#Rathayatra
Sanskrit: Festival of Chariots (ratha - chariot, yatra - festival).
Ratha-yatra, or the Festival of Chariots, is a joyful celebration that has been held for thousands of years in the holy Indian city of Jagannatha Puri, and more recently has been celebrated in various cities around the world by followers of the Hare Krishna movement. One of Krishna’s names is Jagannatha – the Lord of the Universe. This name is associated with one of the Lord’s countless forms, which is filled with ecstasy, has large eyes, and seemingly incomplete bodily features. During this festival, He is carried in a gigantic chariot to an ancient temple in the center of Jagannatha Puri.
According to history, Lord Krishna once overheard a conversation about how His most dear devotees, the cowherd girls of Vrindavana, grieved after His departure. Hearing the description of their immense love and feelings of separation, the Lord’s hair stood on end, His eyes opened wide and filled with tears, and His arms and legs retracted into His body. The Lord was overcome by a state of spiritual ecstasy. Seeing Lord Krishna in this state, His elder brother Balarama also felt symptoms of ecstasy and manifested similar physical features. Soon, their sister Subhadra arrived at the scene, and she too was overcome with the ecstasy of joy. Thus, the sublime deity forms of Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Baladeva remind us of this sweet pastime.
The Ratha-yatra festival reflects Lord Jagannatha’s desire to meet His dear devotees in Vrindavana once again, the most prominent of whom is Srimati Radharani. According to tradition, once a year before the festival, the Lord falls ill out of longing for love. To cheer Him up, His servants organize a grand procession during which He meets His devoted servants. Lord Jagannatha rides in a massive chariot, accompanied by thousands of onlookers, marching musicians, drummers, singers, and dancers.
Five hundred years ago, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the combined form of Radha and Krishna, inspired all His followers to celebrate the Ratha-yatra festival with great enthusiasm. His biographies (such as the “Chaitanya-Charitamrita”) mention many stories related to the Ratha-yatra festival. It is said that the Gundicha temple, where Lord Jagannatha would stay at the end of the Ratha-yatra procession, was cleaned by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with his own hands on his hands and knees.
Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, loved Ratha-yatra very much. As a child of only five years old, he began celebrating Ratha-yatra, pulling a tiny, home-made chariot with his friends. Much later, from 1967 until leaving this world, Srila Prabhupada, along with thousands of his disciples from all over the world, celebrated Ratha-yatra – the Festival of Chariots – in London, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and also in New York on the prestigious Fifth Avenue.
Today, Hare Krishna followers hold Ratha-yatra parades in many cities. They are usually crowned with a “Festival of India” celebrated in a city park or square, featuring a cultural program, free feasts, various entertainment, and a tent village.
Ratha-yatra symbolizes the Lord’s love for His followers. He Himself comes to visit His devoted servants and the public who greet Him on the streets. True to the original spirit of Ratha-yatra, in the Hare Krishna movement, this festival brings old friends together and allows them to serve Lord Jagannatha, Sri Krishna, together.