ISKCON Mangalore organizes 9th annual Krishna – Balarama Ratha Yatra

ISKCON Mangalore organizes 9th annual Krishna – Balarama Ratha Yatra

Mangalore Today News Network

Photos: Prashanth Nayak

Mangalore, Feb 26, 2012: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) held their 9th annual Shri Shri Krishan Balarama Ratha Yatra on Feb 25 Saturday. 

Speaking about the Ratha Yatra, Stoka Krishna Dasa said that it is held on the day on which Lord Krishna and his elder brother Balarama visit devotees. He also said that the Ratha Yatra conveys the message of brotherhood, secularism, and harmony as it gives an opportunity to devotees to have a darshan of Lord Krishna and Balarama irrespective of caste, creed, or religion.

 

Ajay Kumar, the chairman and managing director of Corporation Bank, inaugurated the Ratha Yatra by showering petals of flowers on Lord Krishna and breaking the ash gourd and coconut. Later, he drew the chariot for a distance of 10m with the help of other devotees. 

The chariot was beautifully decorated with fragrant flowers and sparkling lights. The images of Lord Krishna and Balarama were decorated with flowers, ornaments, and silk garments. The devotees chanted the Hare Krishna mantra throughout the procession. 

The procession commenced at City Centre, and the entire ritual was presided over by Madhupandit Dasa, the president of ISKCON in Bangalore and the chairman of the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
The prasadam was distributed by volunteers among the devotees throughout the journey. Packets of prasadam were also given from the chariot. 

Devotees from different parts of the country such as Haryana, Hyderabad, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka participated in this Ratha Yatra.