The Festival of the Chariots, also known as Ratha-yatra, or “cart-festival”, originates from an ancient tradition in India. It commemorates a joyous celebration of life and glorification of God. The ancient annual Ratha-yatra parade in Jagannatha Puri, India, attracts one million people every year. The tradition was brought to the West in 1967 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Today it is celebrated in most major cities of the world, including London, Moscow, Toronto, Johannesburg, Delhi ,New York , Chennai and Bangalore.
Nothing charms devotees and the public alike more than the Ratha-yatra parade of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. The Ratha-yatra parade occurs two weeks later when Jagannatha comes out from His traditional period of seclusion after His grand bathing ceremony. He mounts His chariot for the Ratha-yatra parade and any person who pulls on the attached ropes becomes liberated from the cycle of samsara. Prasadam, kirtan, transcendental books, enlightening exhibits and colorful entertainment is lavished upon tens of thousands of surprised participants.
Rathayatra is a celebration of love of God. The festival dates back to the Satya Yuga which pre-dates ancient history.
It originates from Jagannatha Puri in Orissa on India’s eastern coast. There the festival lasts a whole week with two processions and lots of smaller events in between.
In the western world, Europe and America the festival is usually a one-day event.
Rathayatra means reclaiming lost souls.
Ratha Yatra Lecture (San Francisco 1970) by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
“Just try to understand Jagannātha.
Jagat means the moving world, gacchati iti jagat.
The Sanskrit word gacchati means that which is moving—all these planets, the universe, the sun—everything is moving, and we are moving.
Jagat-nātha, nātha means master and proprietor. Therefore, Jagannātha means the proprietor or the master of all these movements.
And Balabhadra, Balarāma—bala means strength and rāma means enjoyment.
Balarāma means He who gives you spiritual strength for enjoying eternal blissful life.
Subhadrā—su means auspicious and bhadra means well-being.
Subhadrā, Jagannātha and Balarāma combined together are present here to reclaim you all from your miserable condition of life.
That is the purport of this Ratha-yātrā festival.
If anyone sees Jagannātha, Subhadrā and Baladeva on the cart, then he does not take birth again in this material world. Ratheja vamanaṁ dṛṣṭa.”
(7/5/70 San Fransisco Rathayatra)
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