What is the Festival of Chariots?

Each year in Puri, a holy city on the east coast of India, the magnificent chariots of Jagannatha, “Lord of the Universe,” roll down the street amidst throngs of chanting worshippers in a festival known as Ratha-Yatra, or “Chariot Journey.” Ratha-Yatra has been observed in Puri for thousands of years, and is probably the oldest continuously-celebrated spiritual festival in the world. (The English term “juggernaut” was coined by British who observed the unstoppable, awe-inspiring procession in the 18th century.)

Seated on three large, decorated carts or “chariots” are Deities of Jagannatha (Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead), His brother Baladeva, and His sister, Subhadra. These unusual forms of Krishna, Baladeva, and Subhadra have been worshipped in the Jagannatha temple in Puri since classical antiquity. Throughout the year the Deities are worshipped and served with attention within the temple, but during Ratha-Yatra They enjoy the pastime of parading through town, bestowing spiritual benedictions on all who participate by praying, chanting, bowing down, or helping propel Their chariots by pulling on the ropes.

In 1967 in San Francisco, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), inaugurated the first Jagannatha Ratha-Yatra observed outside of India. Today, ISKCON stages annual Ratha-Yatras in nearly every major city in the world.

On behalf of Lord Jagannatha, we invite everyone to join with us in observing this blissful, ancient festival and to receive the Lord’s blessings by seeing His beautiful, decorated forms, by helping pull His chariots, by tasting the sacred vegetarian food being served, and especially by joining us in chanting His holy names:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna , Krishna Krishna Hare Hare🙏

Hare Rama Hare Rama , Rama Rama Hare Hare 🙏