During festivals, the idol of the deity installed in that temple will be taken in procession. First, a huge chariot constructed for this purpose will be elaborately decorated, and a beautiful seat will be provided therein for the deity. On the auspicious day, the deity will be transferred from the temple to the chariot with appropriate rituals and incantations. The chariot is then taken through the streets in a colourful procession pulled by devotees and preceded by different groups of dancers, musicians and singers. Along the course of the procession, many people will offer worship to the deity by lighting sacred lamps and performing Aarti. During these chariot festivals, thousands of people will gather, coming from all the surrounding villages. Three kinds of people will come. The first kind, which constitutes the bulk of these people present for the festival, concentrates all their attention on the chariot and its external appearance. Then there will be others who concentrate mostly on the expressions and actions of the participants, the people pulling the chariot, the priest and those who are performing the dances and dramas. Thirdly, there are a few who will recognize the real purpose for which this festival has been arranged. Only this small handful will care to see the In-dweller, the sacred person who is seated in the chariot. Of course, the festival is being celebrated for the purpose of installing the idol of God in the chariot without the idol of God; the festival would have no meaning. This idol represents the In-dweller, who is God Himself. But only the rare individual will turn his full attention towards that divinity.

What is the deeper meaning of this chariot? How many chariots are there? The chariot that is being spoken of here is the human body. So there is not just one chariot but millions, upon millions of chariots. Every day these chariots move from street to street and house to house, taking the In-dweller resident in procession. You have been developing your vision in such a way that you see only the body and its external features or the expressions connoting various emotional states, but you have not leaned to develop the internal vision, the vision which perceives the indwelling person in this chariot of the body and understands who he really is. It is a very rare individual who attempts to look deeper, beyond the external and superficial aspect of the body, and beyond the emotional and mental traits of the individual, to try to discover the sacred, Atmic principle which is there inside.

The bodies of human beings are not the only chariots. The bodies of the animals like dogs or tigers or elephants are also chariots. In fact, the body of every being is a chariot in truth; every living being is a chariot taking God in procession. (DBG, pp. 204-205)

In Katha Upanishad; the body is compared to a chariot, the senses to horses, the mind to the reins and the intellect to the charioteer. This means that the mind is in between the senses and the intellect. If the mind follows the dictates of the intellect, it will be safe. If, on the contrary, it follows the whims and fancies of the senses, it will become a bond – slave of the senses and a victim of endless sorrow and suffering. Allowing free rein to the senses is the Pravritti Marga – the external path, while controlling the senses is the Nivritti Marga - the internal path. (ICS , pp. 71-72)