RATHAYATRA is On

[Guest guest]

Respected Devotees,

The Rathayatra is on and those in close proximity to places like

Puri, Vrindavan and wherever there are Rathayatras being held, must

be enjoying a good time pulling the chariots.

Just to put things in perspective here is a small article on the

Rathayatra.

Rathayatra is celebrated by devotees of Lord Krishna all over the

world after being introduced to the west in 1967 in San Franscisco

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his

first American disciples.

Rathayatra is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness'

biggest street festival - it features three huge, wooden chariots

pulled by hand accompanied by singing, chanting, drums, cymbals, and

dancing, and ends with a festival and delicious vegetarian prasadam

feast.

 

Rathayatra has been held for many hundreds of years at Jagannatha

Puri in Orissa, on India's East coast.

Millions of pilgrims come to the festival and new carts are built

each year.

The original inner meaning of Rathayatra is very beautiful.

In His time on this Earth, Krishna grew up in Vrindavana, and had

great loving friendships there with all the residents, including the

cowherd boys and girls.

When Krishna grew up, He became a King and moved away from His

childhood friends. After many years the residents of Vrindavana came

to see Him. But He seemed so different to the mischevious cowherd

boy they all knew and loved. So they kidnapped Him and tried to

bring Him back to Vrindavana on a cart. Being with Krishna like this

they felt simultaneous loving emotions of closeness and separation.

The Rathayatra festival is a modern expression of this pastime.

 

Rathatyatra will end on 5th July,2006.

 

May you all enjoy the celebrations and get an opportunity to serve

Lord Krishna in some way or the other.

 

JAI SRI KRISHNA