July is a very colourful month, if we take into account the vivid Rath Yatra festival of Kolkata organized during this time of the year. This year, it falls on the 1st of July and rest assured, it’s going to be a festival of one of its kind. It is the most important festival of Lord Jagannath and draws millions of devotees from around the state and different parts of the world.
2021 was the Golden Jubilee year of ISKCON Kolkata Rathayatra. The 1st Kolkata Rathayatra was organized by ISKCON in the year 1972. Since then, Kolkata Rathayatra has become the 2nd largest Rathayatra after Puri’s and is attended by a total of over 16 lakhs people coread over in 9 days festivities organized by 1SKCON Kolkata.
“Last year due to COVID, the golden jubilee could not be celebrated as we had planned to, but we are hoping to make the 51st Kolkata Rathayatra celebrations a grand affair for the pleasure of Lord Jagannath and His divine siblings.” said Vice President & Spokesperson of ISKCON Kolkata Radharaman Das. He added “It looks like that COVID is behind all of us. Almost after 3 years Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi will be riding Their respective chariots on 1st July 2022, along the city roads and will head to Their Masi-Badi at Brigade Parade Ground opposite to Park Street Metro station where they will reside for 8 days’ before returning to Their abode at ISKCON Albert Road steamtpl le on 9th July 2022. ”
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the Rathayatra at 2pm on 10 July 2022 from the ISKCON Kolkata temple near Minto Park. On the morning of Rathayatra on 10 July 2022, Pahandi Vijay of Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi will start at around 8.30 am from ISKCON Temple. From 10 am onwards, dance by famous dance groups from India and abroad will perform in front of Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi. At 2pm, Hon’ble Chief Minister will inaugurate the Rathayatra after performing the aarati & by pulling the ropes.
The Rathayatra route on Friday, 10 July 2022 is as follows: -Rathayatra (On Friday 1. July 2022 starting at 2pm from Hungerford Street near Minto Park) 3C Albert Road (ISKCON TEMPLE) ->Hungerford street-> A.J.C Bose Road- >Sarat Bose Road->Hazra Road-> S.P Mukherjee Road-> A.T.M Road-> Chowringhee Road-> Exide Crossing-> J.L Nehru Road-> Outram Road-> (Straight to Brigade Parade ground).
Again on Ultarathayatra (On Saturday 9th July 2022 starting at 12 noon from Outram Road near Park Street Metro)
Brigade Parade Ground->Outram Road-Left Turn- J.L Nehru Road-Dorina Crossing-> S.N Banerjee Road-> Moulali Crossing -> C.I.T Road-> Suhrawardy Avenue-> Park Circus 7-point crossing-> Shakespeare Sarani->Hungerford Street-3C Albert Road (ISKCON Temple)
People staying along the Rathayatra route can offer fruits and flowers to the Lord. They can come along with the chariots to Brigade parade ground on the day of Rathayatra, where free kichadi prasadam will be served once the Ratha reaches Brigade parade ground. It is stated in the sastra that anyone who sees the Deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra during their Ratha Yatra procession will be quickly rid of his miseries and is bound to reach Valkuntha-loka, the eternal, spiritual world where anxiety does not exist.
Authorities of ISKCON headquarters at Mayapur informed that devotees from 95 countries which include Italy, Korea, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Russia, France, Germany, USA and China will participate.
