Hinduism's Chariot Festival

by Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

The annual festival of Sri Venkadesvara Maha Vishnu Devasthanam, Colombo 15 commenced with the flag hoisting ceremony and will conclude with the water cutting ceremony at the sea on 14th October.

Thuraisamy Chettiar, Chairman of the Ranjanas Group of Companies and the Chief Trustee of this temple has made elaborate arrangements for the progress and success of this festival.

Hindu temples are intended to instruct men in the art of removing the veil of attachment that covers their hearts. Thus the renowned poet Thiagarajah cried in the temple of Thirupathi: "Remove the veil, O remove the veil within me, the veil of pride and hate."

Temples are centres of discipline where the aspirant is guided step by step to attain a vision of truth. They are schools for the training of the spirit, they are institutes of super science, they are laboratories for the testing of the values of life and to awaken the divinity in humanity inducing men to believe that the physical frame in which he lives, is itself the house of God.

According to historians Sri Krishna took a divine birth in the Indian city of Madurai. Scriptures call Him 'Purna Avatara', that is the full manifestation of God.

Lord Krishna was a teacher and lover of mankind. He is most accessible to the pure hearted who have cultivated true love for him. The simple, rustic, cowherd boys and girls took liberties with Sri Krishna who enjoyed his sport in their company. Sri Krishna is the greatest Karma Yogi of all times. He was the friend of the poor whom he protected from the oppressors. He was the embodiment of humility.

His immortal teachings on Karma Yoga, Bhakthi and Gnana have no parallel in religious literature. The Bhagavata Purana, the Vishnu Purana and the Mahabharatha proclaims that there was none to match Sri Krishna in beauty, in wisdom and perfection.

His enchanting form with flute in one hand is worshipped by millions in India and Sri Lanka. Sri Krishna was the towering genius of His age. He embodied in himself all the good qualities of the head, heart and hand. Every word of his teachings and every act of his life is full of sublime lessons to humanity. Lord Krishna was an excellent statesman and also a teacher.

He was a charioteer to Arjuna in Mahabharata. He taught the truths of Yoga, Bhakthi and Vedanta to Arjuna. As a master musician he gave lessons to Narada the art of playing the Veena. The music of his flute thrilled not only the hearts of the gods, but also of nature. He is considered to be the preserve of the universe, the embodiment of qualities of mercy and goodness.

As a preserve of the Universe Lord Vishnu is the object of devolution. He descended to earth as a great hero to save mankind from Adarma and evil. Lord Vishnu's first incarnation was in the form of gold fish, the second as a tortoise, third as a boar, fourth in the form of Narasingha. In the fifth incarnation Lord Vishnu was born as Vamana, in the sixth he was born as Parasurama, in the seventh he was born as Rama.

The object of His eighth Avatara as Lord Krishna was to destroy the wicked demons and to take the leading part in the great war fought in the battle field of Kurushetra where he delivered his wonderful message of Bhagavad Gita.

During the Ther or Chariot festival of this temple the statue of Lord Vishnu is beautifully decorated and illuminated and taken along the streets in a chariot to the accompaniment of Natheswara music, bhajans and poojas.

The chariot is pulled by massive ropes by thousands of devotees irrespective of race, religion and caste distinction.

In the tradition of the Hindu literature the chariot represents one's body which is yoked to four horses (the sense organs) wherein the individual sits dejected and despondent driven by the intellect which with the mind guides the horses. These horses represent human passion while the reigns symbolises the necessity of restraining and guiding the passions by the soul.

The journey of the chariot through the streets is an emblem of the progress of life. This shows that throughout his life, a man must control and guide the passion. These passions are the motive power, the driving force of life, but unrestrained and not properly guided they will wreck a man's life. This is the symbolic meaning of Chariot or Ther festival.

Furthermore, the camphor that is burnt by the devotees in front of the god signifies that we are to burn our illusion or ego with the fire of true knowledge and leave no residue so that we may merge with God.

Hence, we the people living in this 'Kali Yuga' should hope and pray Lord Vishnu, the protector of the universe to shower His Divine love and compassion so that we may be bathed by His magnificent glory and spiritual splendour to overcome the present misunderstanding and suspicion prevailing in his country among communities and to acquire spiritual attainments, peace and communal harmony.