Elevation to Ecstasy
This Ratha Yatra festival has been going on for more than 2,000 years in the city of Jagannatha Puri. Jagannatha means “the universe,” and natha means “the Lord.”
This Ratha Yatra festival has been going on for more than 2,000 years in the city of Jagannatha Puri. Jagannatha means “the universe,” and natha means “the Lord.”
Ratha-yatra is an ancient festival glorifying Lord Jagannatha, the Supreme Lord of the universe. it is not an Indian or Hindu festival. It could just as easily be London’s Trafalgar Square as Puri, India.
Special Ratha Yatra festival edition of Back to Godhead, the magazine of the Hare Krishna Movement.
Some hesitate to join the Ratha-yatra parade, remembering God commands, “Thou shalt not worship a graven image.” What about this? Are the Hare Krishna people really idol worshipers?
At the same time that Lord Jagannatha was being pulled through Jagannatha Puri in three giant carts with millions of pilgrims in attendance, Srila Prabhupada and his young friends would pull their small cart through the streets near their home in Calcutta.
This article recounts the miraculous dancing and transcendental pastimes performed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He personally took part in the Ratha-yatra festival in Jagannatha Puri, India.
The King began to hear about an incarnation of Lord Visnu named Nila-madhava. He then became very inspired and sent different brahmanas to search for and inquire about Lord Nila-madhava.