Srila Prabhupada Pastimes: 59-A Extremely Unique Characteristic of Ratha Yatra Festival.

Madhudvisa : Prabhupada would stress how Lord Jagannatha's going out for a chariot ride was part of our tradition. Prabhupada made it a very personal thing. Whenever Srila Prabhupada talked about Krishna, he made it personal. 

When we were standing before the Lord we couldn't sense that personal feeling and have that sense of rapport with Him. When Srila Prabhupada arrived at the temple the day before the festival we were making the chariots right across the street in the lot. Prabhupada went over to the small lot, which was in disarray, and paid his obeisances in front of the chariots. Then he looked at me and said, "The chariots are as good as the Lord." That made it much more personal. Here we were building chariots for the Lord, but the chariots themselves were objects of worship. The whole spectrum of Krishna consciousness was there in the Ratha-yatra festival. The chariots, the garlands, the prasadam, the instruments, and the clothes for Deities, were all on that same worshipable level.


Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 1

Author: Siddhanta Dasa