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Rathayatra chariot festival

Rathayatra is a re-enactment of Lord Krishna's pastimes, and has been celebrated annually in Jagannatha Puri, India, for thousands of years, where around two million people attend. The festival involves thousands of devotees pulling an 18-wheel 50-foot high wooden cart through the Orrisan capital's streets while dancing, playing traditional instruments, and chanting 'Hare Krishna' and other songs in praise of Jagannatha, a special form of Krishna. The size of Lord Jagannatha's Puri cart is such that it is the origin of the english word 'juggernaut'.

Rathayatra is now celebrated all over the world after being introduced to the west in 1967 in San Franscisco by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his first American disciples.

Rathayatra in Bristol began in 2001 with a small cart, around 30 devotees, and a massive deity of Lord Jagannatha.

This year's Bristol Rathayatra will be blessed with the presence of over a hundred Hare Krishna devotees from Bhaktivedanta Manor, including leader Maha Vishnu Swami.

The procession assembles at The FOLK Centre (Friends of Lord Krishna), 1st floor, 5 East Street, Bedminster, proceeding up Redcliffe Hill /St across Bristol Bridge up High St, Wine St, Union St and through the City Centre and returning to Bedminster via Temple Meads.

The festival ends at the FOLK Centre with an afternoon of Indian cultural entertainment and delicious vegetarian prasadam feast, in a welcome chance to relax and socialise in a spiritual atmosphere.

Bristol Rathayatra 2002 Report