Jagannath Rath Yatra: Mathura on Sunday witnessed tremendous excitement as the 'Rath Yatra' of Lord Jagannath was taken out by ISKCON Vrindavan, an official of the district administration said. According to an official of ISKCON Bhakti Vedant Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON said that pulling the Rath and chanting the name of Lord Jagannath opens the gate for salvation.
Narrating the legend, Ravi Lochan Das, the PRO of ISKCON Vrindavan said, "The Rath Yatra symbolises the visit of Lord Jagannath to his maternal aunt's home. The festival features three massive chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Lord Balbhadra and Devi Subhadra from Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple (in Puri)."
The Yatra was welcomed by people and devotees in its about six-kilometre journey on Sunday afternoon, with rose petals being showered from the rooftops of the buildings.
The yatra concluded at Radha Archid where "Chappan Bhog Prasad" was served to the devotees, officials said. Rath Yatra festival was also celebrated in Lord Jagannath temple in Vrindavan, Bankey Bihari temple, seven ancient temples of Vrindavan, temples based at Srikrishna Janmasthan and Dwarkadhish temple of Mathura, Gyanendra Goshwami the priest of Bankey Bihari temple said.
