20080114 South India Tour

After the 2008 Chennai Ratha-yātrā I went to a small hill station (known as Madikeri) in Coorg Valley (Kodagu District) in Karnataka, India where we participated in a Śrī Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā for the 1^st time. This place is 40 km from source of Kāverī River where we have a Nāmahaṭṭa. The local paper reported as follows:

Lord Jagannātha's Grand Ratha-yātra for the 1^st time in Madikeri, Kodagu District, Karnataka.

Madikeri Jan 14 2008: The Lord Jagannātha's Ratha-yātrā held for the first time in Madikeri City by the devotees of Jagannātha Mandir Madikeri in a grand manner. During the inaugural ceremony Swami Jayapatākā Mahārāja blessed the devotees and spoke about the importance of Ratha-yātrā. He said that it is symbol of harmony and unity. He remarked that the people of Kodagu are lucky to get an opportunity to pull the ratha and get Lord's Blessings. He narrated how he was influenced by his Guru Mahārāja Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda  and chose to stay in India and become an Indian citizen. He referred to the greatness of Bhagavad-gītā. The Deputy Commission of  Kodagu Śrī K.R Nirañjana, ex M.L.A Madikeri Śrī K.G Bopaiah, Śrī K.S Devaiah, President V.H.P Kodagu inaugurated the Ratha-yātrā by pulling the ratha under the guidance of Swami Jayapatākā Mahārāja. 

Hundreds of ISKCON Śrī Jagannātha Devotees pulled the ratha. Men, Women, and Children pulled the ratha offered the coconut and had prasāda from Swami Jayapatākā Mahārāja who was seated in the ratha. They Chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa
mahā-mantra and danced in heavenly joy. The people in Madikeri felt it is a great occassion of chanting and dancing to the tune of mṛdangam and karatāla. The Ratha-yātrā reached Gandhi Maidan at 7 PM  a distance of 3 km There was a huge gathering of devotees who had the rare occassion of listening to the chanting, Bharata Nāṭyam, Drama about Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Swami Jayapatākā Mahārāja delivered a speech about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotees had Jagannātha prasāda. He created awareness about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Lord Jagannātha."

So this was part of my tour in South India for 2008.