ISKCON 50 years Celebration: Invitation for Mathura Rath Yatra.
We would like to cordially invite you for the occasion of Sri Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra on 17th October,2016 (Monday) in Mathura Dham. It is located about 11 kilometers, a short bus or auto-rickshaw ride from Vrindavan Dham.
ISKCON Vrindavan (Namhatta) is organizing this grand Rath Yatra festival in Mathura to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ISKCON. The event co-ordinates with the 2016 Braja Mandal Parikrama with the parikrama devotees gathering in Mathura that very day to attend the festivals. We are expecting more than 500 foreign devotees from different countries and 4000 ISKCON devotees from various parts of India.
We offer this open invitation and humbly request devotees to participate in this Rath Yatra. We want your kind and auspicious presence to grace the occasion.
Last year’s Rathayatra featured His Holiness Gopal Krsna Maharaj and His Holiness Lokantha Maharaj. They commented they have been to so many Rathayatra festivals but found it remarkable to bear witness to such a warm hearted reception of the Lord. They said never before in their lives have they seen so many flowers. In an image reminiscent of Krsna Book, the roads were rivers of petals as the local residents rained flowers from the buildings. Such was the devotion of the residents of Mathura that even the local students of Muslim colleges greeted the Lord with handfuls of flowers.
Numerous locals spontaneously set up welcome stalls to offer refreshments to all in participation and also bhoga offerings bedecked with rangoli decorations. The transcendental prasadam of Lord Jaganatha was distributed to all living entities in attendance.
News reporters were delighted to offer coverage of the event. It was a wonderful preaching opportunity for the many devotees of the Lord from many parts of the world leading and participating in kirtan. So large was the event that there was four separate kirtan parties with sound systems. Afterwards there was a cultural presentation of dance, drama and lectures by His Holiness Gopal Krsna Maharaj, His Holiness Lokantha Maharaj, His Holiness Nava Yogendra Maharaj, His Holiness Subhag Maharaj, His Grace Dina Bandhu Prabu (ACBSP), His Holiness Bhakti Anugrah Janardhan Maharaj, His Holiness Bhakti Asraya Vaisnava Maharaj, His Holiness Probodananda Saraswati Maharaj and a special appearance by Phuldol Maharaj (head of Catur Sampradaya)
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 – London, August 3, 1971: : Yes, this is meant for the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa, or those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness people, others also can take the advantage. But if anyone sincerely sees the Ratha-yātrā festival and understands how Kṛṣṇa visited Kurukṣetra along with His brother and sister, that is very nice. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
This year’s Rath yatra promises to offer the same unique experience. Please take advantage of this opportunity to pull the Rath Cart of the Lord in a land rich with the spiritual heritage of the Lord’s devotional service.