By Thomas Haribol
Known for its creative and successful outreach efforts, ISKCON Tucson integrated its first Ratha Yatra event into the city’s 34th annual All Souls’ Procession on Nov. 5, 2023.
All Souls’ Day is a Christian holy day focused on remembering and praying for the souls of the deceased. The All Souls’ Procession was the brainchild of Tucson artist Susan Johnson, who sought a public way to honor her father and grieve after his death. The multi-day event also integrates imagery from the Mexican and Central American tradition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and was sponsored by Many Mouths One Stomach (MMOS), a collective of artists, teachers, and community activists.
According to the organizers, the event had over 200,000 participants. “The All Souls Parade is the biggest parade in Tucson, so it was a natural venue for Lord Jagannath to make His divine appearance,” said Sandamini Devi Dasi, Tucson’s Temple President, “We’d been doing harinam at the festivities for years, but we wanted to take it up a notch to benefit more people. The night was a perfect 75 degrees, and it seemed the whole town came out.”
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/devotees-hold-tucsons-first-ratha-yatra-in-the-citys-largest-annual-parade/
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