Grand Janmashtami (Krishna Jayanthi) Festival 2017, at ISKCON Chennai
Posted on: 14/Aug/2017 9:27:42 PM
Event: Krishna Janmashtami and Founder’s Vyasa Puja
Dates: 15th August 2017, Tuesday
Venue: ISKCON, Hare Krishna Land, Bhaktivedanta Swami Road, Off ECR, Akkarai, Sholinganallur.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami on 15th August 2017, Tuesday at its center off the ECR.
Sri Krishna Yajna will be conducted on 13th August, Sunday from 3pm to 5pm.
The Adivas Ceremony followed by Arati and Prasadam, will be on Monday, 14th Aug from 6pm onwards.
On 15th August - Sri Krishna Janmashtami Day:
Sri Sri Radha Krishna, the presiding deities of ISKCON Chennai, will be bedecked in a special decoration for the occasion. Darshan will be open throughout the day. Special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth vehicle parking, quick movement in darshan lines and archanaseva. Prasadam will be served to all visitors.
There will be devotional vocal concert from 7.00 pm by Dr. Nithyashree Mahadevan and party, followed by a drama on “Ajamila” by Prabupada Theatres at 9.00pm.
The main highlight of the day will be the elaborate Conch-abhisheka to the utsava deities Sri Sri Radha Krishna Chandravali beginning from 10.30pm and culminating with Arati, Kirtan and Anukalpa Prasadam at 12 midnight, coinciding with the time of Krishna`s birth.
The next day, August 16, popularly celebrated as Nandotsav, is also the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. This is the 121st appearance anniversary of Prabhupada and the day is observed as his Vyas Puja, as the spiritual master is the representative of Srila Vyasadeva. Bhajans, Abhishekam, Spiritual lecture, Arati, Kirtan are arranged between 10.00am and 1.00pm on Vyas Puja and Prasadam will be issued at the end.
His Holiness Bhanu Swami, Governing Body Commissioner of ISKCON for Tamil Nadu said, “This year is a celebration of the faith that Srila Prabhupada had in the order of his guru Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur to spread Krishna consciousness in the West. It is a confirmation of Lord Caitanya’s prophecy that the Hare Krishna maha mantra will be sung in every town and village of the world. Iskcon has grown from one simple Temple in 1966 in New York to over 600 Temples all over the world today. Lot of special arrangements have been made to ensure hassle free Dharshan for the devotees.”
Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, President, Tamil Nadu BJP will be the Chief Guest. Mr Mr. M. Chakravarthy, Vice President, Tamilnadu BJP & Mr. VM Muralidharan, Chairman, Ethiraj College for Women will be the guests of honour on the Krishna Janmashtami inauguration function on 15th August 2016 (Tuesday).
What is Janmashtami?
Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance of Krishna, who is described in India`s sacred writings as God Himself. One of the biggest religious festivals in the world, it is celebrated by nine hundred and thirty million people around the world.
But why Janmashtami, you may ask? What`s so special about Krishna, as opposed to any other form of God? It`s His loving personality. He reciprocates s in unique, personal ways with every devotee who offers Him love-He is the most adorable, mischievous son, the most romantic lover, the most compassionate friend. And on Janmashtami, devotees celebrate Krishna in all of these aspects. For just as Krishna reciprocates individually with His relatives and confidantes, he responds to the distinct feelings and desires held most deeply in the heart of every single worshipper.
As per the vedic scriptures, the supreme personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, descends from his eternal transcendental abode to this temporary material world in every millennium. The purpose of his incarnation is to display his extraordinary pastimes and impart his instructions in the form of Bhagavad-gita. This is just to give a chance to the people of this world to get free from the cycle of repeated birth and death, and to re-establish their eternal loving relationship with him.
So remember that whatever way you worship Krishna on Janmashtami, He will reciprocate with you accordingly. It`s a meditation that makes for an extremely rewarding devotional experience.
How is Janmashtami Celebrated?
Where Vaishnava temples exist, festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the exact moment of the anniversary of Krishna`s appearance. Events include kirtan, singing the Lord`s name along with other devotees; and japa, private, more intimate prayer. Some devotees cook a feast of over five hundred dishes, while others perform drama and dance. Some clothe and decorate the deity of Krishna while others string enormous flower garlands and other decorations for the temple. Incense burns, scriptures are read, and all but the young and the infirm fast all day. The deities are also bathed with a variety of auspicious liquids in a kind of ablution ceremony called abhisheka. Sometimes taking over two hours, this is performed with great pomp.
Finally, at midnight, priests pull apart the curtains to reveal thefreshly dressed deity of Krishna on a creatively festooned and coloredaltar. The excitement builds, and a rousing kirtan ensues.
