Durban Ratha Yatra

BY: NTOKOZO MFUSI

Apr 6, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (IOL) — A huge annual event to be held in Durban this weekend is the ancient Hare Krishna Festival of Chariots, which starts today and ends on Monday, and is expected to draw 200 000 people over the four days.

The 19th edition of the festival promises to be fun-packed, with cultural events from 11am to 10pm each day. The line-up includes international performers such as Russian-born Baratha-natyam cross-cultural dancers and Polish martial-arts exponents.

Productions include The Life of Bhisma, Patriarch of the Kuru Dynasty, Krishna Lila, performed by Sowetan devotees, and contemporary dramas conveying moral messages.

The chariot parade will begin at from the city hall at 11am, and will wind its way to the tent city to be erected at the festival grounds on the beachfront. On Monday, the parade will leave the festival grounds and end at the Bay of Plenty.