Devotees celebrate Krishna’s return

Devotees celebrate Krishna’s return

CHANTING the name of God reduces crime since people’s hearts and minds are cleansed and pacified by hearing the transcendental sound, says the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

The organisation will be hosting its annual festival of Rathayatra on May 13 and as follower Basdeo Harbajan pointed out, it promises to be one of the better ones.

It is held in collaboration with the Indian High Commission.

The festival consists of a chariot procession, in which the deities of the Hindu God, Krishna are paraded to the accompaniment of devotees chanting a mantra.

All persons who take part in this festival, it is said, will “reap tremendous spiritual benefit” and “hearing the chanting of the holy name awakens one’s dormant spiritual nature”.

One of the many floats used

One of the many floats used
during the festivities.

The Rathayatra Festival originated in Jagannatha Puri, India, for the past five thousand years.

India celebrates the procession by using millions of followers to pull the chariots of Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra clearing everything in its path.

The festival is a commemoration of Krishna’s return to his hometown of Vrindavan during an eclipse.

Rathayatra street procession

Rathayatra street procession.

ISKCON has been involved in Trinidad since the late 1970s.

The movement in Trinidad is known for its distribution of spiritual literature in homes and libraries, as well as for chanting with drums and cymbals in towns and cities. Trinidadian devotees of ISKCON have been observing Rathayatra for the past 15 years in areas like Port of Spain, San Fernando, Chaguanas, Arima, Arouca and Sangre Grande.

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