Festival of chariots brings Lord Krishna to devotees

Chants of devotion filled the morning air, as the words ‘Hare Krishna’ echoed down Scott and Allen streets.

Last Saturday morning, Iskcon hosted the 15th annual Festival of Chariots. Devotees from as far as Johannesburg and Durban joined Newcastillians to be part of the auspicious day.

The Festival of Chariots is a celebration dating back more than 5000 years, having stood the test of time. It symbolises the importance of casting worldly desires aside to form a stronger relationship with Lord Krishna.

Devotees gathered at the town hall to pull the massive chariot down Scott Street, before turning into Allen Street and returning to the town hall.

Once back at the town hall, devotees sang bhajans, meditated and prayed, embracing their belief of creating a society of compassion and understanding.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami, a member of Iskcon’s governing body commission and leader of Iskcon in South Africa, the Baltic States and Russia, attended the cheerful event and spent Saturday at the festival, sharing his spiritual knowledge with devotees.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Bhakti Chaitanya Swami initially became interested in Iskcon after a chance meeting with its founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Auckland University.

“I was a journalist at the time and was studying further at Auckland University during 1972. By chance one day, I met A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who was doing a programme at the university. I attended the programme and was really interested, but it was only after visiting a temple in London I became involved and never looked back.”

Since joining Iskcon, he rose within the ranks and inspired devotees to develop a stronger relationship with Lord Krishna.

So far, he has attended eight of the 15 Festivals of Chariots in Newcastle, and seen it grow exponentially since its inception.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami described Newcastle’s community as vibrant and energetic.

“The biggest Iskcon-hosted Festival of Chariots is in Calcutta, where there are at least one million people annually. The second biggest is in Durban with approximately 150 000 people. While Newcastle is smaller, it is really good,” he commented.

Through his years in Iskcon, Bhakti Chaitanya Swami said it was imperative for people to embrace their faith and take part in celebrations such as the one held on Saturday.

“You can learn a lot in a short period of time during the festivities, meet people who can talk to you and discuss things you might want to learn about.”

However, getting involved in festivities was just the beginning when it came to fostering a relationship with Lord Krishna.

“Over the years, I have learned not to judge people on their exterior, but to rather look at their hearts and understand everyone has good within them. The good might be hidden under a bad attitude or bad habits, as people do get caught up in negativity, but the good is there and we need to help each other become better.”

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami said we all had a relationship with God, but the link between mankind and God was often forgotten. “We are all connected to God and we want to help people reconnect with God, as it would truly transform their lives.”

The Festival of Chariots officially came to an end on Sunday, when devotees participated in a service at the Iskcon Temple, Lennoxton.

After pulling the titanic chariot and spending time in Krishna’s presence, the spectacular Festival of Chariots was indeed one to remember.