New York Ratha Yatra 2003

July 12, 2003

BY NEW YORK ISKCON

Dear Devotees & Friends,

Sri 2003 New York Jagannath Ratha Yatra Ki Jai!

(for photos please visit web site)

Many thanks to the thousands and thousands of devotees who visited the city of New York to take part in the 2003 Ratha Yatra & Sankirtan Festival!

For 9 Glorious Days, Sri Sri Radha Govinda's Temple was alive and resounded with the holy name as devotees from around the world took part in wonderful kirtans, book distribution, festivals, and sumptuous prasadam. This year, devotees came from so many places like, Argentina, Germany, Ghana, Slovenia, India, and all throughout North America. 13 devotees came for the first time from Ghana Africa, at the invitation of their spiritual master HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami. They enlivened the devotees with their ecstatic African-style kirtan and dancing. Approximately 120 devotees came from the Alachua Krishna Community, along with many youth who traveled with Manu Prabhu on the New Krishna Youth bus.

Once again, the famous Bhaktivedanta Players came again to entertain the devotees with their transcendental dramas, which were well received by the devotees and guests with enthusiasm. Every evening, after the Sandhya Arati Kirtana, the players performed superexcellent dramas from the Ramayan, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, and Srimad Bhagavatam. After the plays, each evening, the devotees were treated to sumptuous prasadam cooked with love and devotion by Srikanta Prabhu, and his team of helpers and volunteers.

H.G. Svavasa Prabhu, and H.G. Vaisesika Prabhu gave another 3-day book distribution and sankirtan seminar, to the delight of many book distributors who came from all over the country. After the morning session, they took the devotees to Union Suqare Park every afternoon to distribute books. Many had wonderful adventures as they preached in the city of New York.

On Friday June 13, hundreds of devotees came to the temple early in the morning to help with the preparations for Ratha Yatra. They strung garlands, cut vegetables, packed peanut prasad for distribution, and loaded the many trucks bound for the festival site. The Festival of India truck came with 15 devotees to set up the tents and displays at Washington Square Park. The whole festival, managed by H.G. Satya Devi Dasi, and her team of helpers, was a sight to behold as every detail of the festival was handled with meticulous care.

Bhajans and kirtans resounded in the temple room all afternoon, and escalated to an ecstatic kirtan to greet Lord Jagannath, Lady Subhadra & Lord Baladeva as the arrived from Baltimore for the parade. 150 devotees chanted and danced outside on the street as the Lords of the Universe were escorted to their suite for the weekend festival. After which, the evening festival resumed in the temple room with a dynamic kirtan, and a tremendous performance of the Ramayana by the Bhaktivedanta Players. Later that night, the whole temple was abuzz with excitement as the trucks were loaded with paraphenalia for the festival, and the feast for the park was being made in the kitchen. With help from H.H. Rtadhvaja Maharaj's students, everything was loaded in record time.

On Ratha Yatra morning, the festival begain bright and early at 4:30 am with a traditional New York style Mangala Arati and kirtan led by H.G. Urjasvata Prabhu. The temple crowd of about 500 devotees chanted and danced with ecstasy in the kirtan. The morning class was given by H.H. Romapada Swami who continued with the readings of Lord Chaitanya's Ratha Yatra Pastimes from the Chaitanya Caritamrita.

After Breakfast, the devotees all assembled at the Ratha Yatra start location at 59th Street & 5th avenue in New York City. There were about 5,000 devotees from all over the world to greet Lord Jagannath as he ascended the cart and got ready for the festival. Lord Jagannath's pujari, H.G. Mahesvara prabhu, dressed the Lord on Ratha Yatra Day, and decorated all 3 deities with the specially made Sri-Hasta (lotus hand) and Sri-Payara (lotus feet) ornaments. They wore traditional headdresses, also crafted by Mahesvara prabhu for this special day.

This year's festival was blessed to have so many senior devotees in attendance. H.H. Radhanath Swami, H.H. Sacinandana Swami, H.H. Jayapataka Swami, H.H. Bhakti-Tirtha Swami, H.H. Jayadvaita Swami, H.H. Radha Govinda Swami, H.H. Sridhara Swami, H.H. Romapada Swami, H.H. Danavir Goswami, H.H.

Amiya-Vilasa Swami, H.H. Vedavyasa Priya Swami, H.H. Kadamba-Kanana Swami, H.H. Rtadvaja Swami, H.G. Vakresvara Pandit Prabhu, H.G. Yadubara Prabhu, and so many other senior devotees came to the parade and weekend festival.

It was a blessing for the New York devotees to have all their association at once for this festival. In addition, buses of devotees came from New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore temples for the parade.

As the parade made its way down 5th avenue, this year there were rather huge crowds of onlookers on the streets. Thanks to the beautiful sunshine, after days of endless rain, many more people got the supreme benediction of Lord Jagannath's darshan, and the sound of the Holy name. TV crews, from NBC, the local New York Channel 1, the local Indian station ITV, and other world news shows covered the parade from beginning to end. The festival was mentioned in local news papers like the NY Post, Daily News, and Timeout NY. It was truly a sight to behold as the mammoth chariots moved their way down Fifth Avenue, "The world's most important street, in the world's most important city." Under the management of H.G. Bindu Madhava Prabhu and the team of marshalls and wheel guards, the whole parade moved peacefully down Fifth Avenue.

Once at the park, Visitors, devotees and guests were treated to an afternoon of delight. Despite on and off rain showers through the afternoon, many stayed for the free feast, traditional Vedic entertainment, or to see the various booths and presentations. This year, there were 4 question and answer booths, the most popular being the one moderated by HH Jayadwaita Swami and HH Sacinandana Swami. Their tent was full past capacity all afternoon. The Bhaktivedanta Players staged a rendition of Sita's Wedding to the delight of the crowd, followed by a kirtan finale led by Uttam Bhakta Prabhu and other Hare Krishna youth, and the cleanup was organized by H.H. Sridhara Swami.

For the first time, a Vedic wedding was a feature of this year's Festival of India. Renowned and beloved ISKCON pandit Caturatma Dasa performed the wedding ceremony of gurukuli Raghunath anudasa, and his fiancee who was from New York City. The wedding was well attended by family members and curious visitors who wanted to take part in the fun of a traditional Vedic wedding.

The Day after Ratha Yatra was a memorable day for the estimated 1500 devotees who came to the temple for part-2 of the Ratha Yatra festival. The Morning class was given by H.H. Sacinandana Swami who kept the crowd enthralled with his reading from the Chaitanya Caritamrta and kirtans intertwined within. He spoke for almost 2 hours before the 10 course breakfast prasad, which was more opulent than a Sunday feast. After that, devotees rested and met one another like old friends, glorifying Lord Jagannath and Srila Prabhupada. After a kirtan to bid farewell to Lord Jagannath as he left for Baltimore, H.G. Dayananda Prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada led a session of Prabhupada Remembrances with other godbrothers and sisters as they recalled Srila Prabhupada's pastimes, especially at Ratha Yatra.

The long awaited Sunday Maha Kirtan stated at 5:30pm with a rousing Guru puja led by H.H. Danavir Goswami. At 6:00pm. the devotees took a pause while chanting the Govindam prayers as they greeted Sri Sri Radha Govinda who wore a stunning dress and flower decorations for the evening. The deities were expertly dressed by their longtime pujari, H.G. Ramabhadra prabhu.

Thereafter, until about 8:30pm the 1000 or so devotees who crammed into the temple chanted and danced in ecstasy as the kirtan was led by so many wonderful kirtaneers. The floors, walls and ceilings shook as the entire temple room moved to the sound of the Holy name.

Then, the Bhaktivedanta Players, with assistance of actors from the NY Temple's New Vaikuntha players, performed an amazing rendition of the Story of Abhimanyu. From the temple balcony, devotees counted about 1400 devotees were in the temple room to watch the story of the Mahabharata's most tragic hero. Expertly performed, the play had superb fight scenes, heart wrenching moments of pain, and some lighter moments as we all saw the Kauravas gang up on the lone Abhimanyu, and then Arjuna fulfill his vow to destroy Jayadratha.

Finally, the prasadam feast was fit for the Gods. A 12 course feast, with 4 subjis, 2 sweets, nectar drink, papadam, puris, rice, chutney, and halavah, was prepared to feed all the devotees who came for the festival. Once again, Srikanta Prabhu and his dedicated team of helped churned out a nectarian feast of prasadam unexcelled in taste and quantity.

After the feast, devotees performed bhajans all through the night, helped clean up the entire temple, and said goodbye to each other, as the 2003 Ratha Yatra & Sankirtan Festival came to a close. All in all, it was a festival to remember, and will remain in the memories of all who attended.

Many already made plans to attend next year's festival, so don't delay and start planning for the 2004 New York Ratha-Yatra Festival!

Your servants,

NY ISKCON

http://www.radhagovinda.net/ratha