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Hans India
28-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra idols given a tour along city streets
Visakhapatnam: As wheels of chariots rolled along Visakhapatnam streets, people came together to witness the grand procession of Lords Jagannath and Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra on July 27 (Friday). Chanting 'Haribol', 'Jai Jagannath' chariots were pulled all along the routes mapped for the purpose. Decked up in colourful chariots, the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were given a tour along the city routes. Celebrating the festival of chariots, ISKCON in Visakhapatnam organised a host of events. Like each year, this year too, three separate chariots for Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra were taken out in a single procession along the streets. Built with mechanised collapsible canopies of 37-ft height, the rathams were decked up in an impressive manner marking the occasion. The procession commenced from Central Park at Beach Road at 4 pm and passed via Daba Gardens, Jagadamba Junction, and Ram Nagar before concluding at Gurajada Kalakshetram at Siripuram. The colorful Ratha canopies were sourced from Pipili, Odisha to give a similar festival flavour celebrated in Puri. As part of the festival, artistes from different troupes in Andhra Pradesh, Bengal and Odisha presented cultural programmes. The procession concluded at Gurajada Kalakshetram wherein devotees assembled to witness cultural show. As many as 1,008 varieties of special dishes were offered to the deities on the stage followed by 'maha sandhya arati' with 108 'pradeepam programme'. The 18th annual Jagannath Rath Yatra was conducted with great spiritual grandeur under the leadership of Sambadas Prabhu, president of ISKCON, Visakhapatnam. The grand procession began as Mataji Nitaisevini inaugurated the yatra in a ceremonious manner. Visakhapatnam west constituency MLA PGVR Naidu (Ganababu) inaugurated the yatra. Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj After completing the cleansing rituals, Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj, a premier socio-cultural organisation for Odias in the city, celebrated Rath Yatra with fervour. As part of it, deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra were taken out in a colourfully decorated chariot from the temple at Daspalla Hills to Gundicha temple at Lawson's Bay Colony. Following 'Pahandi Bije' ritual, the deities were taken to the chariot from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to their respective chariots. Then after sweeping the platform as part of the 'Chhera Pahanra' by the president of the samaj J K Nayak, the yatra commenced. Passing through VUDA Children Park, AU gate, The Park Hotel, the wheels of the chariot came to halt at the Gundicha temple at Lawson's Bay Colony where the deities will be in sojourn till July 5. Artistes presented cultural programmes all along the procession. Sankeertan was presented by the troupe deputed by the Odisha culture department. General secretary of the Samaj Binal Kumar Mahanta mentioned that a large number of people took part in the procession. Meanwhile, The Hare Krishna Movement took out a grand procession of the deities in a well-decorated floral chariot. From IIAM College, the procession passed via Isukathota Junction, Venkojipalem Junction, Appu Ghar before heading back to the IIAM College. Adding cultural flavor to the occasion, students of Kuchipudi Kala Kshetra performed dance on the occasion. People engaged in various devotional activities such as kirtans, bhajans and listened to spiritual discourses presented by the speakers.
Indian Express
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Art and spirituality: Kolkata gears up for ISKCON Rathayatra festivities from today
Kolkata is gearing up for the 54th Annual Rathayatra organized by ISKCON Kolkata, set to begin on June 25. The celebration carries the theme of 'Let Peace Prevail' . This year, Lord Jagannath's chariot will roll on newly fitted tyres originally designed for Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, replacing the Boeing 747 tyres that had been used since 1977. The nine-day festival kicks off with a grand mela at the Brigade Parade Ground on June 25, ahead of the main chariot procession on June 27. The mela will continue till July 4 and offer free khichdi prasadam to devotees daily from 3:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Cultural performances by acclaimed artists, including Dona Ganguly's dance troupe and Padma Shri awardees, will light up the evenings with dance, drama, kirtans, and spiritual talks. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit the mela on July 3 to offer aarti and join in prayers for peace and prosperity. The main Rathayatra procession will take place on Friday, June 27, beginning at 1 pm from the ISKCON Temple at 3C Albert Road. The chariots will travel through Hungerford Street, A.J.C. Bose Road, Sarat Bose Road, Hazra Road, S.P.M. Road, A.T.M. Road, Chowringhee Road, Exide Crossing, J.L. Nehru Road, and finally reach the Brigade Parade Ground. The return journey, or Ultarathayatra, will be held on Saturday, July 5, starting from Outram Road near Park Street Metro and concluding at the ISKCON Temple . The chariots are a feat of engineering. Lord Jagannath's Ratha is 38-ft tall with a collapsible canopy for easy navigation through Kolkata's roads. It now features tyres used in India's frontline Sukhoi-30 fighter jets. Subhadra Devi's chariot, the smallest, is also collapsible with iron wheels, while Lord Baladev's Ratha stands 36 feet tall with four large iron wheels, showcasing strength and grace. Adding to the spectacle, artists will decorate the route with vibrant street art using organic gulal. Kirtaniyas from across the world, accompanied by dozens of mridangas and kartals, will lead soul-stirring kirtans. Children's tableaux and prasadam buses will enrich the festive experience, which draws over two million participants annually—making it the second-largest Rathayatra after Puri. 'The festival highlights that in a world often consumed by conflict, unity and devotion can foster peace, as seen when devotees from Russia and Ukraine danced together before Lord Jagannath's chariot in Kolkata. last year. This celebration, inspired by Srila Prabhupada's vision, calls for spiritual awakening and global unity,' said Radharaman Das, Vice President ISKCON Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
