BANGALORE, MARCH 21. Hundreds of devotees thronged the street in front of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple at Hare Krishna Hill to witness the ISKCON Krishna Balarama Rath Yatra here on Tuesday.

The Ratha Yatra was inaugurated amidst fanfare and chanting of "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" and singing of devotional songs.

Mr. R.V.Deshpande, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, who inaugurated the yatra, said Krishna was a secular god and that was the reason why ISKCON had succeeded in popularising the worship of Lord Krishna not only in India but throughout the world. Thanking the people at ISKCON for inviting him to be part of the such an auspicious occasion, Mr. H.C. Srikantaiah, Revenue Minister, announced that the Government had decided to extend its cooperation to ISKCON to build a Krishna temple in Dharwad. Spiritual leaders belonging to the ISKCON movement from all over the country were present. The chariot, adorned with flowers and colourful lighting, carried the idols of Lord Krishna, Balarama and the founder of ISKCON, Sri Bhakivedanta Swami Prabhupada.