Art and spirituality: Kolkata gears up for ISKCON Rathayatra festivities from today
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
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Mahavatar Narsimha Unshaken By War 2 Craze, Collects Rs 215 Crore In 26 Days
The overall earnings of Mahavatar Narsimha is around Rs 215 Crore on its 26th day. Ashwin Kumar's epic drama, Mahavatar Narsimha, is doing extremely well at the box office. Despite competition from films such as Saiyaara, Son of Sardaar 2, Dhadak 2 and War 2, the film has enjoyed significant domestic box office success since its debut. It also performed well on its 4th Tuesday since release, confirming its place as an audience favourite. The overall earnings of Mahavatar Narsimha is around Rs 215 crore on its 26th day. As per Sacnilk, the Hindi version of Mahavatar Narsimha minted Rs 2.19 crore net on the fourth Tuesday at the box office. The total collection for the Hindi version stands at Rs 163.49 Crore. On Monday, the film earned Rs 1.75 crore for its Hindi version. The animated film was released in both 2D and 3D forms, despite poor buzz and fierce competition. However, it stunned everyone with its amazing box office collection, which was fuelled solely by positive word of mouth. Following a great debut, Mahavatar Narsimha established a solid dominance of animated films in India. What To Expect From Mahavatar Narsimha Franchise? Mahavatar Narsimha is the first installment in an ambitious animation franchise centred on Lord Vishnu's ten incarnations. The series is set to be issued throughout the next decade under titles such as Mahavatar Parshuram (2027), Mahavatar Raghunandan (2029), Mahavatar Dhawkadhesh (2031), Mahavatar Gokulananda (2033) and Mahavatar Kalki (2035 and 2037). According to reports, Mahavatar Narsimha has become India's first animated film to gross more than Rs 100 crore. The film broke previous records, surpassing global hits such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Incredibles and Kung Fu Panda in the Indian market to become the highest-grossing animated film. Mahavatar Narsimha – Plot Kleem Productions produced Mahavatar Narsimha, which is based on Lord Vishnu's fourth avatar. According to the legendary narrative, Hiranyakashyap, a demon, once challenged Lord Vishnu and declared himself a divinity. The former's son, Prahlad, was regarded as deeply committed to Lord Vishnu. However, disturbed by his father's torment of the masses and devotees, Lord Vishnu arrives as Narsimha, a man-lion, to destroy the demon. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
News18
a day ago
- News18
Mahavatar Narsimha Unstoppable At Box Office, Earns Rs 212 Crore In 25 Days
The film has maintained a strong hold despite stiff competition from films like Son of Sardaar 2, War 2 and Coolie. Mahavatar Narsimha, the Hombale Films production animated mythology, has created a storm at the box office. Released on July 25, the first instalment in a planned seven-part animated cinematic universe based on the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu has maintained a strong hold despite having stiff competition with films like Son of Sardaar 2, War 2 and Coolie. So far, the mythological epic action film has had an exceptional box office run, with Hindi markets being the major contributor. Mahavatar Narsimha 4th Monday Collection The film has now successfully entered its 4th week and minted a strong Rs 2.25 crore on its fourth Monday across all languages, at the domestic box office, as per With this, the film's total 25-day collection comes to a whopping Rs 212.75 crore. Going by the numbers, the film is seemingly unaffected by the arrival of Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR's War 2 and Rajinikanth's Coolie and remains one of the top preferences of the cinephiles. The success of Hombale Films' co-production indicates that viewers want to watch high-quality, homegrown animated stuff, especially when it is based on Indian mythology. It was released in both 2D and 3D forms, amid low buzz and strong competition. However, it surprised everyone with its amazing box office collection, which was fuelled solely by positive word of mouth. Following a great debut, Mahavatar Narsimha has become the first-ever Indian animated film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark at the domestic box office. Mahavatar Narsimha: Plot Mahavatar Narsimha is based on Lord Vishnu's fourth avatar. According to the legendary tale, Hiranyakashyap, a demon, once challenged Lord Vishnu and declared himself to be God. Meanwhile, the former's son, Prahlad, was regarded as deeply committed to Lord Vishnu. But shaken by his father's torture of the masses and all those believers, Lord Vishnu arrives as Narsimha, a man-lion, to defeat the demon. Mahavatar Universe After the mega success of the first project, the series is expected to be carried forward throughout the next decade under titles such as Mahavatar Parshuram (2027), Mahavatar Raghunandan (2029), Mahavatar Dhawkadhesh (2031), Mahavatar Gokulananda (2033) and Mahavatar Kalki in two parts (2035 and 2037). First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Thousands in Mahakal procession amid downpour
Ujjain: Despite heavy rainfall on Monday afternoon, thousands of devotees lined the 7km procession route of Lord Shri Mahakaleshwar's royal procession through the holy city during the auspicious months of Shravan-Bhadrapada. The grand spectacle featured six divine forms of the deity, with Lord Chandramouleshwar carried in a silver palanquin, Lord Manmahesh seated majestically on an elephant, and other manifestations displayed on elaborately decorated chariots, including Garuda, Nandi, and Dhol chariots. Chief minister Mohan Yadav, along with other dignitaries, participated in the formal worship before personally carrying the palanquin on their shoulders. Armed police forces presented a guard of honour at the temple's main gate as the procession began its traditional journey. "The Lord resides in every part of my being, like a breath in the body, and my heartbeat is driven by the mention of the Lord," shared Nitin Tiwari from Badnagar, who attended the procession for 31 consecutive years, travelling over 45km even during the Corona period. The procession showcased India's rich cultural heritage through 70 devotional groups from across Madhya Pradesh. Shailendra Vyas, participating for his 39th year, emphasised the significance of traditional attire: "The current young generation is unaware of this heritage," he noted, appearing in royal costume with crown and tricolour to inspire youth about Indian cultural value A unique highlight was the flower shower from helicopters that occurred 4-5 times during the procession, creating a celestial atmosphere as petals rained down on the devoted crowd. Four tribal artist groups performed traditional dances, including Gudumbaja, Shrungari, Danda, and Karma, adding vibrant cultural elements to the religious ceremony. At Ram Ghat, Lord Chandramouleshwar received a sacred bath with waters from Shipra river while the Shaiva sect performed traditional worship from the opposite bank. TNN Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
