On Sunday, January 4, 2026, the devotees and congregation members of ISKCON Miami took part in the 41st Annual King Mango Strut Parade, held in Coconut Grove, Miami. For this auspicious occasion, Dharmaraja Deva Dasa and his good wife, Rādhā-kuṇḍa Rāṇī Devī, brought the large Ratha-yātrā chariot from Alachua, Florida, enabling a vibrant and devotional Ratha-yātrā procession within the parade itself.
Śrī Śrī Jagannātha, Baladeva, and Subhadrā Devī thus mercifully bestowed Their divine presence upon the state of Florida. This year’s Ratha-yātrā was organized by Jayadwaja Dasa, a direct disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.
For more than forty years, throughout much of its existence, ISKCON Miami has regularly participated in this historic parade. The Ratha-yātrā chariot has consistently been recognized as one of the finest and most distinguished floats in the event. This year, the chariot was accompanied by more than 150 devotees and was witnessed by over 10,000 parade participants and spectators, confirming the King Mango Strut as one of the most popular parades in the city.
The devotees’ participation received wide media coverage from prominent news outlets, including Channel 7 TV, Channel 10 TV, Miami Today, and others. Over the public address system, the main host warmly introduced the devotees as the oldest participating group in the parade, announcing, “Give a hand to the Hare Krishnas!” The hosts also acknowledged ISKCON’s long-standing presence in Coconut Grove, where local residents frequently see devotees chanting the holy names and distributing transcendental literature.
Channel 7 coverage.
Parade hosts speak about the Ratha Yatra cart on Channel 10.
Coverage in the local Miami Times.
After completing the parade route—greeting thousands of people and distributing a substantial quantity of spiritual literature—the devotees proceeded with a return Ratha-yātrā to the temple, located four blocks away. This procession was accompanied by joyous harināma-saṅkīrtana, and many parade spectators happily joined along the way. One participant, Sam, expressed his appreciation, saying, “I love the Hare Krishnas. They are very nice—especially the ones in the Grove.”
The devotees remain deeply grateful for the continued support and encouragement of all well-wishers, by whose mercy such valuable preaching opportunities are made possible. They look forward to sharing this joyful and spiritually uplifting festival again in the future.
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