26/05/2026
๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐: ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฆ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ต๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ
Londonโs Rathayatra โ Festival of Chariots โ returned to Trafalgar Square on 24 May 2026 with over 10,000 devotees hand-pulling three magnificent 40โft chariots carrying Lord Jagannatha, Subhadra and Lord Balarama. Despite a heatwave, the maha-mantra filled the streets as Europeโs largest Rathayatra processed through central London.
We were honoured to welcome His Excellency Kumaran Periasamy, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, who was received at Trafalgar Square by HG Praghosa Das (GBC, ISKCON UK) and Sharmila Radhika Devi Dasi (Head, ISKCON UK National Office). He was first escorted to offer respects and flowers to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of ISKCON, and then visited each chariot, paying obeisance to Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subhadra and Lord Balarama before addressing the gathering. The High Commissioner commented that it felt like Vaikunta had been recreated in Londonโs Trafalgar Square.
The festival at Trafalgar Square featured uplifting kirtan with HH Sivarama Swami, classical Odissi and other dance performances, and over 16,000 plates of free vegetarian prasad โ a joyous celebration of music, devotion and community.
Titiksu Das, Director of London Rathayatra Festival of Chariots, said: โRathayatra is a gift for the people of London from the Hare Krishna movement.โ
We look forward to this joyous celebration that lights up London every year!
TOVP UK Communications on behalf of ISKCON UK Communications
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HareKrishna CulturalDiplomacy ISKCONLondon ISKCONUK
