There are three gates that open the way to hell!

A Ratha-Yatra or Chariot Festival is a Hindu festival that involves transporting deities on a chariot (called a ratha). Not sure, when it was started, must be thousands of years ago in the city of “Puri”, which is about 50 miles from my home town Bhubaneswar. History says, Srikrishna (Hindu God in Human incarnation) lived 5000 years ago from now. And this festival is celebrated all over the world, including in London. http://rathayatra.co.uk/london/

In the year 2006, I travelled on this very particular auspicious day to “Puri“ with my Dad and Grand-mother, who explained the exact story to me about the God and how he took this form on our way. Because the remaining of the GOD stayed in this wooden frame since he left his human body 5000 years ago – It is without a doubt a very BIG thing for all the believers; to aim to at least touch the deity. And after hearing the story, I was determined. Also; all my childhood, I heard stories about Lord Krishna and his braveries from my grand-parents. Without wasting anytime – I climbed up the Chariot (by the way, there were no steps – so I had to do some monkey tricks to climb up such height). I managed to go up, the priest demanded money – I didn’t care – for me it was important to touch the GOD (Lord Krishna who was GOD in reality and his remaining were inside this wooden frame, which is known as Jagannath today). I gave the priest all he demanded and went ahead to have an absolute bliss of my life, with a very tight hug to the deity, which lasted for about few minutes. I was calm, quite, peaceful, happy as never before with my achievement. I could see my father and grandmother were smiling from down with my achievement (they could not climb because of the age).

Now the real story starts. We walked about quarter of a kilometer to the place where our car was parked. After getting there, we thought to have a coke or water, as it was very hot on that day. We went to a shop and ordered three cold drinks. While desperately sipping away my coke, the shopkeeper came to me and whispered in my ear – “Sir, I think your pant is damaged from back”. He was very polite. So I assumed it was a small torn or so. Really? I said. But when I touched my…. I found half of my pant was hanging from the back. And without realizing, I walked all those distance from the Chariot to the car, with contentment in my mind for hugging my beloved GOD. My face went red with humiliation; I dashed off to the car and tried to hide myself there from any further embarrassments. Dad has to go buy a new pant. I changed inside the car and life became normal afterwards…

I could see; Lord Krishna/Jagannath was smiling from the Chariot…in a way saying to me: Buddy; I still can do this, after 5000 years, as I did in my childhood…at the bank of river Yamuna.

There is a Beeeeeeeeutiful line from Bhagwad Gita, where Lord Krishna said,: “There are three gates that open the way to hell, and degradation of soul: LUST, ANGER & GREED. Avoid these three at any cost”.

Goodnight my friends – and Happy Rath Yatra to you all. May this occasion bring every happiness to your life, now, later and always!