On Saturday, September 22nd, ISKCON Philadelphia is celebrating both Ratha Yatra and Radhastami combined.

For the first time ever, several thousand festival-goers will have the unique opportunity to hand-pull three opulently decorated, 20-foot high chariots of Sri Panca-tattva, Sri Sri Radha Sarad-vihari, and Sri Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhardra.

Bagpipers, singers, drummers, dramatic characters, and dancers will accompany the three chariots down Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the Philadelphia Art Museum.

ISKCON children will also pull their individually decorated miniature chariots.

At Eakin’s Oval, where the procession comes to an end, revelers will participate in a one-of-a-kind Bhakti Fest.

The Philadelphia City Hall with William Penn on top of the structure and the famous Philadelphia Art Museum are very unique structures that provide a great back drop for the chariots.

A distinctive feature of this year’s Radhastami festival will be a beautifully decorated Radha-Krishna Kirtan Temple Tent, which will feature leading kirtaniyas—accompanied by thousands of participants—chanting for the sole pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Sarad-vihari, who will preside over the kirtan performance in Their own temple tent, where Their seva will continue.

One of the most popular attractions of the Philadelphia festival is the complimentary vegan/vegetarian feast that will be served to thousands of guests. As one of the country’s grandest Ratha Yatra feasts, our menu consists of a mouth-watering 13-course meal for over 8,000 guests, free of charge. As always, the site will be lined with a host of tents offering various delicacies, yoga demonstrations, mantra meditation, kirtan yoga (sacred sound), workshops, dance, drama, comedy, live music, cultural exhibits, crafts, transcendental literature, philosophical discussions, children’s activities, family fun, and more. Vendors will sell beautiful saris, aromatic incense, books and exotic jewelry at the various booths dotting the site.

The Festival’s advertising team has been working very hard to attract a lot of people to come. They thought, no one is a better person to invite guests to his own festival than Jagannatha. Thus, for many weeks, people could see Lord Jagannatha smiling on billboards on major interstates (I95S, I76E), and meet Him traveling on exterior and interior buses and trains. Also, the poster of Him has been hanging on a pole lamp right in front of the festival site – the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Jagannath’s billboards were up in time to capture the Eagle’s Football Game Opener as well as the Made In America Concert.

For more information about the festival please visit www.paradeofchariots.com

Tag: philadelphia , ratha-yatra