Thousands set to parade through city for festival

A previous Festival of Chariots event in Leicester with a group of people dancing with brightly-coloured clothes and making music with yellow and red-striped sticksImage source, ISKCON Leicester
Image caption,

The Festival of Chariots, known as Rath Yatra, will take place on 22 June

  • Published

Thousands of people are expected to join a procession as part of a Hindu festival in Leicester later this month.

The Festival of Chariots, known as Rath Yatra, will take place on 22 June.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Leicester - a Hare Krishna branch of Hinduism which organises the event - said a 40ft (12m) chariot will be hand-pulled through the city accompanied by a procession which will involve music and dance.

Pradyumna Das, president of ISKCON Leicester, said Rath Yatra is a festival of "reunion" and is "open to everyone".

The traditional Rath Yatra is a celebration dating back more than 5,000 years and is believed to be the oldest chariot procession in the world.

ISKCON Leicester said the procession would start at 11:30 BST in Gallowtree Gate and would go along the Golden Mile before arriving in Cossington Park at 14:30 for a free festival.

A previous Festival of Chariots event in Leicester with a group of people dancing with brightly-coloured clothesImage source, ISKCON Leicester
Image caption,

ISKCON Leicester said Rath Yatra is a festival of reunion

Get in touch

Tell us which stories we should cover in Leicester

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, external, on X, external, or on Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk, external or via WhatsApp, external on 0808 100 2210.

Related topics