Festival of Chariots event to parade through city

The event is notable for its colour, singing and dancing

Thousands of worshippers are expected to attend one of the most important Hindu festivals at an event in Leicester later this month.

The Festival of Chariots, also known as Rath Yatra, takes place on 30 June.

It includes one of the biggest processions in the Midlands, and will begin with an inauguration ceremony at Humberstone Gate.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Leicester, a Hare Krishna branch of Hinduism that organises the event, said the event will bring people together.

Visitors will take part in a procession from 11:30 BST, where they will pull a 40ft chariot carrying statues of Krishna, his sister Subhadra and Lord Balarama through the city centre, travelling along the Golden Mile to Cossington Park.

Pradyumna Das, president of ISKCON Leicester, said: "The festival invites everyone, regardless of colour, nationality, and religion to come and enjoy the procession, take part in the chanting, and enjoy the cultural offerings.”

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