Kolkata Rathyatra

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. ISKCON Kolkata Rathayātrā is the 2nd largest Rathayātrā festival of the world. Lord Jagannāth, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra enthrone three beautifully decorated huge chariots. Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and from different parts of the world flock in the city of Kolkata, the birth city of Srila Prabhupada to participate in this wo

nderful festival and immerse themselves in the ocean of love, joy and devotion. It is a blessing to get the chance to pull ropes of the divine chariots. The Lord’s journey is from the ISKCON temple to Guṇḍicā Temple where the Lord stays for 9 days. When the chariots pass through the streets of Kolkata throngs of people make a beeline to receive the divine blessings. The Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannāth being very merciful bestows his mercy upon each and everyone without any discrimination. The cymbals, the mridangas, the trumpets and other musicals instruments would be played out to welcome the Lord. The ever enchanting melody of ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahamantra’ inundates the atmosphere and the people joyfully dance to its tune. The grand procession culminates at the Guṇḍicā Temple where the Lord would stay for 9 days. On Ulta Rathayātrā, the Lord returns to the temple on the 9th day again riding on the same huge beautifully decorated chariots. Thousands of devotee participate and they enthusiastically pull the ropes of the chariots carrying him back to the temple. The Ulta Rathayātrā culminates when the Lord finally would reach the temple. This marks the end of the Rathayātrā festival.


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Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple
3C, Albert Road, Near Birla High School, Minto Park, Kolkata - 700017
Email: [email protected]

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History of Iskcon Kolkata Rathayātrā:
(The 2nd largest Rathayātrā Festival of the World)
About 100 years back, Srila Prabhupada, Kolkata’s most illustrious saint, had organized the Rath Yatra festival in Kolkata when he was just 6 years old. And 70 years later he again organized this grand festival in Kolkata in 1972. Kolkatans still fondly remember that auspicious day when the Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannath, descended on the streets of Kolkata along with his elder brother Lord Baladev and sister Subhadra Devi to bestow mercy upon millions of people. The year was 1972, the day was 12th July, Wednesday and the time was around 2 p.m., when huge chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Subhadra Devi were pulled from ISKCON Kolkata’s Radha Govinda Mandir, 3C Albert Road. The beautifully decorated huge chariot, carrying Lord Jagannath was about 30 ft high and was an exact replica of the ones in Jagannath Puri, Orissa. Just like in Jagannath Puri, where the Mula Vigraha of Jagannath is taken from temple to Gundicha, on similar lines here too the original Jagannath (Mula Vigraha) was taken. A grand procession followed. People irrespective of their caste and creed, irrespective of their color, men, women and children of all ages were overly excited to pull the rope and be a part in this great journey. No one wanted to miss this opportunity. The most striking highlight of this event was the presence of Western devotees (mainly from USA and UK) of Lord Krishna, who were enthusiastically participating in this event. Bhavanand Prabhu was melodiously singing the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, HH Jayapataka Swami was playing cymbals, HH Achyutananda Swami was playing drums (Mridangam), Narayani Mataji was gently fanning Lord Jagannath and Panchajanya Prabhu was offering arati to Lord Jagannath. All the people were enthusiastically dancing to the heart rendering tune of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. The chariots passed through Camac Street, Park Street, Chowringee, Chittaranjan Avenue, Mahatma Gandhi Road and finally reached the Radha Govinda Mandir of the Mallick’s Thakurbari at 12 M.G. Road. People had inundated the streets to have a glimpse of this glorious event. The emperor of the entire universe had descended on the streets of Kolkata. Although it seemed unbelievable but it was true, people were reverentially bowing down and were offering obeisances. Throughout the journey people were offering gifts to the Lord. At the crossing of M.G. Road and Chitpur a group of Rajasthani youths offered baskets of fruits and sweets to Lord Jagannath. After 5 hrs of journey the rath reached Mallick’s Thakurbari at 7 p.m. There the Lord was garlanded and the ladies offered fruits and sweets to the Lord in silver plates. The Rath Yatra festival was celebrated for 7 days at Mallick’s Thakurbari. Anand Baazar Patrika wrote the next day:
“Jaya Jagannath on the lips of foreign devotees. Wooden Church, many many man, pullpull. Once a Bengali clerk having got delayed in the crowd of Ratha Yatra had thus introduced the festival to his white employer. And the employer was delighted to hear this. And today on 12th July 1972, it was for the first time, the whites themselves inched through the crowded Chowringee Road, with cries of Jaya Jagannath on their lips, in front of the wonder – struck eyes of the Bengalis.”
Since 1972 ISKCON Kolkata has organized the Rath Yatra festival every year without any break. Today it is the 2nd largest rath yatra festival of the world, the 1st being the Rath Yatra festival at Jagannath Puri.