>>PREVIEW
THE CHARIOT FESTIVAL
Saturday, August 26
Millennium Park
Come in jeans and T-shirts, shorts and tank tops or wear your finest traditional outfits. The choice is yours. Stick to whatever makes you comfortable, but be prepared to walk, sing and dance during the joyous Rathayatra celebration, also known as the Chariot Festival.
"You can be who you are. Yet you have the opportunity to be a part of something unique and ecstatic," says Chaitanya Hari, youth co-ordinator for The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Canada.
This festival is probably one of the oldest in recorded history. But how can a 5,000-year-old religion still hold appeal among today’s youth?
Even though the principles have remained the same, the teachings have been modified to cater to a newer generation, Hari says. Moreover, elders in the association have made a concerted effort to involve them in all activities.
"From poster design to decorations to serving, youth have come up with their ideas in the festival planning. By giving them responsibility we are creating good leaders," says Hari, a 25-year-old computer engineer.
That being said, the Rathyatra revolves around Krishna, also named Jagannath, meaning Lord of the Universe. Inside the chariot, you will find images of Jagannath accompanied by his sister and brother. Devotees pull the ropes tied to the cart while singing the Hare Krishna mantra and dancing jubilantly to the rhythm of drums and cymbals. Symbolically, the Lord is going on a joy ride with his friends.
"When they’re pulling the chariot, they’re actually pulling Krishna into their hearts," says Jaya Govinda Das from Vancouver. Consultant for the Calgary congregation, Das has organized the Vancouver festival for the past 23 years. "We are not frivolous. By nature, the soul is ananda (happy). When the soul becomes enlightened, the natural response is to want to sing and dance," he adds.
History was made in 1967 when the festival received international recognition. A flatbed truck carried the images of Jagannath and his siblings down the streets of San Francisco. Soon after, the chariots rolled down 5th Avenue in New York and in front of the Washington Monument. The movement received a further boost when the Beatles dabbled in Indian mysticism. Suddenly London played host to the festival.
Now, almost 40 years later, Calgary, with its second annual, and Edmonton with its first, have etched their names alongside the bigger cities on the festival roster.
Das attributes the growing popularity to young devotees. "Youth have the vitality. The life of a village comes from the youth and children. When youth take to the spiritual process, they give it more vibrancy."
Krishna Consciousness teaches that the soul is permanent and that one must work towards attaining liberation from the cycle of birth and death. "It is based on a solid philosophical understanding of life," says Das. "We are not just a temporary body. We are a soul and we have a body. The soul is the driver of the body. Because we are spiritual beings, we need spiritual substance to make us happy. Such festivals make the soul satisfied."
The Chariot Festival, which is a part of the Festival of India, leaves Shaw Millennium Park Saturday at 11:30 a.m., travelling in a circle – east on 9th Avenue, North on 6th Street, West on 6th Avenue, and south on 11th Street.
Afterwards, the groans from your stomach can be satisfied by the free vegetarian meal provided at the park. Check out the gift boutiques, displays and stage performances. For more information, call 630-4753. |
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