The Nueva Nilacala Mandir (International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON) in Guadalajara celebrates the 39th anniversary of Ratha Yatra (festival of the giant chariots) on Saturday, November, 28 and Sunday, November 29.
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, the Ratha Yatra parade in Guadalajara will start the from Parque Agua Azul on Saturday at noon and proceed toward the center of Guadalajara. The chariot procession will be followed by events at Plaza Universidad (Juarez and Colon), from 1:30 to 9 p. m. On Sunday, the festivities run from noon to 9 p.m.
The two-day celebration features conferences, dance, theater and infantile yoga. Free vegetarian food will be served to attendees. There will also be a raffle with the chance to win a 24” LED-screen television (a Ratha Yatra movie is included), a collection of “Shrimad Bhagavatam,” a 7” tablet and food for four people at the Govinda Restaurant in Guadalajara.
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 on Pedro Moreno 1791, Colonia Americana in Guadalajara. For more information call (33) 3615-3127.