GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Hindu festival is happening at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids on Sunday afternoon.
From 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Festival of Chariots will feature free Indian food for lunch, traditional Indian jewelry and clothing, dancing, live music, henna, arts and activities for kids.
Visitors will also be able to see colorful floats, traditional Indian costumes, Hindu rituals, music and dramas.
Shyam Das, the president of Krishna Temple, said the Festival of Chariots happens once a year in India, where two million people gather in a city called Puri in a state called Odisha.
He said in their tradition, the Lord is called by the name Jagannath, meaning Lord of the universe.
Das said usually Jagannath never comes out of the temple, except for one day a year, when he comes to see how the universe is for himself. When Jagannath comes, anyone who glances at him, or anyone he glances upon, will get unlimited mercy and grace from him.
For the festival, a large chariot is made for Jagannath to sit in and be pulled around. Das said Jagannath will sit in the chariot in three forms — Jagannath as the Lord of the universe, Baladeva as his brother and Subhadra as his sister.
Das said when they pull the chariot, they are bringing the Lord and asking him to enter into their hearts.
"We are mimicking that festival in Grand Rapids today so that the Lord's mercy can come to Grand Rapids today," Das said.
He said the first time the festival was held in Grand Rapids was in 2019 and after a pause due to COVID-19, this is the second time they've held it.
Das said anyone is welcome at the festival.
"I mean, our passion is to help people make spiritual progress," Das said. "And this is one of the events that we help everybody who is passing by, give them a chance to make progress in their spiritual life."
Das said they're opening a new temple called Krishna Community Center near the Meijer on Alpine on Aug. 26 and all are welcome to join.