The Festival of Chariots - Ratha Yatra Singapore 2023

Devotees reaching out for offerings at the Ratha Yatra chariot Festival Singapore 2023

The largest transcendental festival in Singapore returns after 4 long years! This massively colourful event over the past Sunday (25/June/2023) at Toa Payoh stadium saw more than 10,000 registered attendees.

Ratha Yatra is a festival that originated in the city of Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. It is also known as the Festival of Chariots or the Car Festival. The festival celebrates the journey of Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, from his temple in Puri to the Gundicha Temple, which is about three kilometers away. Lord Jagannath is accompanied by his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, on this journey.

Colourful and richly decorated Chariots of the Deities.

The festival is celebrated annually in late June or early July, on the second day of the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Ashadha. It is one of the largest and most famous Hindu festivals in India and attracts millions of visitors from all over the country and the world.

Today, the Ratha Yatra festival is celebrated in cities all over the world, and it continues to be an important part of the International Sri Krishna Mandir (ISKM) tradition. The festival is an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of India, and to experience the joy and beauty of devotion to God.

Dancer welcoming the deities

Welcoming the Deities.

Deities making their way to the Chariots

Deities making their way to the Chariots.

An extremely lively carnival with live music, vocals, non-stop dancing and filled with attendees of all races and cultures.

Dancers in traditional garb Ratha Yatra Singapore 2023

Dancers stirring up the crowd.

Women dancing at the Chariot festival Singapore 2023 Ratha Yatra

Spontaneous dancing at every corner.

Chinese girl in traditional sari

Chinese girl in traditional sari.

Guests of honour, Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman & Mr Lee Hong Chuang.

Guests of honour, Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman & Mr Lee Hong Chuang.

More images below! Click on the thumbnail to enlarge and don’t forget to leave a comment!

The images on this blog entry were shot on a Nikon Z9.

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