RATHA YATRA Sunday 18th June 2006 Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square Time: Festival starts 11.30am in Hyde Park, South Carriage Drive Arrives Trafalgar Square 2.00pm Festival ends 5.30pm

London will host the 38th 'Ratha-yatra Carnival of Chariots' when it comes to the heart of the capital on Sunday 18th June 2006. The annual Hare Krishna festival will be a vibrant display of London's multicultural and multi-faith community. Hundreds of pilgrims, festival-goers, and faith leaders from all over the world will hand-pull the three 40-foot high colourful wooden chariots carrying the deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subhadra and Lord Balarama from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square.

The giant chariots will be accompanied by a procession of floats, singers, musicians, and dancers. London will pulsate to Indian spiritual sounds with instruments from across the globe. At Trafalgar Square, where the procession comes to an end, revellers will participate in a cultural and educational fair, delving into the spiritual heart of India. The square will be decorated by colourful host of tents offering music, food, literature, sari-draping, face-painting and other displays. On stage, festival-goers will be entertained by dance, drama and music. Free Indian vegetarian cuisine will add to a special family outing.

Praghosa Das, leader of the Hare Krishna Movement in the United Kingdom says: "This festival will be an amazing East-meets-West experience and everyone is welcome. This festival celebrates the common spirituality that unites us all."

HISTORY

The traditional Jagannatha Ratha-yatra is a celebration over 5000 years-old, observed in the ancient holy city of Jagannatha Puri in Orissa, India, making it the oldest street festival in the world. Devotees believe that if they get the honour of pulling the ropes of the giant chariot, carrying Lord Krishna, known as Jagannatha - Lord of the Universe, then at the end of this life, they would be granted eternal service to the Lord in the spiritual world.

Titikshu Das, Co-ordinator of London Carnival of Chariots says: "We are having three chariots - one for each deity to closer resemble the original Ratha-yatra in the ancient city of Jagannatha Puri. This will make the chariot carnival a more vibrant and a colourful festival for London."

This ancient festival was brought to the western shores by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The first Ratha-yatra festival outside of India took place in San Francisco in 1967. This festival came to London in 1969, where it has been faithfully observed every year for the last 37 years attracting more than 13,000 people.

For further details visit www.rathayatra.co.uk