BY VISHAKHA SUSEVINI DEVI DASI
KUCHING - Amid Visit Malaysia Year 2014, ISKCON Kuching organized for the seventh consecutive time the Jagannath Ratha Yatra festival in Sarawak Land of Hornbill, East Malaysia on 21 st June 2014. The beautifully decorated chariot and colorful float carrying Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhatra Maharani were pulled by devotees with ecstasy while full force of dancing, singing and chanting the Holy Name of The Lord clouded the whole atmosphere along the routes of the yatra.
Hundreds of devotees thronged the city streets across the route amid security right from 5 p.m. in the evening to witness the majestic Ratha Yatra. The procession followed the traditional route which started from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple and halted at Hare Krishna Multipurpose Hall, where a grand mass of fireworks and Lion Dance by the Chinese Association welcomed the glorious deities. They were then seated in the center of the grand stage as the presiding deities.
As official declaration of this festival, His Holiness Janananda Goswami Maharaj, YB Senator Dato Dr Loga Bala Mohan Jaganathan @ Loka Bandhu Gauranga Das (Deputy Minister of Federal Territories, Malaysia), Simheswara Prabhu (General Secretary of ISKCON Malaysia), Kripa Sindhu Krishna Prabhu (Chairman of ISKCON Kuching), Mr. Lo Khere Chiang (Local Councilor) and other leaders from political associations, NGO and other organizations joined hands and officiated this grand event.
As a welcoming speech, the Chairman of ISKCON Kuching, Kripa Sindhu Krishna Prabhu welcomed and thanked everyone for participating in this annual Borneo Island Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra. He also thanked all devotees who were involved tirelessly in organizing and making the event a huge success. He also showed his gratitude to the Malaysian Government for giving freedom to the citizens to practice different religions in the country. Lastly, he wished well and prayed that the Lord of Universe bless everyone with good health and prosperity.
In addressing the crowd, the Deputy Minister of Federal Territories YB Senator Dato Dr Loga Bala greeted everyone with well wishes and highlighted the current social problems faced by the youngsters in the country, where all religious bodies should always attempt to involve youths in religious activities to help form the character positively from the beginning which would subsequently help to prevent their involvement in crime activities. This is deemed as very important to the society as the youths today are the future of the nation.
His Holiness Janananda Goswami Maharaj in his speech narrated the wonderful pastime of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during Sri Jagannath RathaYatra in Puri. The Lord in golden form is so merciful because by dancing He can wake our Love of God and His tears that spread on everyone is as spray of Krishna Prema on everyone. That is the beauty of this festival of Chariot.
More than six hundred people from local communities and sixty visitors from other states in Malaysia and other countries such as England and India joined this festival to be fully absorbed in devotion for the sweet Lord. After the official declaration ceremony, the program for the evening featured variety of performances including 1 Malaysia dance performance by Ministry of Social Development and special performances on the Past Times of Lord Krishna by ISKCON children and youths.
This was followed by serving of Prasadam to the huge crowd of people. Prasadam was prepared for 700 guests and various types of pure vegetarian food and sweets were distributed out.
With the Prasadam distribution and grand finale of performances, the seventh annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra festival organized by ISKCON Kuching Malaysia came to an end. This year’s festival was yet again a huge success and the celebration has been so intense, joyful and had all the devotees involved completely immersed in the love for the Lord. This celebration has been organized for the pleasure of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhatra Maharani and may everyone be blessed immensely by the merciful Lord.
Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa and Campakalata Devi dasi: Thank you, dear supporters! Your generosity has brought us to our $500 per month goal to feed Radha Kunda’s widows! We were feeding ten at first and have already increased that number to fifteen! We are serving rotis (Braj style chapatis) and sabji to them every evening. Our crew is very inspired to do this service. And thanks to your ongoing support, we will be able to continue it indefinitely! :) :) :) Read more › 
Saratov is a city and the administrative center of Saratov Oblast, Russia, and a major port on the Volga River 
(Automatically translated from Russian)Yoshkar-Ola is the capital city of the Mari El Republic, Russia. Participants spectacular action not only sang the sacred mantras, but also danced, played on Indian instruments and handing out sweets
Several dozen Hare Krishna (Vaishnavas) passed from the monument to the young family to pl. Nikonov through Central Park of Culture and Leisure and Chavaina blvd. Indian festival attracted the attention of the citizens: the participants not only bright processions singing sacred mantras, danced, played on Indian musical instruments, but also handed out sweets, reported June 28 Portal Pro Yoshkar-Ola. http://pg12.ru/
By the way, the citizens and guests of the capital of the Mari could purchase a Vaishnava even books on Vedic philosophy.
The tree in Tompkins Square Park under which Srila Prabhupada was preaching to the people, the Matchless Gifts storefront, first ever temple of Iskcon and more. 
With Radhanath Swami 
(Automatically translated from Russian)"This is a very ancient festival, which is celebrated for thousands of years - sends word Govinda Swami. - Today the Lord Jagannath took to the streets of Saratov to bless us all that we are finally starting to understand that we are not the body, but the soul"
June 28 Kirov Avenue on the holiday turned into a little India, with its unrestrained dances and songs. Hindu deities who came for a walk after the annual holiday, traveling in a chariot accompanied by the most delicious fruits and the most beautiful flowers. Front of the car, with live music, vytantsovyvalas beautiful girls in saris, luring this holiday circle more and more passers-by, the TV channel STRC Saratov.
On the feast of the deity Jagannath attended by people from all over the Volga region: Samara, Togliatti, Penza, Kazan, Izhevsk, Kamyshino. And even came a spiritual teacher from India Bhaktibhringa Govinda Swami and sang a few mantras for the audience at the festival. 
