Ratha Yatra festival at Brno

Ratha-yatra is an important festival associated with Lord Jagannath (Kṛṣṇa).
The festival has its roots in the Indian city of Puri, where it has been held regularly for over two thousand years. The festival commemorates Krishna's return home to Vrindavan after a long period of separation from the people there.

Today, the festival is celebrated in most of the world's metropolises and is an integral tradition in cities such as London, Paris, Madrid, Oslo, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Sydney, New York, Los Angeles, Cape Town, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Moscow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Nairobi, Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur, Lima and many others.

Our festival has two parts:
1) Ceremonial parade through the city: At 2 p.m., a decorated car will leave Moravské nám. (U Jošta) along Česká Street to the main train station and back. He will be accompanied by a procession. The Hare Krishna mantra will be chanted accompanied by musical instruments (kirtan).
2) Cultural program on Moravské náměstí: from 5 p.m. you can look forward to the performance of kirtan groups on stage, bhajans (Indian spiritual songs) and a speech on the origin and significance of the festival. There will also be a stand with free vegetarian food waiting for you in the festival town, presentation stand of our Nava Gokula eco-farm, shop with goods from India and from our eco-farm, station with spiritual literature and also a commercial stand with other vegetarian goodies. 

Parking for festival visitors is available in designated pay zones or in parking houses.
Nearest parking (paid - 30Kč/hr, 360Kč/day) https://maps.app.goo.gl/K5ssvikFUiPNoa7t7
Informations about parking zones : https://www.parkovanivbrne.cz/en


Ratha means car or carriage in Sanskrit and yatra means journey or pilgrimage. Thus, Ratha-yatra means the procession of chariots.

Everyone was astonished to see the decorations on the Ratha car. The car appeared to be newly made of gold, and it was as high as Mount Sumeru.

Purport

In the year 1973 there was a gorgeous Ratha-yātrā festival in London, England, and the car was brought to Trafalgar Square.
The London daily newspaper The Guardian published a front-page photo caption: “ISKCON Ratha-yātrā is rival to the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square.” The Nelson Column is a very impressive statue of Lord Nelson and can be seen from a good distance. Just as the residents of Purī compared the Ratha-yātrā car to Mount Sumeru, the residents of London considered the car rival to the Nelson Monument. (Śrī caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 13.19)

There were altogether seven parties of saṅkīrtana, and in each party two men were beating drums. Thus fourteen drums were being played at once. The sound was tumultuous, and all the devotees became mad. (Śrī caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 13.48)

All the Vaiṣṇavas came together like an assembly of clouds. As the devotees chanted the holy names in great ecstasy, tears fell from their eyes like rain. (Śrī caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 13.49)

Program:

14:00-16:00  Ratha Yatra parade

17:00-17:30   Kírtan

17:30-18:00   Festival lecture

18:00-19.30   Kírtan