PREPARING THE RATHA FOR LORD JAGANNATHA
The following pictures were taken by Tapati devi dasi
Getting ready for a welding marathon
Nathan, Prema Bhakti dasa, and Dr. Rajiv Chaturvedi working on the telescoping mast for the Ratha canopy
Nathan taking charge of the woodwork
"Madhu" before...
... and after Nathan's overhaul
Tapati's personal service marathon:
Sewing the canopy and flags for the Rathayatra float
and even new matching skirts for Srimati Tulasi Devi!
Tapati KI JAYA!
Our daughter, Amanda, although not present with the Rathayatra float, was participating in the Apple Festival Parade with the Brandywine High School Marching Band. However, she contributed to the success of the Rathayatra by blowing up the balloons and by packaging all 500 packets of peanut and raisin prasadam for distribution to the crowd.
Amanda KI JAYA!
The following pictures were taken by Dr. Rajiv Chaturvedi
Nathan, Prema Bhakti dasa and Dr. Rajiv Chaturvedi working endlessly
to manifest a Ratha for Their Lordships' pleasure.
NILES RATHAYATRA 2004
Kulasekhara Prabhu in intense concentration on the Holy Names!
One of Lord Jagannatha's beautiful pastimes!
Along with His devotees, Lord Jagannatha graces the streets of Niles with His all-auspicious presence!
Tapati decorating the cart.
She singlehandedly sewed the canopy for the Ratha. It was her first time with such a big project, compounded by the fact that she had less than 2 days to do it. She also designed and prepared the red skirt for the cart.
Tapati Ki Jaya!
Ceto-Darpana-Marjanam
Bhava-Maha-Davagni-Nirvapanam
Shreyah-Kairava-Candrika-Vitaranam
Vidya-Vadhu-Jivanam
Anandambudhi-Vardanam
Prati-Padam Purnamrtasvadanam
Sarvatma-Snapanam
Param Vijayate
Sri Krishna Sankirtanam
"Glory to the Sri-Krishna-Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years together and extinguishes the blazing fire of confitioned life, of repeated birth and death. This Sankirtana Movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge, it increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Shikshastakam 1
SRI BALADEVA, SRIMATI SUBHADRA DEVI AND SRI JAGANNATHA SWAMI!
HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA
Founder/Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness
Get connected to Srila Prabhupada at
(ask Padmapani Prabhu what he knows about Tribhuvannatha dasa)
Srimati Tulasi Devi and Sriman Jayananda dasa Thakura
(Flanking Srila Prabhupada)
SRIMATI TULASI MAHARANI
Sriman Jayananda dasa Thakura
"He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavavas die
when thou art living still in sound
The Vaisnavas die to live and living try
to spread the Holy Name around"
Link up to Jayananda at
(Say 'Hi' to Vishoka Prabhu)
Many thanks to Sri Isopanisad and Gaura Sundara Prabhus who came together as an impromptu kirtana leading team that carried the devotees to higher and higher levels of ecstasy. These shining devotees are from Mexico and Guadaloupe respectively, currently in Chicago and Detroit. May our ears be forever filled with the sweet melodies of their kirtana!
Bhn. Ginene and her husband Kulasekhara Prabhu (from Detroit)
Visvakarma Prabhu, from India, currently serving in Chicago,
who, once again cooked a wonderful vegetarian feast for the occasion.
Atmanivedana Prabhu from Chicago
Bh. Bob Roberts, professional photographer at work (foreground) from Detroit.
Our longtime friend, Bh. Umesh Arora from Niles, Illinois, distributing pamphlets about Krishna Consciousness to the crowd
(nice smile, Umesh!).
Dr. Rajiv Chaturvedi of Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana
Your servants in Niles, Michigan,
Tapati devi dasi and Prema Bhakti dasa,
but present to bless the occasion, were Vraja Mohana dasa and his wife, Sri Guru Carana Padma devi dasi (from Khazakstan), and Valodia and family (from Russia). May we always be blessed with their friendship. Also present were Ganga Siebert and her family from Elkhart, Indiana, who heard about the occasion last year from her brother in China, and Murari Caitanya and Abhimanyu Prabhus from ISKCON Chicago.
Sadhu Sanga Bhakta Vrnda Ki Jaya!
Watching out for overhead wires.
Rajiv and Andy Bouwman (from Grand Rapids, MI) holding the Mahamantra banner at the head of the procession
The following pictures were taken by Bob Roberts
Praying to the lotus feet of
His Divine Grace Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura,
may this nice chanting and dancing in the streets
continue on and on, year after year
in every town and village.
niles_rathayatra@comcast.net
or call us at (269)818-0754