Iskcon Panama participates in Christmas parade

By Radha Govinda devi dasi

Dear devotees ,

Every year the government of Panama holds a christmas parade with over 30 floats and over 1/2 million people viewing the parade.

Syama candra Das got the idea that why we don’t join the parade with our Ratha Yatra cart and so thousands can benefit from having darshan of the Lord.

He convinced everyone and started having meeting with the mayor and the authorities responsible for the parade who all gave a green light for our participation. So on the 9th of December devotees all joined together for an unforgetable experience.

The people were so excited and happy seeing our kirtan and the cart they were clapping and even joining in the kirtan . Devotees distributed over 3000 packets of prasadam prepared by our indian congregation members. We had devotees from Trinidad come especially for singing and playing mrdanga Sridam and Yogi prabhus and Vatsal Prabhu of North Carolina was our biggest helper for the Ratha yatra cart and for kirtan.

Our 5 team members Syama Chandra, Chatur Murti ,Srilesh, Manish and Jeetu worked tirelessly for the festival. In an interview done by local T. v one boy in the audience when asked what was his favourite float without hesitation replied that he liked the float of the Hindus. ( festival of India).

The mayor and the judges said our group was the most lively and wants our continued participation for the following years. Krsna has given us this wonderful orportunity to spread Krsna consciouness here in Panama and we hope that by hearing this report all the devotees bless us so that we can always please Srila Prabhupada.

your servant, Radha Govinda devi dasi