By Hari Narayana Das
“To implement this transcendental bliss to the people of your country there is immense work to be done ahead and this Ratha-yatra festival is only a bit of sample. If we get opportunity we shall be able to overflood your country with the waves of transcendental bliss, by the grace of Krsna” (SPL to Aniruddha, 7th July, 1968)”.
Since Lord Jagannatha was very merciful toward all living entities, accompanied by His elder brother Balarama and His Beautiful sister Subhadra Devi, They overflooded Bantul’s citizens with the waves of transcendental bliss on the city’s 183rd anniversary on a cultures parade. Lord Jagannatha on ratha (chariot) went around Bantul city started from Trirenggo field to Bantul government building square on the 20th July 2014.
The preparation for the rathayatra started in May 2014 by construction of the chariot carved from wood by Indonesia ratha yatra chariot team: HG Brajanagara das, HG. Sadhu Jivana das, Bhakta Edy, HG. Ragava Pandit das. They are a mobile, solid and very strong team that prepared almost all the chariots that were used for Ratha yatra in Jakarta, Medan, Kendari, Jember, Bali, and Jogjakarta. HG.Brajanagara prabhu also carved the beautiful deities of Jagannatha, Balarama, and Subhadra Devi. The deities were beautifully painted by HG Sadhu Jivana Das. They worked hard since 1 May 2014 at the house of Sriman Garuda Das in Bangun Jiwo village, Bantul, Jogjakarta who came forward and allowed the use of his house as workshop for preparing the chariot and all other carving works. A visit by H.H. Bhakti Raghava Swami to Jogyakarta few months back was a source of great inspiration for the resident devotees and more for the devotees residing in other parts of Indonesia. Maharaj gave blessings to all the devotees there and was very happy to see the devotees working so enthusiastically for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha. Srila Prabhupada stated in his letter, “By Krsna’s grace you have got the talent of carpentermanship, and you have fully utilized it in the service of Krsna. You have carved so many Jagannatha Murtis, and the car also, so Krsna must have been very much satisfied with your service.” (SPL to Syamasundara, 15th July, 1968). The chariot and the deities were donated by H.H. Subhag Swami Maharaj for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas.
A fire sacrifice was performed for the purification and protection of the chariot before it was brought to the base camp in National Sports Committee building where the chariot was beautifully decorated with an abundance of flowers and other paraphernalia. The committee of the ratha yatra, H.G. Subhananda Caitanya Das and his team ( Weda Kusuma prabhu, Yani Mataji, Govinda charan prabhu, Gopal prabhu, Bhakta Wayan Arjana, Sukelini mataji, and Citta mataji) from Narayana Smrti Ahsram, who were mostly students, worked hand in hand and tirelessly for the ratha yatra. They prepared prasadam, arranged for accommodation and transportation for all the guest devotees from Ahsram to the basecamp which takes nearly one hour to reach. Garuda Prabhu happily accepted to serve as the coordinator for the Ratha Yatra and with all humility facilitated the devotees starting from making the chariot up to arranging all final requirements for the festival.
Devotees like the high tide of the ocean came from all over Indonesia to participate in a sea of spiritual happiness given by Sri Jagannath. More than five hundred devotees came by bus, train and flight to participate in the festival. They came in spirit of devotion to the Lord and to distribute the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Among all these waves the arrival of Srimat Subag Swami at Narayana Smrti Ashram created the biggest one.
On the day of the festival, the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subadra devi were carried to the base camp, the National Sports Complex Building in Bantul, where They gave Their first darshan to the devotees. The pujaris dressed Their Lordships with colourful dresses and decorated Them with fragrant flower garlands. At 10.00 A.M. local time, all devotees gathered in the hall to receive the Lord’s first darshan. They were so eager to see the lord and the only expression that came from the devotees was “Jai Jagannatha”, “hare Krsna”… continuously. To boost the spirit of the devotees Srimat Subhag Swami Maharaj gave short lecture on the life of Srila Prabhupada and how he brought Jagannatha to the West. Maharaj mentioned that Jagannath went to the West to bless the people there and now by the sincere service of the devotees, Lord Jagannatha is coming to different places in Indonesia and blessing everyone and needless to say the devotees who are working very hard to please Jagannatha, surely they will get unlimited mercy of the Lord.
Maharaj offered the first arati to Their Lordships and the occasion became more enchanting as the devotees began the usual fired up Kirtan and along with chanting of the Jagannathastakam. The deities were then carried to the chariot accompanied by a wonderful and melodious kirtan. Maharaj along with the guests from Hindu parisad, Mr. Ida Bagus Agung offered coconuts to the Lord. Then the devotees pulled the chariot to the Trirenggo Ground to join the festival parade. Lord Jagannatha’s chariot was placed beside the traditional musical instruments shelter hall where the King’s royal musicians played traditional music. It appeared as if the musicians were playing the sweetest notes just to please their most exalted guests, Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi and thereby invoke Their blessings. This appears to be the first time ever in the history that Lord Jagannatha went to join in an official royal ceremony. The ceremony was led by governor of Yogjakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X who, the last king of Yogjakarta.
One of the main attractions during the parade was our group of devotees dressed as Krishna and the gopis who danced beautifully all the way throughout the parade. Many of the onlookers and visitors, although from different faiths, felt so irresistibly attracted that they could not help but take pictures again and again with Krishna and the gopis.
All the participants who had come from different places came one after another in front of the honourable guests and then the special chariot of Lord Jagannatha came to mercifully bless the King of Jogyakarta who had been waiting for so long, may, for so many lifetimes to have Darshan of Lord Jagannatha and His devotees. When the devotees’ contingent came past the guests, Subhag Maharaj gave the King of Yogjakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, a Bhagavad-gita and a flower garland that was already offered to the Lord. The King, Sri Sultan Hamengku was very happy to receive the Bhagavad gita and without waiting much started to see the book. The Queen, Mrs. Buwono, was more eager to see the the Bhagavad gita and took it from over it from Sultan’s hand than started to read the book. The mayor of Bantul Mrs. Hj. Sri Suryawidati also got Bhagavad gita. Interestingly, the mayor of Surabaya, Mrs Risma was also present at the festival there, was telling to Bantul’s Mayor about the Gita and how she got one from our devotees when she attended the Ratha Yatra in Surabaya.
In the parade, Lord Jagannath, Balarama, and Subadra devi passed through the city of Bantul, and surprisingly all the citizens of these places, even though they were seeing Jagannatha for the first time in their lives, they were appreciating both Jagannatha and the Chariot. Everyone was taken by surprise when the Chariot came in their vision along with so many devotees chanting and dancing so happily as if they were beyond all sorts of material miseries. After fasting whole day for Ramadan, just in time for breaking fast, all people there came eagerly to take Mahaprasad from the devotees. Within a short time the stock of prasadam ran out but still more and more people were coming to see Jagannatha and were asking for prasadam. Then devotees started to distribute the flowers from the chariot and it was a wonderful sight to see that these people were even more happy to receive the flowers. They were dancing with joy and were showing their friends ‘see I got a small bouquet from the chariot.’ Indeed it was a wonderful sight. The Kirtan group with sang the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra all the way that could be heard by all people in Bantul. After an hour journey the Lord arrived at Bantul government building square. The other parade participant who was already arrived at the finish point joined dancing in front of the chariot in the uproarious kirtan.
The Lord’s chariot then was pulled to the hall of the Mayor’s office building. After making offerings to Their Lorships Sri Si Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, Subhag Maharaj offered an arati, devotees were dancing and some were even crying just thinking about the mercy of the Lord that He came to Jogyakarta and in such a wonderful way beyond all imaginations. This festival united all the devotees from all parts of Indonesia who would find it difficult to get together otherwise.was offered by Maharaj. All devotees swept away in the euphoria of spiritual happiness. At the end all devotees honored prasadam that already prepared by the committee.
We hope that Prabhupad is pleased and bless the devotees who organize 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).
We would like to take this opportunity to thank HH Bhakti Raghava Swami for his blessings and encouragement which were so essential for the devotees. Our ever grateful obeisances are due to HH Kavichandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their support and guidance to always look for new avenues for sankirtan. Our humble obeisances to HH Subhag Swami for always reminding us of the importance of the Sankirtan movement of Mahaprabu and inspiring us with the dedication of Sriman Jayananda Prabhu, for bringing us closer to Srila Prabhupada and keeping us united in family of ISKCON. Our gratitude to Leader of Yogjakarta Hindu Parisad, leader of SAKKHI Adipurusha das, and all Yogjakarta Devotees, Subhananda caitanya das, Garuda das, Weda Kusuma prabhu, Yani Mataji, Govinda charan prbhu, Gopal prabhu, Bhakta Wayan Arjana, Ananta Guna das, Acyuta Krishna das ,Sukelini mataji, and Citta mataji. Our gratitude to the prasadam team of Balaram bhakta and Virabadra das. Our gratitude to transportation coordinator Saktyavesa Avatara das, a das and Advaita das. Our gratitude to Guru caran prabhu and Karan Bhajan for their great support. Our gratitude to sankirtan team -Sridhar das, Sesa Das and Maharatri das for their wonderful Kirtan. Our gratitude to Upavitra mataji and dancer team.
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.
Jay Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subadra Devi ki…. Jay!
