Mumbai: On 26th March, 2011, over 1,50,000 people will congregate for the Chariot Festival at Shivaji Park, Dadar (west), Mumbai organized by young professionals of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). These professionals take three to four weeks off every year from work to organize this festival. ISKCON is proud of its young force which is happily dedicating its life in the service of humanity at large. This in true sense is Art of Giving i.e. serving the society with your skills, money and resources. ISKCON with over 500 centre’s across the world is one of the leading non-profit organization which has undertaken massive projects like the Mid Day Meal which serves free meals under the Government scheme to over half a million children across India, Health Camp – conducted several times during the year providing free service to over 5,000 patients every year, Venu Madhuri project focusing on rural empowerment and development, Govardhan farm project – Wada – which in true sense is meant to teach the principles of simple living and high thinking. Some of these projects address the problems which the Corporate India has been facing since quite some time. Teachings of Founder Acharya of ISKCON HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada can certainly help in eradicating the problems of frauds and other criminal activities which are on rise. 2G Scam, Money laundering issues, Depression, Suicides etc. are some of the challenges. Today due to change in lifestyle people have stopped believing in traditional values which has led to increase in Greed in the human society. People today want to achieve better lifestyle by hook or crook. This year some of the leading companies in India like Videocon, JSW, Piramal Group, Welspun, Kwality Walls from Hindustan Unilever Limited, Karnik Homes, Tata Mutual Fund, Arvind Mafatlal Group, Srinathjis etc. are participating in this festival to encourage the youth of ISKCON for all they have been doing.

The festival will begin at 2.30 pm with the pulling of the chariot from the Shivaji Park, and continue through Gokhale Road and Shiddhivinayak. It will then return to the Shivaji Park ground by 6.30 pm. This will be followed by Music, Dance, Drama, and discourse by H.H. Radhanath Swami the author of one of the bestselling books in the world – The Journey Home. There is going to be a big feast which will be served to over 1, 50,000 people from 7:30pm onwards. Since last 5 years it is being observed that from the beginning of the procession till the serving of dinner everything is well organised & well disciplined. This year the festival will end with one of the best lazer light show the world has ever seen.

Though the main Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is taken out in Puri district of Orissa and widely known as Chariot Festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees from around the world, but in many parts of the country like in Gujarat or Delhi, the ardent devotees also take out the Lord’s Rath Yatra frequently. On 26th March People in the city of Mumbai have an opportunity to experience the festival of Jaganath Puri which is being imported from the Eastern Region to Mumbai. To participate in the festival you could either call 98200 85094 or follow us on Social Media via www.chariotfestival.in