From stalls selling traditional products to yoga classes and a parade. On Saturday, the Indian Ratha Yatra festival is back on the programme at 18 Septemberplein in Eindhoven.
The Ratha Yatra festival takes place annually in more than 100 major cities around the world, including Eindhoven. The festival is a combination of Indian religion and culture. ‘People sometimes don’t have time to go to the temple, so now the lord comes out of the temple to come to the people,’ says organiser Sonny Khusial.
Many cultural elements are also associated with the arrival of ‘the lord’. For instance, visitors can enjoy various snacks, drinks and entertainment from morning onwards. ‘It is part of the culture. We receive so many guests. We cannot receive them empty-handed,’ says Khusial.
Interest
Indians are a large community in Eindhoven region. The number of Indians has increased significantly in recent years and thousands of Indians live in the region. Khusial: ‘There is more interest and we also see a bigger turnout.’
The festival does not only attract Indians: ‘Half the people who are interested are white people who all ask questions.’ The festival is therefore meant for everyone, regardless of religion or origin.
Cart ride
The main act of the festival is the Ratha Yatra. ‘Ratha’ means ‘cart’ and ‘Yatra’ means ‘journey’. The journey of The Ratha Yatra starts at 1pm at Trudoplein and arrives at the 18 Septemberplein about 2.5 hours later.
During the journey, bells ring, fruits and other delicacies are distributed and passers-by can enjoy the cart decorated with freshly strung flowers. Pulling the cart is a way of cleansing sins and is part of the tradition of the Ratha Yatra festival.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
