Above, Srila PrabhupadaChanting Hare Krishna in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco 1967. “Ratha-yatra festival was celebrated in three major cities — San Francisco, London and Tokyo — with great pomp and grand success. The transcendental festivities organized for large public participation have drawn admirable comments from the city authorities regarding their unprecedented joyous nature shared by otherwise unmanageable numbers of people. The San Francisco Ratha-yatra was given all facility by the full cooperation of the city and public advertisement was extended by the city via the newspapers, radio and television and posters in all the public transportation vehicles as well as large banners lining the main streets. Over 20,000 persons attended for a full day of chanting and dancing as they eagerly drew the ratha cars five miles to the sea. At the end of the procession, prasada was sumptuously distributed to everyone and the distribution of prasada was extended through the next several days. Also at the end of the procession route a capacity attendance filled a standing auditorium to attentively hear the spiritual master speak. His reception was well mannered and very enthusiastic including participation in dancing sankirtana.” SPL to Nevatiaji, 16th July, 1970
August 14, 2016 was the 50th annual Ratha-Yatra parade in San Francisco. Above, Jagannatha Swami Das, who has been organizing the San Francisco festival for many years, holding a Proclamation from the Mayor of the City of San Francisco, as well as a Resolution, from the California State Board of Equalization, honoring “Ratha-Yatra day in San Francisco and the Sate of California”. Srila Prabhupada is certainly very pleased. Hare Krishna!
Chariot Arrives at the Waterfront Park in Baltimore, Maryland–May 29, 2016
Above, Nimai helping with preperation of Krishna Prasadam for the Venice Beach Ratha-yatra. Los Angeles, California August 4, 2016
Above, Madhava operating the Hobart Mixer preparing Krishna prasadam for the Ratha Yatra. Los Angeles, California August 4, 2016.
Krishnadasa, seen above, holding the corner of the Free Feast tent down. It’s almost always very windy in Golden Gate Park, and we’re not allowed to use standard tent stakes for holding the tents down. We use 40 gallon trash cans filled with water. Until the water came, Krishnadasa was ‘doing the needful’ to keep the tent from blowing away. Hare Krshna. San Francisco, California August 13, 2016.
Working Together…
With your participation, Festival of India has a new van to safely transport the crew. When working together for common purposes, we’re able to achieve much more than the total of what all of us may achieve independently. In just 6 months, many of you contributed towards the van, and now it’s a reality, it will be carrying the devotees to the 2017 Festivals! Thank you again, and again, for your continued support.
Looking forward to this coming Festival Year, here’s our priorities for Festival of India’s 2017 Enhancement and Expansion:
1) 2-30’ x 45’ Tents 2) 2-20’ x 20’ Hi-Peak Tents 3) New Diarama Exhibit 4) Upgrade the sound system
We’ve already collected half of what’s needed to get the 4 new tents. These will brighten up all the festivals. The tents alone come to $17,797—we’ve already ordered them! These tents will be at the 2017 festivals, Krishna-willing, and with your help, it will happen. When everyone helps a little, we can be successful—just see how all your help brought this new Van–to safely transport the crew. Hare Krishna!
We’re humbly requesting all of you, to help with a small contribution. Festival of India has 600 of you on our list, that is just $30 each and we can purchase these tents. If we all do a small part, we can do this—brighten up the festivals with new tents.
Do your part, please give whatever you can to help Festival of India with this enhancement and expansion. You can either use the Secure PAYPAL Donation button here, or mail a check to: Festival of India; P.O. Box 100; Sandy Ridge, N.C. 27046. Hare Krishna!
Featured Devotee
Above, Jaya Krsna Prabhu from the World Famous Bhaktivedanta Players, based in the U.K. traveled with, and was a central figure on the 2016 Festival of India crew. He directed and participated in Dramatic performances at most of the 2016 Hare Krishna Festivals of India. We’re hoping he will join us again for the 2017 Tour. Hare Krishna.
Please always chant
The Maha-Mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Our Heartfelt Thanks to all of you, on Festival Of India’s Friends and Supporters list, who contributed towards the purchase of the new 2016 Ford Transit Van. There’s too many names to list here, so on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, please accept our thanks. We are full of gratitude and appreciation for your continued support for Festival of India. The purchase price, and registration came to $44,841, which was within our budget of $45,000.
The last van we purchased was in 1998, it was up to 389,000 miles and was just on the edge of needing major repairs. The van is an essential part of the program, as it carries the young men who set-up, maintain, and pack-up the festivals, as well as doing kirtan and distributing Krishna Prasadam etc. Having a safe vehicle is very important, as we are carrying extremely valuable cargo—12 to 15 young men—devotees who dedicate their Spring, Summer and part of the Fall, to serving Srila Prabhupada, and Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan Mission. Hare Krishna.
Premanjana distributing Pizza Prasadam to the crew at the annual Pani-Hati and Ratha-Yatra festivals in Atlanta. Sri Krishna Prasadam Distribution Ki Jaya. Hare Krishna!
Above, preparing for the annual Ratha-Yatra, every morning the devotees from the Brooklyn temple go on Harinam Sankirtan. On this day, Festival of India’s crew accompanied Agnidev Prabhu along with at least 50 other devotees. Chanting Hare Krishna & Dancing–In Every Town and Village Ki Jaya! Brooklyn, New York–June 10, 2016
The Ratha-Yatra parade just arrived at Bushnell Park, and within a few mnutes the line to the prasadm tent had 1,000 plus people in it. Hartford, Ct. June 25, 2016. Hare Krishna.
Above, Bhakta Paul, Jailesh Raggoo, Madhava, Ishan and Gosh Thakur Prabhu, on the ferry to Toronto Island to set up for the Festival. Hare Krishna!
Above Satarupa devi answering questions, and distributing books in Shaw Millenium Park. The new ‘Illustrated Bhagavad-Gita’ exhibit proved to be another successful maketing tool–helping devotees, @ Festivals of India all over North America, to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Calgary, Alberta July 23, 2016.
The Chariots arriving at the Venice Beach Festival of India Site. Los Angeles, California August 7, 2016
On September 20, 2016 the Illinois Institute of Technology hosted the Hare Krishna Festival of India. The festival consisted of just 5 tents. The students were able to read the:Vegetarianism; Reinacarnation; and Bhagavad-Gita exhibits. Students heard the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra being chanted and left with Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Follow us to a 2017 Festival of India Above is Festival of India’s new Ford Transit 350 Van, click here to see Festival of India’s 2017 proposed Festival Tour. This new Van will be transporting the men to all the North American Hare Krishna Festivals of India this year, and for many years to come. We look forward to seeing you at a festival soon. Hare Krishna!
Above, is the BBT Full Color 2017 Krishna Art calendar with Transcendental Art; Ekadasi dates, as well as the important Vaisnava Holidays. If you want us to send you one, please send $7.50 (for addresses in the USA, for Canada and other countries, please add $4) to Festival of India (address is below) or you can use Festval of India’s Secure PAYPAL Donation button here. Please be sure to send us your postal mailing address. Hare Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada writes about Lord Jesus Christ at the Puri Ratha-Yatra “So far your questions about Lord Jagannatha and Ratha-yatra festival, the first Ratha-yatra was 5,000 years before, when Krsna and Balarama and Subhadra came from Dvaraka to Kuruksetra. So far the festival at Puri, there is no such history, but it must be more than 3,000 years. At least there is recorded history 2,000 years old because we see in the Aquarian Gospel that Lord Jesus Christ was attending the Ratha-yatra festival at Puri.” SPL to Jadurani, 4th January, 1973
Above, Cory, Nimai and Krishna Preme Palavan at the Holi DC–Hare Krishna Kirtan Festval–Potomac, Maryland on April 10, 2016
Bhakta Cory cutting the border frames for the New Bhagavad-Gita Exhibit–Sandy Ridge, Norh Carolina May 24, 2016
With the support of Festival of India’s friends, we were able to finish the new Illustrated Bhagavad-Gita Exhibit. Above, Madhuha dasa, making one last quality check before the exhibit was loaded into the truck for the first major festival of 2016–the Baltimore Ratha-Yatra.
Above, Ishan, on his second year with Festival of India, happily helps cut up vegetables for the New York Ratha-Yatra Feast. Everyone on the crew stays busy with devotional service all week. Brooklyn, NY June 10, 2016.
Chicago Ratha-yatra above, Lord Jagannatha’s chariot parked next to the main stage. Although the parade was very short due to some major road construction in central Chicago, the Festival of India was well attended and thousands of people received Krishna Prasadam; heard the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra; and went home carrying at least one of Srila Prabhupada’s books! Chicago, Illinois September 17, 2016.
Above,
the Chariot in the Bloomington/Normal Ratha-Yatra, wich was the day after the Ratha-yatra Festival in Chicago. It was very tight, but Festival of India went, time was limited, but we set up the Changing Bodies Diarama and a book table. We’re looking forward to bring the full Hare Krishna Festival of India to Bloomington in 2017. Bloomington, Illinois–September 18, 2016.
University, seen above is the Free Feast tent, lined up with eager students. This is one of the Universities in the D.C. area where Festival of India sets up exhibits every Spring and Fall. Thousands of students come for a free lunch and leave with some transcendental ‘Food For Thought’ Srila Prabhupada’s books, as well as a fully satisfied appetite after honoring the deliscious Krishna-Prasadam feast. Washington D.C.–October 12, 2016.
Tire Problems
Just before arriving in Berkeley, for the San Francisco Ratha-Yatra and Festival in Golden Gate Park, we had two tires blow out. It took $750 and we were back on the road. Yes, maintaining the equipment is costly, but the festivals are worth it. Whatever it takes, we’ll do our best to ‘keep the show on the road‘ delivering Mahaprabhu’s and Srila Prabhupada’s sublime message. Festival of India is dedicated to introducing the masses to Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental books, and especially–the chanting of the Maha-Mantra. Hare Krishna!
ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form-to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.22
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
