FESTIVAL ORIGINS
Festival of Chariots, traditionally known as Rathayatra (chariot procession), is an ancient tradition originating in Jagannath Puri, India.
This festival draws millions of sincere pilgrims to the small beach town, Jagannath Puri in Western India, where the sacred worship is brought to the public streets. Every year three 45-foot tall carts are lovingly crafted and prepared for the celebration. Their Lordships Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra are paraded on grand chariots through the streets to bestow divine blessings upon everyone.
Three Rathayatra carts with worshippers massed in the courtyard outside the Jagannath Temple in Jagannath, Puri, Orissa, India
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought Rathayatra (Festival of Chariots) to the United States.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and his followers held the first Ratha Yatra festival in the United States in San Francisco on July 9, 1967 to celebrate bhakti yoga and share India’s rich spiritual heritage. Today, we bring this vibrant chariot festival tradition from Jagannath Puri, India, to cities across Florida, sharing the same spirit of devotion and cultural richness with local communities.
Festival of Chariots has hosted more than 100 celebrations in 20+ years.
OUR STORY
and sharing joy every since
