By Prema Bhakti Marga dasi
Last year my husband and I, who have been initiated devotees since 1989, and a few friends attended Ratha-yatra as we do each year, in this case the San Francisco Rath. We took notice that the Rath booths are extremely outdated particularly when reading the vegetarianism display to our 5-year-old son. What concerned us even more was that the celebrities listed were so outdated that some, Michael Jackson in particular, are now defamed. I find it extremely disturbing that Michael Jackson’s name is associated with ISKCON for some very obvious reasons. He has been accused in the past and now most recently of child molestation and furthermore he is considered it seems by most circles to be “nuts”, to put it bluntly.
There are so many current celebs that support alternative lifestyles and vegetarianism, why can’t we update? Alec Baldwin recently did a video for PETA, and many other celebs are actively vocalizing their vegan/veg lifestyles. Why must we reach so far back to the 70’s when the majority of the Ratha-yatra attendees weren’t even alive then?
We don’t mean to be critical. We are well aware of how steady the devotees have been in providing the Ratha-yatra booths. But it seems a simple matter to adjust which can make the efforts of such preaching more relevant and successful.
I much appreciated this posting. While I’m sure that Festival of India is very busy, keeping things (especially media related things) new and updated is important. We don’t need the younger generation thinking that we’re obsolete! It would be really cool to see a new “face” put forward in regards to the various booths!
-Jason
Good ideas ab0ut updating the presentation, however it takes money, time, and effort to make changes – something which is in short supply right now. Srila Prabhupada was famous for saying “if you see something needs to be done, it means Krishna wants YOU to do it.”
Now here’s my idea of the perfect Rathyatra – chanting, dancing and feasting! Maybe it’s time to retire some of the old booths and exhibits, and free up devotees to have more fun. I think that’s what is most missing at Rathyatra. It just isn’t enough fun anymore. Too much work. How on earth are we going to get people to take us seriously, support us, join us, what to speak of stay with us, if we ourselves aren’t happy? I see so many glum faces at Rathyatra every year, and unfortunately those faces are on our devotees.
Year after year, I used to work in the booths and dread all the hard work. I so much wanted to just be free to celebrate and have fun at Rathyatra. It shouldn’t have to be a punishment to become a devotee. Rathyatra provides a great opportunity to increase temple cash flow by selling gifts, pizza, paraphernalia, lassies, etc., but not if it sacrifices the joyful spirit of the festival. The booths mean a pile of hard work for our devotees. I have to be honest, now that I am a karmi again, I get to have a blast at Rathyatra. I feel sad for the devotees slaving away in those booths.
Back in the olde days before the carts even, the festivals consisted of chanting, dancing, and feasting. I think Rathyatra should be a celebration of the Holy Name. It’s such a let down after the parade is over, to get to the festival site, and not hear the Holy Name continuously chanted all afternoon. The very best thing we are known for and admired for is the singing of the Holy Name, so why not celebrate it?
It was especially disappointing last year at the L.A. Rathyatra – Vyasaki Prabhu wasn’t singing. There used to be a special stage where he would sing the most hypnotic melodies for hours on end. He would sing at the site while the parade was going on, and for many hours throughout the afternoon. Everybody knows how fabulous his kirtans are, but he wasn’t there last year. What a bummer!
The sound systems weren’t working on the parade route so the kirtans kept cutting out which was very disturbing and upsetting for all the devotees. I moved back and forth between all the carts to check out the kirtans. Perhaps because there was a shortage of devotees, there wasn’t an enthusiastic kirtan going on in front of all the chariots at all times. Sometimes the only sound which could be heard was the dry sound of trudging feet with no singing.
Do away with the rock music, the comics, the plays, etc., and just chant. That’s what I have been feeling for years now, but never had a place to say it.
Thank you for bringing this up! I’ve been thinking the same thing for years now. The displays are almost embarrassing. Perhaps someone could take up a collection for new ones or something.
In regards to helping the S.F. Rathyatra, last year I donated $400 worth of brass bells and windchimes, which were hung from the carts, and produced a melodious sound during the parade. I never received any acknowledgement of thanks, what to speak of tax-deductible receipt from their temple, expressing that anyone cared for my offering, or that what I gave mattered.
ISKCON thrives on donations to put on their festivals, and many devotees have tried repeatedly to help us over the years. If you want money, then you have to care, otherwise everyone that can give, or could give, will give up.
It doesn’t take much money to be a little thoughtful and to try to put ourselves in the shoes of newcomers who may be experiencing our presentation for the first time. We tend to expect people to “get it” and if they don’t, we act like it’s their fault.
Usually, it’s ours, methinks.
Kd