For those unfamiliar with the culture, and for those who may have seen large, colorful floats parading down the parkway at about 12:30 p.m. earlier today, what you missed was the Philadelphia Ratha-Yatra Parade of Chariots.
The parade and festival that followed, Krishna’s Bhakti Fest or Festival of India — the Rastha-Yatra Festival collectively — is a religious and cultural event presented annually by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The parade itself was part of an ancient festival used to honor the dieties worshiped by Krishnas, and allow tribute to be paid to them through music, marching and dance.
The parade festivities began at noon near Love Park in Center City, and then proceeded down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Its final destination and the site of the Bhakti Fest was at Eakin’s Oval, in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There, tents and booths strewn with colorful decorations and religious emblems lined the streets.
Visitors could experience live traditional Indian musical and dance performances, as performers sat under tents with sitars and other classical Indian instruments. Other booths as well as walking vendors offered religious and philosophical accounts of the Krishna movement and reincarnation.
The highlight for many was the free vegetarian feast of Indian foods that was offered. Other booths with books, clothing, scarves and jewelry lined the sidewalks of the parks, and some offered instructional yoga for festival attendees. The rain mostly held off for the day, and activities were slated to run until 7 p.m. tonight.
