Ulta Rath runs into Mamata Juggernaut

BY: SUDESHNA BANERJEE

Mamata Banerjee and her merry band of supporters
kept even Lord Jagannath waiting on Wednesday
[Photo: Aranya Sen, The Telegraph]

Jul 21, 2010 — CALCUTTA, INDIA (TELEGRAPH) — Trinamul roadshow delays ISKCON procession by over five hours.

The over five-hour delay in the Ulta Rath procession was by far the longest in the ISKCON chariot festival's 38-year history in Calcutta.

"The Ulta Rath journey traditionally starts around noon and takes three-and-a-half to four hours to reach the Albert Road temple. This year, because of the rally we are looking at a 4 pm start," Som Maskara, a spokesperson for ISKCON Calcutta, had told Metro earlier in the day.

With the Trinamul rally continuing till 4pm, it was well after 6pm that the three chariots carrying the idols from their temporary abode on the Ganga Sagar Mela ground, opposite Eden Gardens, finally started rolling.

"This would mean the Lord's daily shayan arati at 8.30pm would be delayed tonight," rued a disciple. "In previous years, the Lord would be home by 4pm, enabling us to hold both the grand evening arati and the shayan arati. Not this year, it seems."

For Mamata, Ulta Rath coinciding with her roadshow seemed to hold deep political meaning. "Aaj Ulta Rath. Ulta Rath-er din sarkar ke oltanor jonno shobai amaader shorik hoyechhen (Today is Ulta Rath. On this day everyone has joined us to topple the government)," she said, seemingly unaware of the toppling of a tradition.

She went on to confuse Rath with Ulta Rath, sending Lord Jagannath to his "mashir bari" on a day when he was supposed to return from there.

If the ISKCON authorities weren't complaining, it was because the rally helped push up the Ulta Rath crowd count as well.

"The journey might have been delayed but we were happy to have four to five lakh people coming for darshan today, against around 80,000 on a normal Ulta Rath. It was our biggest gathering ever. Rath Yatra is a festival of the masses. So we are delighted with the turnout," said Radharaman das, the general manager of ISKCON, Calcutta.

Police had informed the ISKCON authorities about the Trinamul meeting in advance with a request to push back the journey time.

So should Mamata be worried about incurring Lord Jagannath's wrath after having delayed his Ulta Rath? "There is no muhurt (auspicious moment) that we follow to take the chariots out. Lord Jagannath is most merciful. He comes out on the streets so that those who do not visit Him in the temple can see him. He does not take offence," smiled das.

Mamata may be also relieved to know of a mythical parallel. "In Puri, Ulta Rath takes two days. This is because Goddess Laxmi was upset with the Lord for being away from home for eight days. So she instructs her servants not to allow him in when he comes in on Ulta Rath. Even now, a fight takes place between Goddess Laxmi's panda and Lord Jagannath's panda in Puri before the idol is taken in," explained das.