By Hari Narayana Das
The Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini or Risma has set Surabaya Vaganza who was a Culture and Flower Parade as an annual event to commemorate the age of 725 city’s anniversary. This festival was followed by communities and groups from every tribe and ethnicity. It was mentioned as many as 83 participants. Some 41 people rode the customized cars and others acted as the marching band personnel. The participants came from Nias, Minang, Lampung, Bali, Bogor, Papua, India, Southwest Maluku, Tapanuli, South Sulawesi, NTT, Japan Consulate General and ISKCON in Surabaya.
“For the present you endeavor to make Ratha-yatra festival grand and successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighborhood people may be attracted to join the procession.” (SPL to Upendra, 1st June, 1968)
The Ratha yatra was organized by Govardhan Prabhu, Srivatsa Prabhu, and devotees from Surabaya. They made coordination with Ratha yatra Nusantara team. The chariot team arrived a today before the ratha yatra. the chariot was carried from Malang, about two hours from Surabaya. it was new chariot that was constructed for Malang area. The chariot was carved by Brajanagar Prabhu in Jember east java. The deities also arrived a day before the festival. The Deities also new for the Malang Devotees. It also carved by Brajanagar Prabhu.
The base camp of the Ratha yatra was at Sindhu Bhavan. The non-permanent altar was made in the hall of Sindhu Bhavan. the hall also used by the devotees to take rest. On the day of the festival, devotees from Bali arrived at 2 AM early morning. Then they took rest for a while before Mangala arati. The ceremony started at 6 Am and the Lords were offered coconut before devotees pulled it to the starts point at Pahlawan field. Arrived there the committee of the have to work hard to arrange the Lord’s Chariot in front-line because other participants already there and cover all the street. After some adjustments, the chariot pulled to the first line. There the Mayor of Surabaya, Mrs. Risma appealed to all communities and groups from every tribe and ethnicity to enliven the parade. It was not long after that the festival started. One by one participant passed the honored stage. When the Lord Chariot passed the stage, devotees gave flowers garland to Risma and her staffs. And the announcer announced to the audiences about the story of Ratha Yatra.
Both sides of the streets were packed with people who wanted to see the parade. Devotees distributed one ton of oranges that already offered to the Lord Jagannath which was donated by Dina Dharini Mataji to the audiences. The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra filled the atmosphere. The devotees danced in front of Lord Jagannath and people also followed from their place. They were so happy seeing Lord Chariot. Devotees also distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Throughout the journey, many people witnessed various activities and cars followed by the Regional Device Organization (OPD) Pemkot Surabaya, BUMD Pemkot Surabaya, universities, agencies/ambassadors from neighboring cities and also cities from outside the province and outside the island.
thousands of residents also crowded the area of Taman Bungkul. In fact, eight members states of Unicef, namely representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia, and also participated waiting for participants Surabaya Vaganza in Taman Bungkul.
Arrived at the finished points, the announcer also sang Hare Krishna Mahamantra when Lord Jagannath passed the finished stage. People also tried to sing Hare Krishna Maha Mantra event they could not utter it completely for the first time, then they used to sing the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra completely. Then the devotees returned to Sindhu Bhavan by bus and honoured prasadam there.
I thank you all very much for making the Ratha-yatra festival so successful. Please convey my gratitude to all the boys and girls who participated in this great transcendental service. (SPL to Upendra, 4th July, 1968).
We offer our heartfelt gratitude to H.H. Kavichandra Swami and H.H. Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their encouragement to increase sankirtan; H.H. Subhag Swami for being our inspiration, and to all the wonderful senior devotees of Indonesia for their blessings and constant support.
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