26 Sep 2022

Crowds thronged International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Botswana temple to celebrate its 10th anniversary through a celebration dubbed the festival of chariots.

Speaking during the commemoration in Gaborone on Sunday, Servant Mr Shree Manhar Mooney said ISKCON Botswana’s journey over the last 10 years was the definition of a dream turning into reality.

He said the journey started in a house converted into a temple which had since flourished into a beautiful purpose-built centre. He said there were a lot of amazing milestones that ISKCON Botswana had gone through during the 10 years.

“These include among others celebrating festivals such as Janmashtami, Food festivals, Harinams, food for life, school preaching, and of course Such Ratha Yatras,” he said.

He said Ratha Yatra, also known as the Festival of Chariots originated on the East Coast of India in a place known as Jagannatha Puri and dated back thousands of years.

On this day, the Lord rides his chariot and showers his blessings upon everyone regardless of colour, cast, and creed, he said.

Mr Mooney said over thousands of years the festival had become known for unifying people of all backgrounds through exuberant colours, music, food, and dance.

He added that the Ratha – Yatra festival commemorated a meeting that took place between Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Srimati Radharani, his most beloved devotee when they were present on earth over five thousand years ago.

“One shouldn’t think that Ratha – Yatra is an empty ritual, a mere imitation of a remote historical event by Lord Krishna’s mercy and omnipotence, he appears as the deity to allow us to see and serve him despite our limitations,” he said.

So, worshiping Lord Jagannatha as he rides his chariot in the Ratha - Yatra festival was not something ordinary; it was a sublime method of reviving the dormant love of God, he said.

Furthermore, Mr Mooney said in the early 20th century Srila Prabhupada at the age of 5 organised an annual Ratha – Yatra festival in his neighborhood in Calcutta.

He said his father had bought him a three-foot-high Ratha – Yatra cart and helped him decorate it, whereas his friends pulled the cart with a rope while Srila Prabhupada chanted, played a clay drum and led the singing, dancing, and distribution of Prasadam.

A few years later in 1967, this vibrant festival was brought to America from India by his divine grace A.C Bhaktivendata Swani Prabhupada, and to date celebrated in over 500 cities all over the world. ENDS