The Malaya Giri Dham project is going leaps and bounds ahead with the latest development being the first Jagannatha Ratha Yatra! It is quite interesting to know how it became possible.
The original plan was to hold a Ratha Yatra in Klang on the 25th of December, 2010. Saci Suta Prabhu along with some Malaysian devotees went on an Indian tour from, if I am not wrong, on the 2nd of December to supposedly the 22nd of December. But, there was an unfortunate turn of events. Owing to the heavy journey and the intense cold , Saci Suta Prabhu suffered severely. His old back problem aggravated so much that he had to move only on a wheel chair. They came back on the 17th of December and Saci Suta Prabhu was immediately admitted into a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The doctors informed the devotees there that he would not be able to move for at least 6 weeks and that an operation might be necessary.
It was definitely a setback. That meant that the Klang Ratha Yatra would have to be postponed if not cancelled. The Ratha, or the chariot, which was supposed to carry Their Lordships, was at the farm all the while.
On the Dec 21st, Monday, 4 days before the scheduled Ratha Yatra, it was confirmed that the Ratha Yatra would not take place. So in the evening of Monday, at around 5:30 pm, as we were in the office of the Singapore temple, we got a call from the farm. Sundar Gopal Prabhu declared that we were going to have a Ratha Yatra in Taman Kota Jaya, an Indian township near Kota Tinggi on the 25th of December. We thought that it was just an enthusiastic suggestion that would never materialize. But Prabhu was absolutely serious. Prahlada Prabhu and Vraja Kisora Prabhu were sent there to create awareness around the area. Sundar Gopal Prabhu even managed to get Mr. Mahil Vahanam, the leading resident of the township, as the Chief Guest for the festival. Apart from the propaganda, there were some important repairs to be done to the chariot itself. Prabhu managed all this perfectly within the time limit.
The chariot was moved to the venue early in the morning of December 25th. It was rigged up by Mahaprabhu and Vraja Kisora Prabhu. The Bhoga was cooked for Their Lordships by Mathura Madhusudana Prabhu and Bhakta Ramesh. The whole ride lasted about 3 hours from 7pm to 10 pm. After that we had a sumptuous Prasadam feast.
Mr. Mahil Vahanam was actually supposed to leave 30 minutes after the festival commenced to give his yoga class as he is a yoga teacher but he liked the kirtan and the procession so much that he stayed all the way. He cancelled his yoga class, called all his students to the Ratha Yatra and they all danced to the Hare Krishna kirtan. Indeed, he later commented that he was simply amazed at how we organized a festival of such magnitude in such a short time.
It was a grand success! We were simply amazed at the dynamism and spiritual strength of Sundar Gopal Prabhu. Unless one is spiritually powerful, one cannot sit in a remote farm and organize a grand festival for the pleasure of Their Lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva & Subhadra!
We pray to Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi for the early recovery of His Grace Saci Suta Prabhu so that we can have a grand Ratha Yatra in Klang and in Johor Bahru.
Jaya Jagannatha! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Hare Krishna!
