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ISKCON Dabilpur (Medchal) Hyderabad conducted it’s first Inaugural Jagannath Ratha Yatra on 16th July, 2016 in Medchal town, about 7 kms away from Dabilpur Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Temple.
The Ratha Yatra was conducted with the assistance of the Ratham provided by ISKCON Secunderabad. His Holiness Sukadev Maharaj, ISKCON Nellore Temple President and Sannyasi was the Chief Guest. Other guests in attendance were H.G.Vedanta Chaitanya Das, Temple President of ISKCON Hyderabad, H.G Sahadev Das Temple President of ISKCON Secunderabad, H.G.Mahasundar Das (center head of ISKCON Trichy outreach center and Trustee of ISKCON Hyderabad IVKGT Farm) was also present. The local dignitaries who attended were all the Local Sarpanchs’ from about 20 villages and Mandal Revenue office of Medchal.
The Ratha yatra was preceded by a short introductory meeting wherein devotees from all over Hyderabad and parts of Telengana and Andhra numbering over 500 attended. HH Sukadeva Maharaj gave the Anugraha Bhashanam. Following the meeting, the devotees received the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra on the Rath with a grand Arathi followed by ceremonial sweeping of the floor by all the dignitaries. The Ratha Yatra began at 5 pm in the evening from Nav Bharath Function Hall in Medchal, went on the main national highway and went inside Medchal market and residential colonies and returned back to Nav Bharath function hall covering 4-5 kms route and reached destination at 8 pm. At the destination viz., Navbharath Function hall, Their Lordships and Srila Prabhupada were received, Bhog offered to the Lord and a grand arathi was performed.
Throughout the Rath route, there was accompaniment of Vedic Chanting by Vedic Panditas, Nadaswaram and Prasadam packets containing Halwa and Pulihara was distributed to nearly 50000 participants and onlookers. The people really enjoyed the gaiety, fun and the wonderful darshan of their Lordships on the rath. The rath stopped at various key points on the way to receive arathi and offerings of the public. Police had made robust bandobast arrangements to ensure everything went off peacefully.
Majority of the devotees who attended were surprised at the spontaneous response of the public and the participation and remarked that in future they would ensure people from all nearby villages will participate in greater numbers.