By Nila Kamala
ISKCON Bandung
Bandung is a small island in Indonesia. The annual anniversary of the city took place on the 21st of October this year. To celebrate this event, throughout the city there is a parade with a variety of arts, acts and performances. As usual, the devotees joined the parade being invited by the Government.
“To implement this transcendental bliss to the people of your country there is immense work to be done ahead and this Ratha-yatra festival is only a bit of sample. If we get opportunity we shall be able to overflood your country with the waves of transcendental bliss, by the grace of Krsna (SPL to Aniruddha, 7th July, 1968).
Devotees assembled in Bandung the day before the festival. Devotees came from all over Indonesia to participate: Bali, Punchak, Jakarta, Jogjakarta and Lampung. The devotees were extremely delighted this year to have the association of His Holiness Subhag Swami. Maharaj visited the base camp in the evening, overlooking and inspiring the devotees with their services. Many devotees worked till midnight making arrangements for the next day’s festivities.
The following day, Maharaj arrived at the basecamp at noon and delivered a class to the devotees present on the importance and significance of the Ratha Yatra festival. Maharaj then performed the arati ceremony to Their Lordships. VIP guests offered coconuts to the Lord and smashed them to invoke auspiciousness. With an ecstatic kirtan the chariot was pulled to the parade starting location. Prasadam and books were distributed profusely throughout the event. Although Bandung has a majority of its inhabitants following the Islamic tradition; they were warmly welcomed Jagannath and the devotees.
Finally after entering the main stage, the Mayor of Bandung stood up from his chair to show respect to the Lord and the devotees presented him a maha prasad garland.
Rathe ca vamanam drstva punar janma na vidyate. ‘Simply by seeing the Lord on the chariot, one makes advancement for stopping the repetition of birth and death.’ Lecture July 13th 1972
We thank all the devotees who participated in the festival and who worked tirelessly in order for the festival to be a success. We especially thank the devotees residing in Bandung headed by HG Lokanath Acarya das who oversaw all the needs of the devotees. Our ever grateful obeisances are due to HH Kavichandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their support and guidance to always look for new avenues for sankirtan. Our humble obeisances to HH Subhag Swami for his inspiration and always reminding us of the importance of the Sankirtan movement of Mahaprabu and for inspiring us with the dedication of Sriman Jayananda Prabhu, for bringing us closer to Srila Prabhupada and keeping us united in family of ISKCON.
For more pictures please see: https://facebook.com/hari.sukrawan/media_set?set=a.10209905898644580&type=3&uploaded=59
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