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spirit  TNN Jul 2, 2003, 01.15am IST  KOLKATA: The dark skies on
Tuesday had a couple of Iskcon devotees looking heavenwards with
a prayer on their lips. As Vedic shlokas and sweet incense smoke
filled the air, chants of "Hare Krishna" reached fever pitch.
Sanjiv Goenka, scion of the RPG group, clad in a white designer
kurta ceremonially swept the road in front of the three chariots
carrying the deities of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra before
they began their journey from C.R. Avenue to the Maidan.  "Our
Rath festival is one of the most popular festivals and I am glad
to be i nvo l ve d , " Goenka told TNN.  "This festival
integrates the whole city by cutting across barriers and is a
celebration of Kolkata's solidarity amongst diversity," he
added.  For Vagisha Das, a devotee from Hungary, it was a
"spiritually elevating experience". Arpita Malakar, a regular
visitor, said she found the atmosphere magical.  Mark Taylor, a
freelance photographer