For last year's Ratha Yatra Carnival please see here:
http://www.sgforums.com/forums/2901/topics/367761
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/Vrindavanprabhu/RathaYatra28June2009#
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What's Special About Ratha
Yatra?
A 3,000 year-old
chariot festival, celebrated annually in the small town of Puri,
situated on the Eastern coastline of India, attracts at least 1.5
million people who physically participate in the festivities and
millions others who watch the live telecast of the festival from
their homes and in harness.
The Ratha Yatra,
the most extraordinary annual chariot festival, encompasses all the
facets of the ancient and profound Vedic culture such as music,
dance, food, art, colors, apparel, jewelry, poetry, architecture,
grandeur, wisdom and compassion; all harmoniously culminating in
serving the infallible purpose - the glorification of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna (also known as Jagannatha
meaning the Lord of the universe).
The Ratha Yatra
commemorates a very touching tryst that took place about 5,000
years ago between the residents of Vrndavana and their darling Sri
Krishna, at the sanctum of Kurukshetra, after about a hundred years
of separation.
Besides the
esoteric aspect of the festival, the more apprehensible aspect is
the causeless mercy of Lord Jagannatha.
In Kali Yuga, the
present age of quarrel and hypocrisy, people in general are hardly
interested in the pure spiritual path of Bhakti Yoga. Consequently,
they prefer to shop than go to the temple.
It is mentioned
in the Vedic scriptures that just by seeing the form of the Lord,
or hearing His holy name, one is immediately rid of many lifetimes
of sinful reactions. Since many do not know who Jagannatha or
Krishna is, they never happen to utter His name or go to have a
darshan (to behold) of Him in the temple; or they simply have no
interest to do so; or they are so entangled in materialistic life
that they have no opportunity to do so.
So out of
unbounded compassion for the fallen souls, the Lord comes out once
annually in His magnificent chariot along with Baladeva and
Subhadra, His brother and sister respectively, in separate
chariots, to favor the general populace by His merciful glance with
His eyes wide open. The devotees pull His chariot and sing the holy
names Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare | Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
So whoever, on that day, happens to look upon the Lord, or touch
His chariot, or chant His holy name, or partake of His Prasadam
(food offered to Krishna), becomes instantly purified and very
quickly becomes a rightful candidate to enter into the kingdom of
God, Vaikuntha, thus terminating one's painful material
existence.