Aug 12, 2009
Attracting the devotees from all around the U.S and other parts of the world, the chariot enthroning Jaganath, Baladev and Subhadra rolled over the soil of St. Louis on July 25th, 2009. With the crowd cheering and dancing for the harinam sankirtan, the Ratha Yatra went around historic Tower Grove Park on a 1.5 mile parade starting from Turkish Pavilion at 4.30 pm. The main chariot was accompanied by a huge Jaganath deity with His merciful arms extended to embrace all living entities. Hundreds of devotees blissfully pulled the chariot on both sides accompanied by ecstatic kirtan and dancing in the middle. Multi-colored flags and mahamantra banners decorated the parade. Children distributed chilled water, fruits and nuts as refreshments for the devotees to cool off the hot sunny day.
The parade paused briefly at Chinese Pavilion for offering of the juice to the Lords and to the devotees. By 6.30 pm the parade came to an end making its way back to Turkish Pavilion. The Ratha Yatra festival ended with delicious dinner prasadam alongside with various cultural programs highlighted by Krishna Balarama School children’s drama, Odissy dance by Leena Mohanty and melodious bhajans by various devotees. Ratha Yatra festival is an auspicious occasion when the Lord of the Universe comes out of His abode to extend His mercy to all the conditioned souls giving an opportunity to escape the miserable repetition of birth and death in this material world and return back home back to Godhead. Jaya Jaganath! Jaya Baladev! Jaya Subhadra!
