Chariot festival celebrates 50 years
The Durban Festival of Chariots celebrates 50 years of ISKCON this weekend.
THE eagerly awaited Festival of Chariots takes place over the Easter weekend, from 25 to 28 March, at the Old Durban Drive In.
Organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), this iconic festival kicks off a year of celebrations that marks the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, and the organisers are pulling out all the stops to make this a most exciting and memorable festival yet.
The traditional chariot parades will be on Friday 24 March at 10.30am and Monday 28 March at 5pm. Three 15m high chariots, accompanied by jubilant celebrants, will make their way along Marine Parade on Friday. Starting at the Tropicana Hotel, the parade will culminate at the tented village on the festival site at the Old Durban Drive-In. On Monday evening, a second parade will leave and return to the festival site.
Local and international artists will present a spectacular display of traditional and contemporary dance and music items on a number of stages set up at the site. Canadian born theatre producer Bhakti Marg Swami has been commissioned to produce two new drama pieces, both making international debuts in Durban. Ever popular puppet theatre and dance drama are also on the cards again this year.
The much loved children’s adventure park, the Blue Mountain, will provide hours of educational entertainment for the little ones, engaging them in cookery, arts and craft, music, dance and drama and other fun activities.
A temple will be set up at the festival site for visitors to observe and participate in ancient Vedic practices and prayer.
Festival-goers can look forward to a lifestyle expo with health and wellness experts, gifts and clothing boutiques, henna and tattoo artists, international food stalls and ISKCON’s famous free hospitality meals.
Entry is free and ample parking is available.
Contact Anuradha Dasi on 082 728 5154.
