Sri Sri Jagannath Subhadra Balaram


  

Personally worshiped by
His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.



When we presented a slide show to the audience afte Srila Prabhupada spoke at the Kuala Lumpur Town Hall in 1971, the image of Lord Jagannath's Rathayatra at London's Trafalgar Square beamed up onto the screen. Srila Prabhupada told us to say to the audience, "No more Lord Mountbatten. Now it's Lord Jagannath." Lord Mountbatten was the Viceroy who came to India from England. Srila Prabhupada seemed to be saying that now, Lord Jagannath had come from India to England, to triumphantly parade the streets of London and give eternal mercy to all.


Every year London devotees perform the dynamic and divine Rathayatra, taking these Lord Jagannath Deities on huge wooden chariots, joyfully chanting Hare Krishna through the city to Trafalgar Square. Then there is a festival, more chanting, a talk about the prime necessity of Krishna conscious for eternal happiness, and a delicious feast of vegetarian Krishna prasadam.


Srila Prabhupada came to London to lead the Rathayatra. There are personal accounts of this in the "Memories of Prabhupada" DVD series. (www.prabhupadamemories.com)


 

Pujari's Dream Come True

 

One of the pujaris from Soho temple visited our family in Mayapur in 2009. She told us a very interesting story about Lord Jagannath in Soho.(A pujari is a devotee that personally serves the Lord in the temple.)


The pujaris were preparing to offer a flower set to Sri Sri Radha London Isvara. A donor had offered the funds required. ("Flower set" means the Deities are completely covered in flowers instead of cloth.)


During her sleep Lord Jagannath appeared in a dream. He said, "I am God just as much as He is! I want a flower set also."


"But Lord Jagannath," she pleaded nervously, "Someone donated the money for the flower set. We don't have the money to buy a flower set for You."


"Don't worry," Lord Jagannath said. "Radharani will arrange everything."

The next day someone came to the temple and donated the money needed to buy Lord Jagannath's flowers, and the devotees enthusiastically prepared a flower set to Lord Jagannath also.

 



Rathayatra photo projected in 1971


Trafalgar Square 2007


festival after procession


jubilant kirtan 


devotees pull Lord Jagannath's chariot
photo David C


dressed as Radha and Krishna
photo David C


chanting Hare Krishna


procession through London streets
photo David C
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