Sri Krishna Janmastami at ISKCON Baroda...

[Guest guest]

24-8-00

The Editor

The Indian Express/Times of India

Baroda

News Release

 

Grand observance of Sri Krishna Janmastami at ISKCON Baroda

Sir,

 

Please accept my prayers for your well being. Hare Krishna!

 

On Wednesday, 23-8-00, the auspicious observance of Sri Krishna Janmastami

was observed in a grand way by ISKCON at Hare Krishna Dham, Gotri Rd.,

Baroda.

 

An official of the "Tops" security agency, who was supervising a special

security detail of 25 guards estimated that between one and a half to two

lakhs (150,000 to 200,000) citizens of Baroda visited ISKCON's Sri Sri Radha

Shyamsundar Mandir to have the darshan of Lord Sri Krishna on the famous day

of his appearance in this world 5,000 years ago.

 

The Mandir was specially decorated both inside and without by flowers,

balloons and lights. Crowd control arrangements by the management of

ISKCON insured that the members of the public all had the change for a

peaceful darshan on the auspicious day. Crowds queued up from the gate of

the Mandir for almost 1/2 a kilometer onto the main Gotri Road.

 

Sri C.V. G. Shamugavelu and his "Nadaswaram" band came specially from Bombay

and performed their famous brand of traditional Karnatik (South Indian)

music on top of the attractive "pravesh dvar" (entrance gate) of the mandir,

from 5:00 PM until after midnight and the sound created a festive atmosphere

for all the visitors.

 

Behind the Mandir, on a hugh 10 foot high stage erected on the spacious 1

acre large "Hare Krishna Garden" lawn at the back of the Mandir, from 6:30

to 7:30 PM, a group of children performed a Krishna lila drama. From 7:30

to 8:30, His Holiness Rasananda Swami of Brazil spoke on the transcendental

life and message of Lord Sri Krishna. He also described the progress of the

ISKCON, Hare Krishna movement in South America and the USA. His speech was

translated into Gujarati for the benefit of the public.

 

Then from 8:30 to 9:00 PM, Sumiti Waghela and her group performed various

Krishna lila dances. From 9:00 PM Sri Yatin Bhavsar and party performed

Krishna Lila dances and also some traditional Bharat Natyam dances.

 

Then at the hour of midnight, a the auspicious time of Lord Krishna's

appearance in this world, there was a grand "abhishek" of the Lord in the

Mandir. There was a tremendous rush of devotees at that time, all eager to

have the darshan of Lord Krishna at that moment. The event was also covered

live by the local "Jay TV" and "VNM TV" crews and was watched by many

thousands more citizens of Baroda at home on their television sets.

 

A large detail of more than 20 traffic police headed by Inspector Joshi and

PSI Chauhan insured that the heavy traffic infront of the Mandir did not

affect the flow of devotees into the Mandir. The Congress Party and the

Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh both erected booths to distribute cold drinking

water to the public visiting the Mandir for darshan of the Lord.

 

Yours in the service of ISKCON Baroda and Lord Sri Krishna,

 

 

Basu Ghosh Das

President