Latest news with #Rathayatra
Daily Tribune
29-06-2025
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Odia Samaj Celebrates Grand Rathayatra with Devotion and Unity
TDT I Manama The Bahrain Odia Samaj, in collaboration with ISKCON Kanoo Garden, enthusiastically celebrated the world-famous Rathayatra – the festival of unity and devotion – on Friday, June 27. Following the sacred traditions of the Puri Rathayatra, the three divine Deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Mata Subhadra – were ceremoniously brought from the ISKCON Temple, Kanoo Garden, to Adhari Park, where the grand Rathayatra festival was held. A large number of devotees joined in pulling the chariot amidst the chanting of 'Haribol' and 'Jai Jagannath,' accompanied by the sounds of bells and drums. As per traditional custom, the President of Bahrain Odia Samaj, Shri Ramachandra Sahu, and Shri Shri Radha Gopal Krishna Temple's Yadavapati Krishnadas Prabhu and Prashant Prabhu performed the Chhera Pahanra ritual on the chariot, after which the chariot began its procession. The Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E. Mr. Vinod K. Jacob, graced the event as the chief guest. He addressed the large gathering of devotees about Rathayatra and commended all members of Bahrain Odia Samaj for their active participation in spreading the socio-cultural heritage of India, especially Odisha, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bahrain Odia Samaj Treasurer Priyadatt Roy, Cultural Secretary Ankita Nayak, and Sports Secretary Ameresh Panda discussed Jagannath culture in the presence of devotees. General Secretary of the society Shantanu Senapati and Public Relations Secretary Amarnath Subudhi expressed that celebrating Rath Yatra abroad is a matter of great fortune for every Odia diaspora member. A variety of Mahaprasad, including the traditional Chhappan Bhoga, was prepared and offered to the Lord on the chariot. The event was a joyous celebration for all devotees and attendees. The festivities will continue for nine days, culminating with the Bahuda Yatra (Return Journey) on July 5. President of the Bahrain Odia Society, Shri Ramachandra Sahu, addressed the devotees, stating that celebrating Rath Yatra in Bahrain is a testament to the play and mercy of Lord Jagannath. He thanked all members of the Odia diaspora for organizing the Rath Yatra program in a traditional manner and discussed ways to strengthen the organization and further spread Jagannath culture and tradition, as well as how to organize Rath Yatra in Bahrain every year. Finally, Joint General Secretary Shri Sarada Patnaik extended a vote of thanks to all the devotees.
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
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
QR code debut to help track Iskcon rath progress
Kolkata: For the first time in its 54-year history, the Kolkata Rathayatra will integrate a QR-code-based tech system, allowing devotees to track the movement of Lord Jagannath's chariot in real time. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A new website — — has been launched by Iskcon Kolkata to help devotees across the globe stay virtually connected to the procession and the celebrations at Maidan, where the pandal is being erected as a replica of Puri's Jagannath temple. "This year, we are not only blending tradition with technology, but also aiming to send a global message of peace amid rising geopolitical tensions," said Iskcon Kolkata vice-president Radharamn Das at their Gurusaday Road office on Tuesday. As reported by TOI earlier, the chariot of Lord Jagannath will roll out on Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft tyres for the first time, replacing the Boeing 747 tyres used since 1977. According to Das, the decision was made after four decades of service by the Boeing tyres. "It was a challenge to source the new wheels, but MRF helped us secure them," he said. The procession will take its usual route from Iskcon's Albert Road temple and end at Brigade Parade Ground, where a 10-day fair will be held from June 27 to July 5. Prasad will be served from 3.30 pm to 8.30 pm. The fair will also feature children's tableaux, kirtans led by international artistes, and spiritual discourses. South Indian artists will create street art using organic gulal ahead of the procession. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will visit the Maidan on July 3 to participate in the festival, Das said. The organisers said over 20 lakh people are expected to participate in the annual event, second in scale only to Puri's Rathayatra. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The festival will include cultural performances by danseuse Dona Ganguly's troupe, among other programmes. Das said: "Iskcon has followers from over 180 nations. We also see tourists from countries like Russia, Ukraine, and China. Given the current global scenario, with the looming threat of a world war, we pray for peace and unity among nations. This is the only place where citizens from Russia and Ukraine come together to pray to Lord Jagannath, forgetting their differences." Stressing that the festival is much more than a religious gathering, Das said: "This is a platform for spiritual unity." The chariot of Lord Jagannath stands 38-ft high with a collapsible canopy to navigate city roads. Subhadra and Balarama have individual chariots. All have collapsible designs and heavy-duty iron wheels.
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Indian Express
Snan Yatra fever grips Digha: Mamata sends homegrown mangoes for bhog
The sacred Snan Yatra festival commenced with great fervour at Jagannath Dham in Digha on Tuesday, marking a spiritually vibrant prelude to the forthcoming Rathayatra celebrations. The deities — Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi — will be ceremoniously brought out from the temple's inner sanctum to the Snan Bedi, a special bathing platform constructed on the temple's eastern side. Bathed in the morning sun, the platform will become the stage for one of the most sacred rituals of the Vaishnavite calendar. The deities will be bathed in water collected from 108 holy tirthas. This elaborate Snan Vidhi will then be followed by an anointing ceremony involving devotional chants, pancha-amrit (a mixture of milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar), sweet fruit juices, and other sacred substances. 'Once the divine bath, or Snan Vidhi, is complete, the deities will be offered a grand bhoga. And in a truly heartwarming gesture, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has sent a special gift! Luscious mangoes and jackfruits, plucked straight from the trees in her Kolkata residence. It will be included in the afternoon's elaborate Chappan Bhog, a magnificent offering of 56 delectable items,' said Radharaman Das, Vice President of ISKCON. Darshan timings on the day of the festival are scheduled from 3 pm to 9 pm, during which devotees will have the rare opportunity to witness the deities in Gaja Vesha (elephant attire), a form said to bless viewers with prosperity and protection. However, starting Wednesday, the temple will observe a period of tender silence as the deities are believed to fall ill due to the elaborate bathing ritual — a state affectionately called Snana Yatra fever. As per tradition, Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi will enter a period of divine rest, making themselves unavailable for public darshan, said Das. 'However, the temple will remain open, and Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan ji will bless the devotees with darshan,' he said. The deities are expected to reappear on June 26, a day before the grand Rathayatra on June 27. 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
