Jagannath Rath Yatra on July 18

Patna: Artists are busy painting and decorating the chariot to be taken out during ‘Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahamahotsava’ scheduled for July 18. The yatra, being organized by the Patna unit of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), will also spread the message of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan through ‘bhajan’ and ‘kirtan’. Another important feature of the yatra will be ‘rangolis’ made by fruits at around ten locations through which the chariot will pass.
“The rath yatra is a sign of unity and peace. People from different religions participate in the procession and take ‘prasad’,” said ISKCON (Patna) president Krishna Kripadas at a presser. When asked if it was related to PM Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, he replied, “Cleanliness is in our ritual and this abhiyaan is new.”
ISKCON (Patna) spokesperson Nand Gopaldas said, “This is the 16th rath yatra in Patna and around 10,000 people will participate in it. Devotees come from different parts of Bihar, even from Delhi, Vrindavan, and Nepal. Mahavishnu Maharaj from London will give sermons while Ram Laxman Das from Russia will also participate in the yatra.”
Four trained safety officers will be on the chariot while four others will be around it on the ground to prevent any untoward incident during the procession. Kripadas said, “The chariot weighs five tonne and is 40 feet high. But we have hydraulic system and the height can be reduced to 16 feet. Though it will be pulled by the devotees, we will command the hydraulic system.”
The artists from Vrindavan are decorating the chariot with the help of local designers and painters.