Lord Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra – ISKCON Chennai - a self realization

Lord Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra – ISKCON Chennai  - a self realization

Hare Krishna .

On January 14^th , a week before ,  Chennai ISKCON  organized   Ratha Yatra carrying the Deities of Sri Jagannath, Sri Balaram and Sri Subatra in the usual grandeur  way . The scheduled time of start fixed at 2.30 pm from Sri Kapaleeswarar temple , Mylapore. As I am living in Mogappair  I wish to join the congregation near Chetpet  at the  closing venue , Kuchalambal Kalyana Mandapam , to have darshan , prasad  and to attend the Bhajans . So I had been there by 6.30 pm in anticipation of catching up the Ratham at Sterling Road. But to my surprise there is no symptom of the yatra on the road and when enquired  police personnel , posted near the closing venue , no one could guess the location of the Ratham.

At that moment a small BOY approached  me and asked me whether I know where the Ratham is . It seems he has come with his parents and waiting near Chetpet like me to have to glimpse of the Deities and  Ratha Yatra . Both of us enquired a ISKCON devotee standing nearby and he too  waits there like us and the boy left me.

I am just thinking what to do and how to join the procession and no idea struck me . Suddenly the  same BOY  called me “ uncle “  and approached me  and told me , “ uncle , please take bus no.29 C in the opposite direction and go to Mylapore to have the darshan as the Ratha yatra just leaving Mylapore and the delay is due to Mr.L.K.Advani’s visit to Chennai it seems”. He disappeared immediately. I was delighted on his fond advice when I was struck with no idea . Immediately I crossed the road and got the bus, waiting for me, to go to Mylapore .  

When I reach the V M Street junction,   I could hear the  loud sound of Nama Sankirtan and saw the Ratham with folded doom coming in the narrow street . At the junction of V M Street and Radhakrishnan Salai , I had a nice darshan and bought a tamil version of “Back to  Godhead” book from a devotee. Kesari  prasadam  was distributed to all and I too got it . The yellow marigold flower thrown by the Prabhus  from the Ratham to the devotees.

 I am blessed to have the great darshan of the Three Deities and Srila Prabhupada’s life like statue in the front of Ratham ,  by the grace of  Sri Krishna who came as a little BOY at Chetpet  and directed me to Mylapore . Of course the time was already 8 p.m there and took a bus back to Mogappair via Parrys as  the procession may reach the final venue after 10 p.m.  This is a strange  but pleasant experience for me and I wish to share with you all.

The following link may be cut pasted in the browser and that will take you to view the video of the Chennai Ratha Yatra 2011 of ISKCON ( Last year  video , which I missed ) . This year I could not take video due to dark night procession.

http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/video/iskcon-chennai-ratha-yatra

Hari Bol.

Chander.M.D.