By Atul Krishna Dasa
Overwhelming crowds of people poured into the streets of Dhaka to participate in ISKCON’s Ratha Yatra festivle here last Tuesday. Police, and other city officials, estimated that around 50 thousands people joined Lord Jagannatha’s procession through the center of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city. Bangladesh has a 90% muslim population, many of whom also enthusiastically participated in the Ratha Yatra festival.
I first attended Ratha Yatra in Dhaka 10 years ago. At that time I was amazed that ISKCON was able to conduct Ratha Yatra in a Muslim country at alli. Ten years later, getting another opportunity to attend the festival, I was astounded at the festival has grown to such an enormous size. The procession of the chariots of Baladeva, Subhadra and Jagannatha journeyed directly though the main streets of the city of Dhaka and included places of municipal importance like the National Press Club and National Mosque. Members of Parliament and other dignitaries attended the opening of the parade. Throughout the procession prasadam was distributed and more than ten kirtan parties loudly resounded the holy names od the Lord.
Members of Parliament and other dignitaries attended the opening of the parade and several Muslim Ministers expressed their appreciation of the development and acheivments of ISKCON in Bangladesh. His Holiness Prabhavisnu Swami Maharaja, ISKCON guru and Co-GBC for Bangladesh was also present for the Ratha Yatra festivle.
It seemed that Lord Jagannatha does not want any residents of Dhaka to miss out on witnessing His chariot pastimes with Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Bangladesh is a country which hosts some many holy tirthas in relation to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his associates. In any case Lord Jagannatha is very dear to the Gaudiaya Vaisnavas and this was definitely evident in last Tuesday’s Ratha Yatra festival in Dhaka. Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani ki jaya!