Kolkata, Apr 19 () The novel coronavirus outbreakhas cast a shadow on ISKCON's Rathyatra festival in the citythat attracts more than 10 lakh devotees every year, aspokesperson of the organisation said on Sunday.
With a week left for Akshay Tritiya, the auspiciousday when construction of the three chariots pulled during theRathyatra begins, the ISKCON-Kolkata centre is bracing for"scaling down or cancellation" of the nine-day festivalscheduled to begin on June 23.
"There are 50-50 chances for cancellation of thefestival. Even if it takes place, it will be a scaled-downevent. If the lockdown is further extended beyond May 3,organising the festival will be difficult.
"If we see that the disease continues to spread, wewill ourselves cancel the Rathyatra," ISKCON-Kolkata Centrevice president and spokesperson Radharaman Das told .
The Kolkata Rathyatra of ISKCON is organised incoordination with the state government. Chief Minister MamataBanerjee had flagged off the festival last year.
The chariots traverse through important landmarks ofthe city along an eight-km route starting from ISKCON templenear Minto Park.
The procession culminates at the Brigade ParadeGrounds in central Kolkata, where the chariots are kept fornine days and devotees and visitors congregate at a fairorganised on the occasion.
Last year, the ISKCON-Kolkata Rathyatra had witnesseda total gathering of around 15 lakh people across nine days,Das said.
"Around 2.5 to 3 lakh devotees congregate during thepulling of the chariots. But the situation is different now,"he said.
Das said for organising the festival, they have to getpermission from the state government, the Centre and theDefence, which owns the Brigade Parade Grounds.
"Normally, we get the permissions by this time of theyear but things have got delayed because of the lockdown," hesaid.
The ISKCON authorities in the city are in touch withthe servitors of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, where too, thesituation appears grim, Das said.
"Uncertainty grapples even the Puri festival. There isno preparation now. We will take a call after May 3," he said.
Under the worst circumstances, the authorities mightthemselves carry the three deities along the route withoutpublic participation and bring them back on Bahuda Rath onJuly 1, Das said.
"We do not want to risk the lives of other people. Wewill follow whatever the state government and the Centreadvice us," he added. TAPACD ACD
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