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Contrary to some erroneous reports in Indian media, ISKCON of Houston plans to hold its Festival of Bliss on Saturday, November 9th. The following is a statement from Saranga Thakur Dasa, President, ISKCON of Houston:

“ISKCON Houston To Adapt Its Festival for 2024

In the spirit of cooperation, ISKCON Houston is voluntarily adapting its Festival of Bliss plans for 2024, by featuring the Deities of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, who famously brought the cha

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

The ISKCON New Gokula Farm in Australia’s Hunter Valley celebrated their 2024 Rath Yatra on July 7. The 550-acre property, renowned for its large organic vegetable gardens and orchards, is situated just two hours north of Sydney and the presiding Deities are Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda.

Srila Prabhupada, in his lecture in San Francisco on July 5, 1970, glorified the significance of Rath Yatra. He said, “Simply by seeing the Lord on the chariot, one makes advance

On July 7th, ISKCON Kolkata celebrated its 53rd Rath Yatra, the second-largest Rath Yatra in the world after Puri. The presiding deities, Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, were mounted on beautifully decorated chariots, a sight to behold. These chariots were then pulled through the streets by many of the thousands who participated, creating a deeply devotional scene.

The Pahundi ceremony (taking Their Lordships towards the Rath cart) started around 8.30 am, followed by a cultural program

Despite this world of utter craziness, I still cannot help but to see some optimism behind it. It doesn't take much to perceive some beauty in it all, whether through the first rays of the sun, a bird in flight, the smell of dawn, a lake with shimmering water backed by a mountain or a human after a fresh bath with a smile.

Gadadhar came to my cabin in Chemainus to check if I was all packed for the ferry to the mainland. Indeed I was, prepared for the two hour playing over the sea, then a drive

By Karuna Shakti Devi Dasi and Radha Krishna Devi Dasi

On Sunday, June 23, 2024, in the heart of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada, a colourful and jubilant parade wound its way through Kelowna’s lakeside City Park. The Festival of Chariots was a first for the city, and it was met with much excitement from locals, with an unexpected 1,500 people in attendance.

VIP guests included the “Walking Monk” himself, Bhaktimarga Swami, Mayor Tom Dyas, Councillor Mohini Singh, and Kelowna La

By Uttamasloka Das

Once again, The Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannath, along with His brother Baladeva and Sister Subhadra, have decided to enact Their Rath Yatra pastime on the streets of Chicago, Illinois. This year, the parade and festival took place on June 16th (Father’s Day), beginning just one block north of the prestigious Loyola University, and the ensuing festival took place at Loyola Beach Park, just under a mile from where Their Lordships preside with Sri Sri Kisora Kisora and Sri

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

ISKCON Auckland, New Zealand, orchestrated a splendid series of Rath Yatras spanning from November 25 to December 16, 2023. This grand celebration magnetized thousands of people who assembled fervently around the majestic chariots carrying the Deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra.

In 1976, Srila Prabhupada installed the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra in Auckland, and since that auspicious installation, the annual Rath Yatra, a f

By Kaliarupa Jagannath Dasa

ISKCON Hamburg on the 19th August 2023, celebrated their Annual Rath Yatra Festival starting from Saturn, Mönckebergstraße. Amongst the participants were Sri Shashi Tharoor – Indian Member of Parliament & Smt. Soumya Gupta – Consul General of India in Hamburg, Germany. Sri Shashi Tharoor was ecstatic & shared “Delighted to participate in a Rath Yatra in Hamburg organised by ISKCON & do my share of pulling Lord Jagannath’s chariot through the neighbourhood! Smashed t

ISKCON Baltimore celebrated their annual Rathyatra this memorial day weekend in the heart of scenic waterfront inner harbor, downtown Baltimore.
Festival attracted more than 2000 people who received Prasadam,books and Holy Name.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=108963

By Kasisvar Das

On June 26th over five hundred devotees from Alachua and other ISKCON communities gathered in Daytona Beach, a picturesque vacation place in Central Florida, for joining the Ratha Yatra Festival. It was a long-awaited event indeed.

The Covid-19 pandemic delayed everything in the world and many festivals and events were placed on hold for months. Millions of people have been pulled out of their comfort zone to realize what Bhagavad-Gita calls the reality of this temporary miserab

Our life is like a yatra – a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey towards the Divine. Our body symbolises the rath or chariot, through which we embark on the journey towards serving and attaining eternal love of the Lordships. Though we live in this material body or ‘rath’, the bonafide shastras and acharyas advise us to surrender its control to the all-merciful Lord Purushottama.  Thus, by sincerely following their instructions, we earn their blessings and eventually we are able to blissfully maneu

In what is normally an event with 30-40,000 people in attendance, the Festival of India/Chariots was down scaled substantially due to the epic Covid-19 epidemic. That’s the reality today—learn to adjust. 

The organizers of this year‘s program in Toronto operated as cool as cucumbers, as usual, and their approach to this beloved event was full of innovation.  Deities of Jagannath were stationed in a convertible and were taken for a ride down the customary route of Yonge St to the waterfront at Su

By Raas Raman Krishna Das

Amidst the uncertainties, whether there would be ‘Rath Yatra 2020′ or not, holy Puri’s three chariots were taken out in grand procession. Lord Jagganatha not only came out with his siblings but also maintained the continuity of the age old festival.

Devotees around the world got satiated after their lordships’ darshans though it was all virtually. Year 2020 is really going quite heavy for not only material persons materially but also for the devotees’ community spiritua

The following article was written by my wife Shefali Jandial in June,2013 which talks about her experience of Krishna Consciousness through Kirtan/Kirtan Mela and an incident which strengthened her faith in Krishna. She recently left her body in an unfortunate accident.

 The Purple flower

Where is the joy?

Oh! Just around the corner.

I turn the corner-

Where is the joy?

Oh! Up there & yonder.

Closer I wander…

I hear Krishna’s heartbeat,

Radha Rani’s anklets

I hear vibrating mridangas

& tinkling kartalas

Oh