ISKCON Kharghar Celebrates Sri Krishna Janmashtami from 13th to 16th August, 2017

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by Shrutee K/DNS

Navi Mumbai, 09th August 2017:  The devotees from ISKCON Kharghar will be celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami Festival which starts from 13^th to 16^th August, 2017 at Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple, Kharghar- Navi Mumbai.  The Janmashtami celebrations are part of the festivities of the Radha Madanmohanji Mahotsav 2017 which have begun from 03rd August 2017 with the Jhulan Yatra Utsav and end on 16th August 2017 with the celebration of Srila Prabhupada’s 121st Vyasa Puja.

The highlights of this festival are the SRI KRISHNA KALASH ABHISHEK which will be held on 15^th August 2017 from 7.30 pm onwards, wherein donors are given an opportunity to bathe Their Lordships with panchamrita in Silver Kalash. The most important event is the MAHA ABHISHEK of The Lord in the temple at 12 midnight. This year it is special as it will be held in the pandal so that thousands of devotees who visit the temple can have Darshan of this divine spectacle.

Bhakti Kala Kshetra, the cultural wing of ISKCON is organizing a cultural program comprising of dance, drama, discourses and bhajans has been organized in the pandal from 13^th to 16^th August and shall feature performances by congregational devotees, local artists and cultural organizations. The star attraction is going to be the celebrity performances of flute recital by Shri. Ronu Majumdar and bhajans by Shri. Shounak Abhisheki, Smt. Anuradha Paudwal, Shri. Anup Jalota, Shri. Vinod Trivedi and Dr. Vikram Parlikar.

On 16^th August to commemorate the 121^st birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON Kharghar has organized a day long program in which prominent people, devotees and congregational devotees will offer homage and heartfelt offerings to Srila Prabhupada from 10am onwards. This celebration shall comprise of Pushpa Abhishek and aarti to Srila Prabhupada at 12:30 noon followed by special 1008 offering. There will be prasadam for all after the celebration. In the evening from 6.00 pm onwards, congregation devotees, life members and donors will bathe Srila Prabhupada with milk, honey and gangajal in special kalash made of meena and brass. Devotees shall sing the glories of Prabhupadaji and remember his teachings that deeply touch the heart of people all over the world.

Preparations for Janmashtami festival at ISKCON Kharghar began almost 2 months prior to the actual festival. A special festival committee is formed to organize, manage and coordinate the festival.

About The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Kharghar:

ISKCON’s Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple at Navi Mumbai, is designated as ‘Glory of Maharashtra- A Vedic Educational and Cultural Center’. Spread over nine acres of land it is more than just a temple. It offers a spiritual and cultural experience that is one of its kind. While the magnificent temple with three alters dedicated to Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji, Sri Ram Sita Laxman Hanuman and Sri Nitai Gaur Sunderji, is the main attraction, the project has other features that will make it a prominent landmark, like the Bhaktivedanta College of Vedic Education, which will teach the ancient Vedic philosophy as well as a Bhaktivedanta Library. Other facilities include a Guest House, Ayurveda Wellness Center, Vanprastha Ashram (old age home) and a magnificent Auditorium to cater to the cultural events in Navi Mumbai. Though the project is in the making, there is a small temple with the deities installed and  it has  already become a major landmark and place of  tourist attraction in Navi Mumbai.