Indian Express
Sign In | Register Now
Newsletter | ePaper
Indian Express >  Mumbai > 

Faith accompli: Jagannath devotees pour out braving scorching heat and dust

Font Size
Dhanya Nair Posted: Nov 23, 2008 at 0123 hrs IST
Related Stories: Top spiritual hit: Lalbaug cha Raja reaps top economic dividendsIt’s time to pick up the cue from ‘one-village-one-Ganpati’ villages
Mumbai, November 22: Mumbaikars are accustomed to various political yatras happening during the elections, but on Saturday they witnessed a different kind of yatra —a devotional one. Thousands of devotees cutting across barriers of caste, creed and community came together for the Jagannath Rath Yatra organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

The Yatra is organised each year with an aim to give people a sneak peek in to the original Jagannath Rath Yatra that happens every year at Puri in Orissa to infuse spirituality, unity and bhakti. “The Rath Yatra in Puri started about 1,000 years ago is a major experience, which sees an overwhelming crowd from all over the world. However, still many people in the city have not got a chance to experience it. So, this yatra here is an effort to make the main deity, Lord Jagannath’s darshan viable to the city dwellers,” said ISKCON counsellor Guru Upendra Das.

The Yatra started at Shivaji Park in the late afternoon and continued till night passing through areas like Sena Bhavan, Plaza, Hanuman Mandir, Portuguese Church, Gokhale Road, Khed Galli and then back to Shivaji Park. “Our founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada started this yatra way back in 1967 all over the world. So far, we have had such processions in countries like San Francisco, France, UK, Australia and Germany to name a few. We started the same in the city some four years ago. Earlier we have had yatras taking place from Lower Parel, Prabhadevi and Shivaji Park itself,” said Das.

Ads By Google
For the devotees thronging from far off places like Dombivili, Kalyan and Palghar this is an opportunity for them to catch a glimpse of their favourite God. “I have never got an opportunity to go to Orissa, so I will in no way give this chance a miss, despite the long hours of commute and the fact that I only have one day weekend I came here,” said 28-year-old, Aadesh Yashwant who came all the way from Palghar. “The sun, pollution and traffic snarls¿ surprisingly nothing is bothering me today. There is a feeling of peace,” he adds, while moving with the crowd chanting ‘Hare Rama, Hare Krishna’.

The sentiment is echoed by 75-year-old Sunderbai Narayan Khare who made it to event despite a bad backache and leg pain. “I really don’t care. I am finally getting to be a part of the Yatra after all these years,” she says with a grin. The yatra does not make any bones about your religion or community and all are free to join. “Even in the Puri’s Yatra, people from all communities can catch a glimpse of the God. Here too we have kept the same spirit and everyone is free to attend,” said Das.

... contd.

Ads By Google
Post Comments
Message*
Maximum characters allowed     
 
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.
View all Messages [ 0 ]
View all Messages [ 0 ]
Group Websites : Express India | Financial Express | Screen India | Loksatta | Kashmir Live | Biz Publications
Privacy Policy | Feedback | Site MapThe Indian Express Group | Work With Us | Adverise With Us | Contact Us© 2009 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. All rights reserved
*Recipient(s) name *
*Recipient(s) e-mail address *
(Separate addresses by commas)
*Your Name *
*Your e-mail address *
Select your Country
Comments(optional)

The name(s) and e-mail address(es) you provide will
not be used for any purpose other than to inform the
recipient(s) of your identity. (*mandatory field)
 
Close