Ratha Yatra Reports

BY: SUN STAFF

Jul 21, CANADA (SUN) — Continuing Ratha Yatra news from around the world.

Central Jersey ISKCON Ratha Yatra

On Monday, July 16th, Old Bridge, New Jersey, the ISKCON Central Jersey organized a Jagannatha Puri Ratha on their property. Taking advantage of the blessings of Lord Jagannatha and ecstatic mood of the devotees, the temple moved ahead with a filing for Township approval of their development project. Encouraging all the devotees, Madhupati Das writes, "Now is the time, to be more aggressive in spreading Krsna consciousness more and more."

An excellent slideshow of the Ratha Yatra is available on IndianEra.com, who writes:

"ISKCON of Central New Jersy organized an auspicious Shri Jagannath Puri Ji's Rath Yatra( Festival of Chariots) at oldbridge property 534/538 Route 34, Old bridge, NJ. The rath yatra is one of the grandest festivals in India which is celebrated every year for eight days in the temple town of Puri. The presiding deities of the temple, Sri Mandira, Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, and the ISKCON Guru A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada with the celestial wheel are taken out in an elaborate ritual procession to their respective chariot.

The huge, colorfully decorated chariot was drawn by numerous devotees. Devotees from all over the city went to the auspicious Rath Yatra with the desire to touch the rope of the chariot. The main chariot was about 15 feet high and was very attractive.

The Rath Yatra procession began from the mandir at 7.00 pm with devotees, young and old, pulling the spectacular chariot in which the murtis of Sri Mandira, Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, and the ISKCON Guru A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada were seated. The procession in which over a hundred devotees participated, also featured young children in colorful traditional costumes performing traditional dance and singing bhajans. During the course of the procession, bhajans joined by manjira and dholak were sung. At 8.30 pm the procession concluded at the mandir, after which the festival assembly was held. The devotees gathered to listen to bhajans and speeches by youths and elder devotees describing the significance of the Rath Yatra festival. The assembly concluded with arti.

The temple president and the Vice president Mr. Madhupati dasa and Mr Prabhu Hari dasa told that they are in the final stage of planning the building of Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple and Cultural Center. They told that they have got the approval from the old bridge township and they will start the project very soon. The temple will include a home for the supreme personality of godhead where the community can gather and can have the merciful glance of the supreme power Lord Sri Sri Radh Krishna, Sri Sri Jagannath Baldev, Subhadra and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, a large darshan hall, a spiritual university, a cultural center, a yoga center and a state of art library.

Jagannatha Prasada for Puri Pilgrims

Huge Kitchen of Puri's Famed Jagannath Temple Can Prepare Food for 100,000 in an Hour.

"The famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa has become known for its large kitchen that has the capacity to accomodate the making of mega offerings. The news release explains, "Around 500 cooks and 300 helping hands prepare 56 different offerings known as Mahaprasad or Abhada for Lord Jagannath, which are served to the deity six times a day.

The kitchen has 32 rooms, 752 stoves and nine earthen pots. The meals include seven different types of rice, four types of pulses, nine types of vegetables and different items of sweet dishes. Fine molasses, instead of sugar is used for preparing sweet dishes. But potatoes, tomatoes and cauliflower are not used in the temple."

Balbhadra Mahapatra, a servitor at the kitchen says, "You will never see it in any part of India. In one hour, food for one hundred thousand devotees can be prepared in the kitchen." Sukadev Mohapatra, another servitor, adds, "It is not written in any book how much rice is to be cooked. Food is cooked for the devotees who come."

Radhakrishna Mahasuar, a devotee, sums it up, "This Mahaprasad has great significance because only people who are fortunate can have it. All your work is done and wishes are fulfilled after having it." [NewKerals.com]

Thane, Mumbai: Jagannath Hospital Yatra

"Jagannath Rath Yatra was not only celebrated at Jagannath Puri, Orissa, but also at Mira Road, Thane, by the Devotees of ISKCON. The colourful procession, from Shri Shri Radha Giridhari Mandir, Srishti, began at 2 pm and ended at 7.30 pm - more than 50,000 Devotees and spectators participated. The pandal programme featured dance and drama performances, followed by discourses and ’prasada ’ distribution.

Earlier, at 11 am, Bhaktivedanta Hospital also celebrated Jagannath Rath Yatra, with its entire staff and patients, on the hospital premises which are a stone throw’s distance away from the ISKCON centre in Mira Road. One of the singular features, which is most popular and appreciated by the patients, is a daily Jagannath Hospital Yatra, in which a small mobile Rath, carrying the Deities of Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, is taken by members of the Department of Spiritual Care to the bedside of each and every patient, including visitors and relatives, for them to offer flowers, ’ pranams’ and receive ’prasada’. Hundreds of letters of appreciation are received, wherein patients and relatives applaud this daily Jagannath Hospital Yatra.

The Rath Yatra festival was first celebrated by the followers of Srila A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in San Fransisco , USA, in July 1967. Since then, it has become an annual feature in all of the world’s major cities, ranging from London, Washington DC, Moscow, Kiev to Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo - these celebrations are even officially declared as "Rath Yatra Day" abroad.

The wooden deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra appear to have rather odd, unfinished shapes. This story dates back 5000 years ago - Krishna was barely 12 years old when He left Vrindavan, with Balarama, for Mathura. He promised His dearmost companions - the ’gopis’ and ’gopas’ - and His parents, Nanda and Yashoda, that He would come back soon and be with them. The Brijwasis waited anxiously for Krishna to return. Every moment seemed like thousands of years. It would have been better if they all died. The pain was unbearable.

Months passed by, years passed still no news of Krishna ’s return. The Brijwasis would just mourn and weep day and night. They hardly ate or slept. They only cried and cried. Krishna moved to Dwarka. He got married and settled there. Nearly a hundred years had passed; still He did not come back to Vrindavan..........

Krishna’s suffering was even worse. Even in His sleep, He would cry for His Brijwasi friends. Upon seeing the pitiable condition of Their brother, Balarama and Subhadra hurriedly rush off with Krishna to Vrindavan. When they reach Vrindavan, Balarama and Subhadra are wonderstruck witnessing the deep, intense love of the Brijwasis, for Krishna , inspite of His long, long absence. Their heads and legs enter into Their bodies - They become paralysed.

When Krishna sees His dearmost devotee, Radhika, in a death-like state, lying lifeless and burning with the fever of separation, He runs toward Her to offer His respects, but His body becomes paralysed. His hands and legs enter into His body like a tortoise. His lotus petal-like eyes widen, enormously, and become round like saucers. He weeps and falls unconscious at Radhika’s feet. . . . .

Jagannath is not a pagan’s idol. When Shyamsundara Krishna becomes completely mesmerised and enchanted by the intense love of the Brijwasis, suffering in separation from Him, at that time Krishna’s beautiful body becomes transformed into the form of Jagannath. [Times of India]