Thousands witness ‘Krishna Balarama Ratha Yatra’
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
MANGALORE, Mar 2: Devotees of Lord Krishna from all parts of the State witnessed the fifth annual “Sri Krishna Balarama Ratha Yatra”, organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) here, on Saturday.
Stoka Krishna Prabhu, Head of Chennai-unit of ISKCON, who presided over the function, said that the “ratha yatra” was aimed at bringing the lord closer to his devotees.
N. Yogish Bhat, former MLA, who inaugurated the event, said that Indian culture could not be visualised without Krishna and Rama. Describing these deities as integral part of Indian culture, Mr. Bhat lauded the efforts of “Akshaya Patra Foundation”, managed by the society, in providing mid-day meals, under a Government scheme, to more than 15,000 schoolchildren in and around Mangalore.
K. Thejomaya, former chairman of Mangalore Urban Development Authority, and Raghunath Shet, philanthropist, spoke.
Devotees offered flowers on the idols of Krishna Balarama. A puja was performed at the start of the ratha yatra.
The guests and devotees sang “Harinama Sankeertana” while pulling the flower bedecked chariot through the main thoroughfares of the city.