Phone home.

I just wanted to reflect on this past month and bring the folks up to speed with my whereabouts. Why have I been so busy that I couldn’t manage to fit in a few phone calls to relay things like hello, I’m still alive, etc. for the peace of mind of my dear parents? What is the difficulty? Communication has always been my weak point.

To start off, a few weeks ago the ladies and I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio for my first kick-off Ratha Yatra of 2007. Ratha Yatra is sometimes referred to as the Festival of Chariots or the Festival of India. These festivals are held annually all around the world at various times throughout the year. The ultimate significance is that we are welcoming Krishna back into our hearts and reawakening our original, primeval consciousness of pure love of God.

Ratha Yatra is something I hold dear in my heart. Two years ago, I was traveling through Mexico and happened to find a devotee to hitchhike with into the city of Guadalajara. On the way there he told me the Ratha Yatra festival was that very same weekend. I had no clue what he meant but eventually we caught a ride downtown and made our way to the temple.

There they were. Three massive chariots carrying three wooden sculptures with crazy, intoxicating eyes and big smiles. By the mercy of the devotees, I was later formally introduced to the presiding deities, Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subadra, and Lord Baladeva. Two days of festival later, stomach full of prasadam (foodstuffs offered to the Lord), ears ringing with kirtan, and bewildering images of devotees in devotional dress playing bass guitar and Hare Krishna reggae on a massive stage with devotees going nuts in the audience, I was fascinated. What are they so excited about, I wondered. I was curious. I wanted more. That weekend I was gifted my first Krishna book. After traveling for some time with a few devotees who put me up in their casa that weekend, I moved back to New Mexico, started going to a Sunday program and by the following summer I moved into the temple. Thus, I feel strongly about the powerful role Ratha Yatra played in awakening my Krishna consciousness and feel strongly about supporting and continuing this tradition.

By the mercy of Mother Devavati, I was invited up onto the cart to help decorate. Years of birthday parties with crepe paper décor paid off as I successfully went through four rolls to decorate the railings. With Lake Erie as our backdrop, the parade went through the waterfront parkway on a hot and blissful afternoon. H.H. Bhakti Marga Swami led funky kirtan for hours afterwards to the point of almost reaching a salsa groove. I was in ecstasy. Many thanks to the organizers of the festival and to all the Cleveland devotees who helped make it happen.