Tuesday 27 March 2012

What to expect at this year's festival

For devotees of Krishna and visitors to Durban, Easter week-end has become synonymous with Ratha-Yatra, Festival of Chariots.  Now, celebrating its 24th year on Durban’s beachfront, this festival can proudly boast as being the only free exclusively spiritual and intrinsically cultural festival in the province, spanning over 4 days! 
A traditional part of the festival is naturally the chariots procession.  Three 15metre high chariots festooned with thousands of flower garlands and colourful canopies towering across the 10 metre wide structure, will be manually drawn as thousands of chanting and dancing devotees, accompanied by traditional Indian musical instruments, tug along the ropes through the streets of Durban’s beachfront area.
This year the processions will take place on Friday, 6th April (Hanuman Jayanti) at 1pm from the South Beach (opposite Garden Court), heading in a northerly direction on the Upper Marine Parade and turning into Argyle Road and then into Brickhill Road, reaching the festival site – the former Durban Drive-In.
A second shorter parade will take place on Monday, 9th April at 4.30pm leaving from the festival site, heading south and then joining the Upper Marine Parade, heading north and then turning into Argyle road and back to the festival site.
The festival which is seeped with spiritual significance, aims to showcase the Krishna conscious philosophy and lifestyle via various media.  Through the performing arts, one will be entertained with song, dance and dramas dedicated to Lord Krishna and His activities.  The best in local and international performers are being sourced to ensure an exhilarating treat for attendees. 
The various food stalls will have a tantalising range of vegetarian food items (fast foods to full course meals), all freshly prepared by devotees and offered to Lord Krishna.  Apart from the food stalls, every visitor to the festival will be invited to relish a sumptuous meal of breyani, dhall, soji, salad and juice – totally free of charge – in the true spirit of Krishna conscious hospitality.
Those interested in spiritual literature will be spoilt for choice as over 100 titles will be available from small paperback and  magazines to Bhagavad Gita As It Is, entire set of Srimad Bhagavatam (12 volumes) and Caitanya Caritamrta (9 volumes) at hugely discounted prices.  Visitors will also have the opportunity to present questions to scholars of these books in special designated “Question and Answer” booths. 
At least 8 international leaders of ISKCON will be in attendance, including chairperson of ISKCON’s governing body commission, His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami.
Over 30 marquees will form a tent city, displaying exhibits, Indian jewellery and clothing bazaar, cow protection arena, multi-media, CD and DVD, arts and crafts....

There will also be a special lifestyle marquee which will host cooking demonstrations, yoga sessions, talks by alternative health specialists, dieticians and nutritional researchers.
Keeping in line with the fact that the deities leave the temple and go out into the streets of the city to distribute Their mercy to onlookers, the on-site temple will afford visitors an opportunity to perform worship at the festival grounds, where fruit, flowers, incense, ghee lamps and other paraphernalia will be available for such worship.  Visitors can also participate in an abhishek (bathing ceremony) of the deities of Sita, Rama Laksman and Hanuman in the wake of Ramnaumi which would have been celebrated on Sunday, 1st April.
Likewise, “The Ramayan” will be the main drama to be showcased at the festival.  With a cast of over 40 actors and produced and directed by Bhakti Marg Swami from Canada, the drama promises to be a spectacular enactment of this age-old pastime.
Also, expounding on the theme of Lord Rama’s (an incarnation of Lord Krishna) pastimes where He exhibited the role of the ideal king and husband, spiritual discussions on these and other aspects of the Ramayana will take place daily from 1pm to 3pm in the main marquee which has a seating capacity of 3000 guests.  On 6th April, the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti will be observed, with discussions on the glorious role of Hanuman in the Ramayan.
A breath-taking aerial fireworks display will light up the Durban night skies on Saturday evening.
The festival promises to cater for everyone in the family, not forgetting the little kiddies.  Children will enter into a spiritual wonderland, full of activities that will inspire and attract them to spiritual life – from Candle dipping, grinding grain, rolling and making chapatis, making pizzas in dung stoves, sword and shield sanding, gopi dots, hair braiding, sewing craft, rangoli and mosaic murals, the children are sure to have a memorable time at the festival.  Visit http://www.thebluemountain.org/ for more information on the “Nilacala, Blue Mountain, children’s spiritual theme park.

The festival commences at noon every day and concludes at 10pm.  Admission is free.  Free transport will be provided from Chatsworth and surrounding areas to and from the festival grounds at specific timings. 

For further information contact Champakalata dasi on 082 824 2203 or e-mail: champakalata@telkomsa.net

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