Jagannatha Ratha Yatra on the Bogor Street festival 2020
Bogor, located in Java in Indonesia, is known locally for its cool weather and its relaxed charm. It’s also a heritage city and a city of culture.
Bogor street festival or the “cap go meh” is something that was handed down by our predecessors, which means “unity in diversity”. The minister of tourism and creative economic, Mr. Wishnutama, governor of West Java, Mr. Ridwan Kamil, and the mayor of Bogor city, Bima Arya Sugiarto, presided the annual Bogor Street Festival Cap Go Meh 2020.
The diversity and cultural richness of the archipelago was again presented by the City of Bogor through the Bogor Street Festival of the 2020 CGM. The annual event that took place along Suryakencana street,. Bogor City highlighted 25 groups of art studios and 25 groups from the lion dance and Liong (dragon dance). devotees also participated in the grand festival.
“Make the Ratha-yatra festival very great success. This will be a great introduction in your city and people will appreciate it”. SPL to Syamasundara, 4th May, 1967
The devotees of the Radha Govinda temple coordinated the ratha yatra which wasn’t possible without the help of the Nusantara team. Preparations were made by the devotees a day before the festival by checking the chariot before it was sent to Bogor from Depok. The devotees then went to Bogor early morning at 4.00 am. And arrived in bogor at 8.00 am.
More devotees from Lampung arrived with Lord Jagannath Deities early in the morning at Radha Govinda temple and prepared themselves before going to Bogor to help the devotees decorate the chariot. the chariots were decorated on the street, in the parking area of Bogor market near the start point of the festival. After midday the devotees got their prasadam that was prepared by the devotees in Radha Madava temple.
According to the schedule, the activity began at 14.00 local time with art performances such as angklung, bamboo art, dance, and hadroh, from a number of art studios. Then proceed with the appearance of a number of other appearances.
Devotees pulled the chariot in the middle of crowds of people who came from entire Bogor just to see the festival. Before entering, devotees had to wait for the other participants and their performances. While waiting, devotees did kirtan and Hare Krishna Mahamantra pervaded the entire atmosphere and people were also attracted by the kirtan. Some devotees distributed prasadam to the visitors. As the Rathayatra began, devotees pulled the chariot in joy. They danced in front of the Lord and sung Hare krishna Mahamantra loudly. Entering the main stage where the the minister and the governor, mayor and the VVIP guests sat, devotees performed a dance with the Mahamantra singing. The minister welcomed the devotees by waving his hand toward the devotees. Then the devotees continued the ratha yatra along the street. As the Rathayatra completed, devotees were joyfully honoring prasadam, and the chariot team prepared the chariot to return to Depok. This Bogor Street festival CGM already become one of the 100 event that is seriously taken by the minister of Tourism and Creative Economic and it also become one of ratha yatra festival in Indonesia for the devotees.
We would like to take this opportunity to offer our ever grateful obeisances to HH Kavichandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their kind support and encouragement in accessing new avenues for sankirtan and to His Holiness Subhag Swami, whose guidance as a spiritual mentor has inspired us and given us the required force for arranging more and more Lord Jagannath Rath yatras throughout Indonesia. Our gratitude also goes to the management of Sri Sri Radha Govinda temple who support the prasadam.
Jai Jagannath ! Jai Baladev ! Jai Subhadra !!!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!
More photos: https://is.gd/VscFgT