SRI JAGANNATHA RATHAYATRA CHARIOT CARNIVAL Sunday 20 June 2004 Hyde Park South Carriage Drive (Opposite Hyde Park Corner Tube) London W1J 7JZ Departs 11.30am Arrives at Trafalgar Square 2.30pm. www.rathayatra.co.uk

Sri Jagannatha Rathayatra promises to be an extraordinary street party this year. Organised by ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), the route from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square to be followed on Sunday 20 June 2004, hopes to draw huge crowds of devotees. Prasad (blessed sweets) is already being prepared for distribution to over 20,000 people.

The ancient Festival of Rathayatra was first observed in Jagannatha Puri, India, at least 5000 years ago. Traditionally the inhabitants of Puri go to the temple every day to see Lord Jagannatha (translated as Lord of the Universe), who is none other than Lord Krishna himself, the supreme personality of God.

But one day a year, Lord Jagannatha comes out to see the people. With great pomp and ceremony Lord Jagannatha, his bother Balarama and sister Subhadra, are brought out of the temple and take their seats on three enormous chariots - temples on wheels. These chariots are elaborately constructed and have huge 2 metre high wheels. They are brightly painted and have tower 16 metres tall made from coloured cloth. The decorations include thousands of flowers, mirrors, flags and banners.

When the processions begins, thousands of devotees and pilgrims pull on the silken ropes and the giant chariots move slowly through the streets. All this is to the accompaniment of drums, cymbals, bells and the singing and dancing of devotees.

The festival of Sri Jagannatha Rathayatra was brought out of India in 1967 by the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and is now observed in over 200 cities around the world. The followers of Lord Krishna are known as Vaishnavas, which means "devotees of God", and they appreciate all living entities from all nationalities, cultures and religions as equal in the eyes of God. The chanting of "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, is a universal prayer asking the Lord to engage all in his service, hence freeing all from the cycle of birth and death.

In London, this year's festival starts at 11.30am in South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, which is opposite Hyde Park Corner tube station. The grand parade then moves off into Park Lane then Piccadilly, past Piccadilly Circus and then right into Haymarket arriving in Trafalgar Square at around 2.30pm. In Trafalgar Square, the festival continues with dramas, cultural displays, singing, dancing and a sumptuous vegetarian feast which will be served free to all. The festival ends at 5.30pm.

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