CHICAGO: You may deem it to be a miracle or you may call it a coincidence. It happened this year and it happened after an ardent prayer to Lord KrishnaHare Krishna temple in Chicago organizes its annual Rath Yatra festival every year around this time and this year it could not be an exception. However, the required permit for the procession was not forth coming and the ISKCON management as well as a number of Jagganath devotees were askance if the Rath Yatra could be held at all .

The new President of ISKCON Chicago Hare Krsihna Temple said that there might not be the festival this year. About three weeks ago Krishna Smarana dasa prayed to Sri Krishna and Sri Radha and lo, after half an hour the letter of permit was received.The annual Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival) was finally held last week on Western Avenue in Chicago. It started in the morning on North Western Avenue amidst loud congregational chanting of Krisna's holy names. Hundreds of devotees of Lord Jagganath and ISKCON members were part of the procession that had headed toward Devon Avenue. They pulled the 40-foot high red-canopied chariot of the Lord Jagganath with ropes.

The parade ended at the Croatian Cultural Center for a whole afternoon of cultural programs. The deities of Lord Jagannath (Krishna), Balarama, and Subhadra devi (sister of Sri Krishna), and Srila Prabhupada were welcomed from the chariot into the Cultural Center with a roaring kirtana and arati worship. Candramauli Swami personally offered worship to Srila Prabhupada and Their Lordships on behalf of all the participants while H.G. Trnakarta dasa led the kirtana.At the center, the rest of the festival included Bhajan, discourses, play, dances, and prasadam. The master of the ceremony was Sri Vallabha dasa.

ISKCON Chicago's youth group, Soul Connection, performed a musical ensemble with keyboard, violin, viola, mrdanga, hand cymbals, and harmonium accompanying melodious chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.!"Satchitananda dasa sang Sri Jagannath Ashtakam which was uttered by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Nirantara dasa sang a bhajan and chanted the maha-mantra.The discourses about the significance of Ratha Yatra, mercy of Lord Jagannath, and the importance of chanting the Holy Name in this age were presented by Bhaktimarg Swami,Amiya Vilasa Swami, Romapada Swami, and Chandramauli Swami.

The essence of their messages was that the mercy of God (Jagannath) is available for all, without any restriction or discrimination because all living beings are God's children and are deserving of His love and affection.. Bhaktimarga Swami directed, wrote, and set to music the spell-binding drama, "Kunti & Karna," and was performed by the Krishna Festival Bus Tour Youth Group. Nityananda Prana dasa proposed a vote of thanks. (Freelance writer Girish Parikh also contributed to this story)