For bhakti yogis, Jagannath Puri, on the coast of the Indian state of Orissa, is a sacred place of pilgrimage. Puri is currently abuzz with excitement in anticipation of the annual Ratha Yatra (cart festival) on July 10th. Over one million devout pilgrims throng to witness the festival of chariots, where the deity of Lord Krishna in the form of Jagannath, along with his brother and sister, ride beautiful chariots amidst chanting and dancing and joyous festivities. While millions watch the event on television, prominent citizens and spiritual leaders of many faiths congregate in Puri with groups of friends and followers. Radhanath Swami entered Puri on the 6th of July and has been joined by 4,000 friends and followers, mostly from the congregation of the Radha Gopinath Temple in Mumbai. The King of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, along with several of the high priests from the Jagannath temple, graciously welcomed Radhanath Swami at his residence in nearby Bhubaneshwar. They shared an hour-long discussion on how the devotees of Lord Jagannath world-wide could come together and cooperate as one family in order to better render loving services. The King also serves as the administrative head and Chairman of the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, which carries out the annual festival in Puri.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 02:11:02 +0000
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