By Hari Narayana Das
Thousands of residents thronged Slamet Riyadi street, since Sunday morning at around 06.30 in the morning, to watch Kirab Boyong Kedhaton in order to commemorate the 273th anniversary of Solo City, Central Java. Kirab started from Sriwedari Stadium, Jalan Slamet Riyadi to Vastenburg Fort at Jenderal Sudirman Street.
The red and white row that became the vanguard of almost 1 km long drive gave the impression of strong nationalism. Behind the rear of the royal palace, the Mataram and Mataram senopathic monks, princes and princesses riding on horses and chariots along with abdi dalem provide an overview of the procession of the movement from Kartosuro to the village of Sala (Solo). The last line is a great chariot where the Lords Jagganath, Balarama and the Goddess Subadra sit with their noses and the tune of Hare Krishna Mahamantra festoon beautifully
“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
This annual festival is held by the government of Surakarta to memorate the anniversary of Solo city. The committee invited many departments and communities in Solo and nearby. The Narayana Smerti Asram, which located in Jogjakarta about 2 hours from Jogja was invited to participate in the parade. The devotees received the invitation a month before the parade. The committee also gave donation to the devotees.The Ratha yatra Nusantara team then organized the ratha yatra, started from collecting donation organizing the bus and sent the chariot team to prepare the chariot.
Garuda prabhu did early survey to Solo since there is no devotees stay in Solo. He went to Hotel Kusuma, which was used for the basecamp last year. The Hotel management was happily accepted the offered that devotees would use it as the basecamp again. They also allowed the devotees to cook there.
Two days before the ratha yatra, the chariot teams and the cooking teams flew to Solo. They have to prepare the prasadam because a day before the parade two busses full of devotees would arrive in Solo. When lord Jaganath and chariot arrived at hotel Kusuma suddenly dark cloud gathered above the city. Not waited for long time a heavy rain felt and it went for 3 hours. In the evening the devotees and the Solo Hindu Parisad did gaura arati and class was given by Sundarananda das about the ratha yatra.
The parade started at 07.00 local time, so the devotees prepare the early in the morning. The devotees started with Mangala arati in the hall that prepare for the temporary altar and and continued by procession of Lord Jaggantha carried to the chariot. A arati was offer by the pujari. The Lord then offered coconut as a sign that the ratha yatra was started. The devotees then honouring prasadam before pulling the chariot.
The participation of other cultural elements and also the dancers also provide a real color of diversity, already prepared in the line. The chariot of Lord jagannath became the last participant arrived and the committee arrange the space for the chariot. Kirab started from the intersection of Sriwedari stadium, ending in the yard of the city of Solo city. Thousands of residents crowded Jalan Slamet Riyadi, since Sunday morning at around 06.30 WIB. The officers had to dispel jostling citizens scrambling to get into the road that would pass the participants of the carnival. These conditions made parade choked up. The Lord chariot became the center of attraction from the citizen. The kirtan team lead by Sarana prada das and Nimai das increased the spitrit of the devotees to sing Hare Krishna Mahamantara and dance along the parade. On the way to the main stage, Hindu’s ladies from Solo Hindu Parisad joined the parade. They dance in front of the chariot.
Arrived in front of the main stage where the mayor of solo and his staff watched the parade, the Solo Hindu parisad Ladies dance Balinese traditional dance. The devotees then gave flowers garland that already offered to the Lord jagannath and Srila Prabhupada’s book to the mayor of Solo. The devotees then pulled the chariot in front of the stage and mayor and his staff gave greeting to the devotees. The devotees also distributed mahaprasadam and Srila Prabhupada book. The interesteg story came from the devotees who did sankirtan book that the people in Solo who majority from other faith eagerly bought the book. One of them even ran after the devotees to buy the book.
So I am always emphasizing book distribution. It is the better kirtana. It is better than chanting. Of course chanting should not stop, but book distribution is the best kirtana.” (SPL to Srutadeva dasa, 24th October, 1974)
The parade finished at 11.00 am and the devotees took rest in front of mayor’s office and wait for the prasadam before returning to the hotel. This rataha yatra happened in cooperation Solo Hindu Parisada and devotees.
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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