The Nueva Nilacala Mandir (International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON) in Guadalajara celebrates the 42nd anniversary of Ratha Yatra (festival of the giant chariots) on Saturday, November 17, and Sunday, November 18.
This Hindu festivity involves moving the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra on richly decorated chariots, in the form of a parade. Exuberant devotees play devotional songs with drums and trumpets along the way.
To mark this ritual, a parade of giant chariots will start from Parque Agua Azul on Saturday at 10 a.m. and proceed toward the center of Guadalajara. The procession will be followed by two days of events at the Plaza Universidad (Juarez and Colon), featuring conferences, dance, theater and children’s yoga. Free vegetarian food will be served to attendees.
Special visitors this year will be the traveling group Harinama Ruci, which use deep saffron robes and are known for their joyous dancing and singing.
Colloquially known as the Hare Krishna movement of Guadalajara, the ISKCON temple celebrates with great fervor a variety of festivals throughout the year, including Jagannath Rathaayatra, Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Sri Rama Navami, Narasimha Jayanti (Narasimha Chaturdasi), Shravana Maasa, Annakut Mahotsava in Kartika Maasa, Diwali, Karthika Maasa, Margashirsha Maasa and Holi Purnima.
Apart from its spiritual center, the ISKCON Nueva Nilacala Mandir is popular for its vegetarian/vegan restaurant, yoga studio and boutique that offers a variety of original Hare Krishna books, DVDs, CDs, posters and MP3s; incense; cookbooks; health food and supplements; Krishna art; clothing items and models of deities.
The temple is located at Pedro Moreno 1791, Colonia Americana in Guadalajara. Information: (33) 3615-3127.