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Carnival of Chariots
Sun Jul 29 2007
- FREE
This event has finished
Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
By Sara O’Reilly

Posted: Tue Jul 24 2007
If you’re in central London on Sunday it’s well worth checking out the colourful Hare Krishna parade, a spectacular annual event organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Attracting pilgrims, faith leaders and folk who simply can’t resist a festival, the parade recreates a 5,000-year-old celebration observed in the ancient holy city of Jagannatha Puri in Orissa, India, thus enabling it to claim the title of the oldest street festival in the world.

Three 40-foot chariots bearing figures representing the sacred deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subhadra and Lord Balarama will be drawn by hand from Hyde Park Corner to Trafalgar Square. Traditionally, devotees believe that the honour of hauling the ropes of the giant chariot bearing Lord Jagannatha, or Krishna, Lord of the Universe, confers the privilege of serving him eternally in the spiritual world at the end of this life. Escorting these VIPs will be a procession of floats accompanied by singers, musicians, and dancers in a flamboyant combination of traditional Indian and fancy dress.

The festival has been celebrated in London since 1969, growing ever more elaborate. This year about 30,000 people are expected to watch the parade, enjoy the music, drama, traditional Indian dance and presentations of Indian philosophy in Trafalgar Square – and take advantage on the free vegetarian food on offer.