Ratha Yatra

Ratha-yatra, or the Festival of Chariots, is a joyous event celebrated for thousands of years in the Indian holy city of Jagannatha Puri, and more recently by Hare Krishna devotees in major cities around the world. Lord Jagannatha, meaning "the Lord of the Universe," refers to the ecstatic form of Lord Krishna with large round eyes and rugged features who rides on a gigantic chariot during this festival.

It is an auspicious start for the rest of the year, and we encourage devotees reading this to kindly consider donating on this day.

The Story of the Deities' Ecstatic Forms

As the story goes, Lord Krishna once overheard His Vrindavan associates discussing how His dearest devotees, the Gopis, were constantly crying in His absence. When Krishna heard these accounts of overwhelming love in separation, His hair stood on end, His eyes opened wide, and His limbs contracted into His body in a state of supreme spiritual ecstasy.

Seeing Lord Krishna in this condition, His elder brother Balarama also began to feel ecstatic symptoms, showing similar features. When Their sister Subhadra arrived at the scene, she too became consumed with ecstatic joy. The sublime deity forms of Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Baladeva represent this sweet Vrindavan pastime.

The Chariot Ride to Vrindavana

The festival of Ratha-yatra represents Lord Jagannatha's longing to reunite with His dear devotees in Vrindavana, foremost Srimati Radharani. According to tradition, the Lord gets lovesick once a year just prior to the festival. To cheer Him up, His servants arrange a lavish chariot procession to carry Him to meet His devotees. Lord Jagannatha rides on a grand, three-story-high wooden chariot, pulled by thousands of devotees and accompanied by marching bands, drummers, singers, and dancers.

"India's colonial British rulers coined the term 'juggernaut' from the massive, heavy chariot used to celebrate this festival in the city of Jagannatha Puri."

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu & Srila Prabhupada's Legacy

Five hundred years ago, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (the combined incarnation of Radha-Krishna) encouraged all His followers to celebrate Ratha-yatra with great enthusiasm. His biographies recount how He got down on His hands and knees to scrub the Gundicha temple (where Lord Jagannatha stays at the end of the parade) to prepare it for the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, was extremely fond of Ratha-yatra. As a child of five, he built a small homemade cart and pulled it around his neighborhood in Calcutta. Later in life, from 1967 onward, Srila Prabhupada joined thousands of disciples in celebrating Ratha-yatra in the streets of London, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and on New York's Fifth Avenue.

Ratha-yatra signifies the Lord's love for His devotees. He personally leaves His temple to visit the public who welcome Him in the streets, making it a beautiful reunion of love and devotion.