London Ratha-Yatra Festival 1970 Photos
[This is an article from www.Back2Godhead.com]
The mammoth chariot lumbered down through the heart of London, while on all sides thousands chanted and danced in ecstasy. Piccadilly Circus overflowed with the masses who lined the streets and sidewalks. The giant tower, over 50 feet high, swayed precariously as Lord Jagannatha’s Rathayatra car moved slowly towards Trafalgar Square. From between the buildings of disbelieving window-watchers, the challenging stature of the red, yellow and blue chariot, bedecked with flowers and gems, lotus petals and sparkling ornaments, appeared most imposing. And seated on the huge chariot, His golden cape blowing gracefully in the midsummer air, Lord Jagannatha, accompanied by His sister, Subhadra, and His brother, Balarama sat regally surveying the phantasmagoria of banners and flags, festoons and drums. The devotees sat reverently at the lotus feet of Their Lordships and led the teeming crowds in the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The multitudes responded with an incredible procession of singing and dancing that extended for a thousand yards around the chariot—all in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
The second annual London Rathayatra festival happened just like that. Two years before, when six disciples of the Hare Krsna Movement first invaded British soil, the newspapers declared: “KRSNA CHANT STARTLES LONDON.” Londoners still haven’t recovered from that initial shock of transcendental sound vibration.
The Radha-Krsna Temple (London) hasn’t let them.
The devotees there (now numbering near thirty) have continued to bombard England with Hare Krsna on records on television and radio, in the movies, in newspapers and magazines, and daily the sankirtana party of saffron-clad chanters dance their way down Oxford Street.
The founder-acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. All knowledge of the topmost yoga system known as bhakti-yoga, propagated around the world by the Hare Krsna Movement, has come from him. On the order of his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada has introduced this science of God realization in the Western world. So perfect is the science of Krsna, so blissful is its execution, that in just four years over 50 centers of Krsna consciousness have been established by His Divine Grace, and the entire Western world has recognized the absolute authority of the Hare Krsna mantra. Public festivals held for the glorification of God are a unique, happy process by which many, many people can achieve bhakti-yoga, devotion to the Supreme Lord. If the festival is pleasing and people respond to nice chanting, decorated carts and prasadam (spiritual foodstuffs offered first to the Supreme Lord), then they are actually appreciating Krsna Himself, and by such appreciation all can attain pure devotional service. That is the transcendental meaning to the Rathayatra Festivals.
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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It is Lord’s mercy that all people on this planet know HIM .. and get the biss of HIS name and prasadam… which no material luxury can give… HARE KRISHNA
Hare Krishna Ramjumar
The only way the people on the planet are going to get to know Krishna is by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. The only way people can get the bliss of His name and prasadam is by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. So for us worshiping the pure devotee of Krishna is more important than worshiping Krishna. Because it is only through the mercy of the pure devotee of Krishna that we can get the mercy of Krishna. This is what Krishna advises us to do in Bhagavad-gita [4.34] “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” So we can not approach Krishna directly, Krishna is not giving His mercy directly in the material world. He sends His pure devotee and the only way we can get the mercy of Krishna is by the mercy of Krishna’s pure devotee.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa