotees like Srila Prabhupada, today people all over the world are understanding this truth and so thousands of people all over the world forgetting their material identities are happily getting connected to Jagannath.
9-day Rath Yatra festival
The Ratra festival finally reached Brigade Ground Parade around 7 pm. Here a makeshift Gundicha temple has been built. The Lord will remain here till the day of Ulta Rath Yatra which is on 5th July.
Huge pandal has been set up here. During this period there will be different programs, cultural events, talks by senior sannyasis, daily Bhagavatam class, arati in the morning, afternoon and evening, kirtan, dance performances and so on.
In the pandal, there are various attractive stalls for youths and children. Khicdi prasadam will be distributed free to all. There will be prasadam counters from where devotees can buy and enjoy Jagannath’s delicious prasadam.
54th Kolkata Rath Yatra organized by Iskcon is a 9-day festival, and it is expected that daily thousands of devotees will visit the pandal to seek blessings of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Shubdra Devi.
If you are in Kolkata, then do visit the Gundicha temple at Brigade ground. If not in Kolkata, then wherever you are do visit the temple of Lord Jagannath and make your life divine.
Three Reflections
- Thousands of devotees joyfully participated in 54th Kolkata Rath Yatra of Iskcon.
- During Rath Yatra, everyone came out on the street to pull the chariot of the Lord – men, women, young, old, Hindus, non-Hindus, Indians, non – Indians – because Jagannath is everyone’s Lord.
- We should forget our material identities and get connect to Jagannath and make our life divine.
Ask Yourself
- Am I planning to visit Gundicha temple to take darshan of the Lord?
Action Item
- If not, then plan to visit the Gundicha temple and seek blessings of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Shundra Devi.
- Chant few rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra in front of Jagannath.
