By Hari Narayana Das
Three magnificient Ratha Yatra festivals in three most unlikely places of Indonesia in 36 days with unparalleled success…this is certainly a glorious victory for Srila Prabhupada in Indonesia.
Truly speaking, the devotees in Govardhan Ashram, Kendari, saw what it means when the scriptures say that ‘He is God who can make impossible to possible and possible to impossible.’ Lord Jagannatha had made His stand to prove His words, “kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhakti pranasyati”, through the Ratha Yatra festival in Kendari held on 26th of January 2014.
Located in Putemata village, Ladongi district in the regency of Kolaka, Kendari is the capital of the Indonesian province of Southeast Sulawesi. Most of the population belongs to Muslim and Christian faiths; the Hindus are a minority in this regency. Although the community of devotees there is relatively small compared to that of the local Hindus, out of their sincere desire to serve Prabhupada they established small temple as preaching center there, the Govardhan Ashram, located on a hill. They are small in number but their spirit and enthusiasm were bigger than their size that they desired so strongly to do what seems to be impossible: invite Lord Jagannatha and have a wonderful Ratha yatra festival in the village. And Lord Jagannatha accepted their invitation.
The devotees were advised not to be sentimental because they hardly had any social relation with the local people in the village, the neighbouring people still used to throw stones at the temple at night, they had no official support from the Hindu Parisada; over and above how can a few handfuls of inexperienced devotees conduct Ratha Yatra?
His Holiness Subhag Swami gave a class to a small group of devotees during an evening walk in Bali in June 2013 about Sriman Jayananda Prabhu on how he pleased Srila Prabhupada by giving his life in service to Krishna. The devotees became inspired hearing how Jayananda Prabhu made the Chariot for Lord Jagannatha and he pleased Srila Prabhupada so dearly that upon his passing away, Srila Prabhupada expressed, “I hope Jayananda will go back to godhead, if not he will go to some higher planets and after that will go back to godhead.” Devotees from Kendari who were there with Maharaj after hearing of Jayananda were very eager to have a Ratha Yatra there; soon their behalf Maharaj requested the team of devotees who were to make the Chariot in Batam and Medan to also go to Kendari. Lord Jagannatha’s plans slowly began to unfold.
The Ratha Yatra committee in Kendari was led by his grace Srinath prabhu, a disciple of H.H. Kavicandra Swami with other devotees as Sankhadhara das, and Govardhan das prepared the festival in two months time, beginning from selecting wood for the ratha, chassis, and other paraphernalia under guidance Ratha Yatra architect team: HG. Maharasika das, HG. Brajanagara das, and HG. Sadhu Jivana das. As Srila Prabhupada stated in a letter, “make the carts very strong, not that while the procession is going on, the wheel break on the cart. It is better to have one first-class cart…” (SPL to Adi Kesava Maharaj, 3rd May, 1976). The devotees made a beautiful cart with first-class wood and decorated with very beautiful Balinese ornamental sculpture and colorful painting. Praying to Lord Jagannatha, the devotees approached the Mayor, Mr. Tony Hebiansyah and spoke about the historical significance of the festival and explained to him how the festival would be a landmark in enhancing the cultural diversity of the region and how it would help bring the people closer and unify diverse faiths. The Mayor happily accepted their invitation and gave his word that he would personally come to open the festival.
After the successful Ratha Yatra in Medan, H.H. Subhag Swami Maharaj arrived in Kendari on January 23, 2014. His coming gave extra energy to the devotees and gave a boost to their enthusiasm. On January 24, 2014 the devotee had the first Cidha Dahi festival in Kendari on the bank of Ameroro river which appeared like the Ganges because of its swift currents and slightly murky waters. Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai were installed on a simple yet beautiful altar and devotee children offered a sweet Indian dance for Their pleasure. With enthusiastic kirtan the devotees carried Gaura Nitai on a palanquin to the river where the deities took their afternoon dip in the cool river waters. As the deities came out from the river, all the devotees were greeted by a surprise. Just at that moment, the tall trees along the path began to shower hundreds of leaves on the deities as if the demigods showered flowers petal from the sky to honour the Lordships. Seeing this all devotees chanted “haribol…haribol!” and sang Hare Krishna Maha Mantara loudly.
The next day, the program was National Seminar on Vedanta and Science in AKPER (Nurse Academy) at Kolaka. The seminar was organized by KMHDI, (Hindu Dharma Students’ Association, Indonesia), Kolaka. The speaker was H.H. Subhag Swami Maharaj and translated by HG. Gadadhar das. The seminar ran for two hours. The students were enthusiastic to listen Maharaj explanations and during the discussion session they asked maharaj many question. Maharaj answered their questions and satisfied them with nice arguments. In the evening Maharaj gave class in the temple where he stressed the importance of having faith in Srila Prabhupada and how fortunate people come to Lord Jagannatha and those who are unfortunate, Jagannatha goes to give them darshan. The night itself devotees eagerly prepared the chariot and some devotees went ahead to set up the pandal for the festival next day.
Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter “ For the present your endeavour should be to make rathayatra festival grand and successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighborhood people may be attracted to join the procession.” (SPL to Upendra, 1stJune, 1968). Devotees were having mixed feelings on the day of the ratha yatra for never before had they tried something so large at this scale, never had they handled a crowd of local people; would they still throw stones on the chariot? Would anybody come to the pandal? Devotees chanted the Jagannathastakam and prayed.
The pandal was erected in the middle of a large playground about three kilometres from the temple, tall Balinese flags with imprints of the Lord of the Universe were swaying all around. The melodious kirtan brought people from all directions as if eager flocks of swans just discovered a clear reservoir of cool water in hot summer. Very soon the pandal became full of people, mostly from other faiths; there were people everywhere – young and old, and the chariot with the Deities of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, who were carved in Kolaka itself by His Grace Brajanagar das from East Java, stood magnificiently like the Sumeru mountain, glowing in the sun. Everyone was eagerly gazing at Gaura Nitai on the palanquin and Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra on the chariot. The Mayor, Mr. Tony Hebiansyah arrived with his staff members and was full of appreciation for the festival. He expressed his good fortune in being able to attend the festival and said, “Festivals such as Ratha Yatra are opportunity for everyone to come together leaving aside all differences. I personally wish that the devotees of Lord Jagannatha can arrange this festival everyday.” The guests- Nanda-Nandana Das- the secretary of SAKKHI (representative of ISKCON in Indonesia), Head of Kendari Tourism Department, Head of Kendari Educational Department, leader of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI), Kendari, along with the mayor received copies of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita as it is from Subhag Swami. Maharaj then led the guests to offer coconuts with camphor lamps to Lord Jagannatha and break the coconuts for auspiciousness of the festival. Maharaj along with Mr. Toni were requested to take the role as representatives of Pratapa Rudra Maharaja and sweep the path of the chariot. Everyone present came forward and pulled the chariot three times around the playground chanting and dancing before going on the main road. Security for the Ratha was provided by local authorities and a group of local musicians playing nice tunes followed the chariot. Devotees doing book distribution ran out of their stock of Bhagavad-gita; still many took Prabhupada’s books and everyone happily honoured mahaprasad. When the chariot arrived at Govardhan ashram, there was a huge crowd still following the chariot. An enthusiastic kirtan ensued and all were served mahaprasad. Indeed, those who are unfortunate and would not come to Jagannatha, the Lord Himself goes to give them His mercy and make them fortunate.
After the Ratha Yatra, seeing that the devotees at Govardhan ashram are supported by the Mayor himself, the Hindu Parishad and the local authorities, people around now come to the temple regularly, not with stones but with fruits and flowers to offer to the Lord. Who can understand the Lord’s plans? We hope that Prabhupad is pleased and bless the devotees who worked so hard and organized such a wonderful Ratha-yatra. Srila Prabhupada mentioned in his letter that “ I thank you all very much for making the rathayatra festival so successful. Please convey my gratitude to all the boys and girls who participated in this great transcendental service.”(SPL to Upendra, 4th July 1968). He also blessed all devotees as he stated in his other letter that “…may Krishna bless you all for your sincere service that you may all go on making more and more advancement in Krishna Consciousness.” (SPL to Jayananda das, 19th July, 1976).
On behalf of all the devotees involved, we express our sincere feelings of gratitude to H.H. Kavichandra Swami and H.H. Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia for their support, guidance and encouragement at all times to increase the sankirtan movement in Indonesia. Our humble obeisances to H.H. Subhag Swami for inspiring us with the life and dedication of Sriman Jayananda Prabhu, for helping us realize the importance of Srila Prabhupada in our lives and keeping us united in family of ISKCON. We offer our humble obeisances to Srila Prabhupada again and again for showering his unlimited mercy upon the devotees and keeping us engaged in the movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
All the events points to one direction: “This is certainly victory for Srila Prabhupada.”
Jay Jagannatha, Jay Baladeva, Jay Subhadra!
Jay Srila Prabhupada!