Home Base: ISKCON Baroda
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,
Namonamaha. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
This is to cordially invite you all to the 31st annual Jagannath Rathayatra festival at Baroda (Gujarat), organized by ISKCON.
The following ISKCON India leaders have confirmed their participation in the Rathayatra:
Bhakti Vikas Swami, Mahaman Prabhu, Braja Hari Prabhu, Rasaraj Prabhu, Narahari Prabhu (Juhu), Sulochan Prabhu, Radha Ranjan Prabhu (Kanpur/Lucknow), Surapati Prabhu (Lucknow), Vrajendranandan Prabhu (New Delhi), Sachiputra Prabhu (New Delhi), Sachidananda Prabhu (Vallabh Vidyanagar), and Vaishnavseva Das (Rajkot).
Jasomatinandan Prabhu will participate in the inauguration of the Rathayatra before leaving for Surat Rathayatra (held on the same day).
As usual, a number of congregational devotees from the Chandigarh area will be attending (arriving early) to lead the kirtan during the procession, which begins at Baroda railway station at 2:30 PM on Saturday, June 21, 2012, "aashaadh shukla dvitiya" ("aashaadi beej" in Gujarati).
Rathayatra will be observed the day before at ISKCON Vallabh Vidyanagar, just 45 kilometers North of Baroda. Most of the above mentioned devotees will attend both programs.
Special features of ISKCON Baroda Rathayatra:
1. Participation of around 2 lakhs (200,000) citizens of Baroda (lining the streets to see the procession).
2. Distribution of 10,000 kg (10 tons) of halava prasad from trucks behind the Rathayatra.
3. Amazing presence of police and "rapid action force" during the entire procession. In 31 years there has be no untoward incident during the
Rathayatra.
4. Full "bhojan" prasad (meals) to about 30,000 visitors/members of the general public at ISKCON Baroda immediately after the Rathayatra procession. The meals consists of puris, chole, mixed subji, namkeen ("phul wadi/badi"), kadi, rice, halava or "lapsi" (cracked wheat sweet).
It is a "sight to see"!
Kindly let either myself of Nityananda Ram Das (mobile number below) know in advance if you plan to attend/plan on coming, so we can arrange for your accommodation here, accordingly.
Jaya Jagannath! Jaya Baladev! Jaya Subhadra!
Jagananth Rathayatra mahotsav ki jaya!
Look forward to seeing you here on Rathayatra day, by the grace of Lord Jagannath!
Hope this meets you well.
das,
Basu Ghosh Das
President, ISKCON Barodaa
Check out our website: http://iskconbaroda.com/