Firing up to bring Ratha Yatra Chariot Festival

No it's not a scene from overseas, it's the colourful cast from Northland's Hare Krishna community as their Ratha Yatra Chariot Festival - where a colourful chariot was pulled through the streets of Whangarei on Saturday - getting support from city residents. Photo/Ron Burgin

A colourful cultural festival that lit up central Whangarei could become an annual fixture.

Northland's Hare Krishna community celebrated one of the religion's most important festivals on Saturday with a colourful chariot ride through the city and free food and entertainment in the Cafler Park.

For the first time in Northland the Krishnas held a Ratha Yatra Chariot Festival where a colourful chariot - symbolising transporting deities - was pulled through the streets of Whangarei. The chariot pull began at the Town Basin Carpark before the festival was held in the Cafler Park Rose Garden.

Spokesman Buddhi Wilcox said the event was a huge success and he was delighted with the support it received from the public as it was towed through the city accompanied by dancing and music.

"It went very, very well and certainly added a bit of colour and life to the town. We'd like to make it an annual event now," Mr Wilcox said.

"It is a unique event which has never been held before in Whangarei. Rath Yatra is a very ancient traditional festival from India and is now seen in every major city of the world."

Ratha means chariot and yatra means journey.

The festival thus refers to the annual journey of the divinity in the form of idols to their aunt's house. "Aunt" here refers to the feminine creative aspect of divinity.

The Krishna community will then take the chariot on tour starting from Cape Reinga tomorrow and hauling it for 10 days down to Karikari Peninsula, a trip of about 150km.

The walk is called 'Walking for a Change' to encourage people to make some necessary changes in their lives and get back to a more simple, slower, and saner way of life, Mr Wilcox said.