Russian Hare Krishna's: History Making Ratha Yatra in the Winter!

BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)

Jan 09, MOSCOW, RUSSIA (LAW) — Polushkino Village, Russia, outside Moscow - January 7, 2010

On Christmas day in Russia, while thousands of Russians celebrated the birth of Lord Jesus Christ (Russian Orthodox X-Mas is January 7th), in a sleepy quiet village outside the city of Moscow, Russian ISKCON devotees made Ratha Yatra History!

The whole celebration was an ISKCON world first… a Ratha Yatra inspired by H.H. Jayapataka Swami, who a few years ago suggested that the Russian devotees could have a snow sled cart winter Rath yatra for Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subadra.

This suggestion was taken very seriously by the sincere Russian devotees, who braved the severe 20 below zero weather and snowfall to pull their Lordships blissfully with a kitran procession of nearly 200 freezing Russian devotees!

The cart itself was beautifully built with modest means, but large and beautifully made with lots of obvious love and devotion. Due to the extreme cold, their Lordships were dressed magically in traditional Russian and Indian clothes, as their Lordships were adorned with traditional Russian headgear, and it was indeed a sight for sore eyes.

A small Murti of HDG Srila Prabhupada was riding the cart and he was also bundled up to keep warm from the extreme cold. As the crowd of hundreds of devotees chanted and danced in the falling and deep snow, Maha Prasad cookies were distributed to all who attended the procession. The cart was whisked around the vast Territory of the rest home, where the devotees were holding a Nama Hatta Festival.

Truthfully, this reporter could not help but be very touched to the core of his heart, and I can say for certain Lord Jagannath and Srila Prabhupada were pleased by this display of love and devotion for Srila Prabhupada and Lord Jagnnath (Lord of the Universe).

Lord Jagannath Ki Ji, Srila Prabhupada Ki ji, Russian ISKCON Ki Ji!

Reported live by Jaya Madhava das (ACBSP), in Moscow, Russia, January 7, 2010