Ratha Yatra, The Festival of Chariots was celebrated in Singapore on the 22nd July at the Toa Payoh Stadium. The festival is the biggest of all other festivals organized by Sri Krishna Mandir. The festival this year was graced by His Honourable, Dr Ong Heng Song, MP for Marine Parade GRC and His Honourable, Mr A.S. Gill, First Secretary for Indian High Commission. As soon as the guests were seated, it was time for the Odissi dancers to showcase their talents. The intricate movements of the dancers were matched with precision and their display of artistry was exhibited right in front of the deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra.
With the conclusion of the traditional Indian dance which, undoubtedly charmed one and all, the guests-of-honour were garlanded and invited to give a speech. Dr Ong gave a ceremonious speech on racial harmony. Soon after, Mr Gill and His Grace Sundar Gopal Prabhu, president of Sri Krishna Mandir, gave speeches on the significance of the chariot festival.As soon as the speech ended, the kirtan then started off with a full swing. Led by His Grace Raghupati Prabhu, the kirtan electrified the atmosphere as everyone waited for the relocation of the deities from the altar to the chariots. As each of the deities was being carried off to their respective chariot, many took the opportunity to get close up photo shots of the deities.
The crowd offered their humble obeisance as each of the deities was seated on the chariot. As the pujaris on board the chariots started the arati, everyone gaped with wonder at the synchronous actions of the pujaris from the offering of lamp to the blowing of conchshells. As the arati ended, Lord Jagannatha was presented with a beautifully decorated pink shawl. The guest-of-honours, Dr Ong and Mr Gill were called upon to become sevaks to sweep the path leading to the chariot of Lord Jagannatha, similar to when the King of Orissa sweeps the chariots of the Supreme Lord just before the commencement of the pulling of the chariots. Thereafter the devotees eagerly took their position around each of the three chariots and waited for the signal to pull the ropes tied to the chariots.
The signal was given and the chariots started to make its way around the tracks starting with the chariot of the eldest brother of the three, Lord Baladeva, followed by Lady Subhadra and then the Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannatha. As each chariot made its way around the tracks, devotees started to chant the Holy names of the Lord melodiously along with the sounds of kartal and mrdanga. Despite of the potential of a heavy downpour imminent, devotees nonetheless persevered and continued chanting and pulling the chariots. But Lord Jagannatha, who is merciful understood the hearts of one and all who were present. As the skies opened up shortly after the opening ceremony, the Lord of the Universe ensured that the showers were kept at its minimum, ensuring a cool but literally dry evening. Everyone was exhilarated by this show of mercy and the kirtan soon turned into ecstatic kirtan as devotees started to dance for the pleasure of the Lordships. The melodic chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna was heard constantly from the three carts enlivening the entire atmosphere in the stadium as more devotees entered the stadium and joined in the festivities.
Halfway through the festivities, delicious and sumptuous prasadam was served at the end of the stadium at no charge and long queues was seen at the serving lounge. As the evening winded down, devotees pulling the chariots became adventurous and started to speed up the movement of the chariots. With every ounce of energy in their body devotees came to a point where they were virtually running whilst pulling the chariots! Such a spectacle was a truly awesome sight. Soon after, it was time to stop the chariots and retire the deities to the altar. The kirtan however, still continued and finally came to an end after the singing of Nrsimha Pranama. His Grace Sundar Gopal then was invited to give a small talk. He touched on the mercy of Lord Jagannatha especially on the occasion of Ratha Yatra where He is merciful to everyone who comes into contact with Him either visually or through touch. All who were present at the stadium were indeed fortunate enough to have seen the Lord of the Universe as they had stamped their right of places in Vaikuntha or the spiritual world where there no anxiety arises due to the effect of birth, death, old age and disease.
Ratha Yatra 2007 was comparably the largest festival that has been organized by Sri Krishna Mandir. A significant number of people attended the festival regardless of the cloudy conditions. Everything from the preparation of prasadam, to book distribution to chariot modifications was done at a gargantuan scale. This was done all for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra. Many people from all walks of life turned up just and just by their showing up, they received the causeless mercy of the Lord of the Universe.Ratha Yatra 2007 was a huge success for Sri Krishna Mandir especially in the forefront of its preaching efforts. The local government is finally recognising our preaching efforts as it has allowed us to have this Ratha Yatra in such a grand scale. The evidence of its sanctioning the Hare Krsna Movement in S'pore was by sending its representative to be the Guest Of Honour. In fact, the grandeur of the festival had caught the eye of a local newspaper and an international news media. The festival was published in the TODAY paper dated 23rd July 07 and although it was a short pictured article, it nonetheless gave an excellent indication that the chariot festival of Lord Jagannatha had gotten the attention of the masses. (The TODAY paper has a guaranteed circulation of 250,000 people.) The event was also covered in Channel News Asia; a first Ratha Yatra to receive TV coverage in South East Asia and perhaps outside India in Asia. This is the biggest breakthrough for Sri Krishna Mandir in Singapore, which has accepted Srila Prabhupada as our only Diksa and Siksa Guru. By his mercy only the impossible has been made possible.
Without a doubt, the Ratha Yatra festival will only grow bigger every year from now onwards by the will of Lord Jagannatha and countless number of heartlanders as well as expatriates will come together and will chant:
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
(In this age of Kali, there is no other means, no other means, no other means of self-realiazation than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.)
