By Gopika Radhika Devi Dasi
On July 7th, the city of Kolkata resounded with joyous kirtan as the transcendental Ratha-yatra procession of their Lordships Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi made its way through the crowded streets. This is the 53rd Kolkata Ratha-yatra. Started by Srila Prabhupada in 1972, the Kolkata Ratha-yatra has since become a cornerstone of the city’s spiritual and cultural milieu. Continuing a tradition from the past several years, the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC) has set up a multi-day exhibit at this year’s Ratha-yatra for the thousands who arrived in Kolkata for the festival.
The chariots journeyed from the ISKCON temple at Albert Road to Brigade Parade Ground, where they will remain for eight days. Each of these eight days is a grand festival in itself, packed with kirtan, katha, cultural programs, and vibrant spiritual exhibits, including the BRC exhibit.
BRC administrative director Gauranga Das commented, “Exhibits have become an increasingly common feature of BRC’s outreach efforts, essentially aiming to bring BRC to those who may not have the chance to visit the center in person.” In the recent past, BRC has put up similar exhibits at ISKCON Juhu, ISKCON Vrindavan, Radhanatha Swami’s Puri-yatra, and the ISKCON Leadership Sanga in Mayapur. Dr. Sumanta Rudra, the academic dean of BRC, noted, “These exhibits are also an important way for us to spread the word about our publications, particularly our Vaisnava Studies Series, which are in popular demand.” Expressing the deep fulfillment this service brings, Gauranga Das added, “This effort is a greatly satisfying labor of love for the BRC team, giving us a chance to introduce numerous people to the treasures of our acaryas’ literature and the nectarean seva of preserving and disseminating them.”
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