VIJAYAWADA: The grand celebrations of Sri Krishna Janmashtami commenced on Sunday at ISKCON’s Sri Sri Jagannath Mandir in Vijayawada. The day featured a series of exciting events, starting with district-level Utti competitions.
Besides these competitions, the celebrations included a range of cultural programmes. Devotees also performed various Sevas (religious services) for Lord Krishna, including the sacred Maha Kalasabhishek. This particular Seva allowed donors who had chosen Kalasabhishekam to actively participate in the festivities.
The highlight of the event was the Maha Pushpabhishekam. This ceremony involved the offering of 2,000 kgs of flowers, creating an atmosphere filled with melodious kirtans and captivating dances. It was a moment that elevated the celebration to the zenith of spiritual ecstasy. Another event was the replica of Vrindavan Dham, where the Lord performed His childhood pastimes, recreated on the ISKCON premises. In the Vrindavan replica, they performed the Unjyal seva for Sri Radha Krishna.
Temple president Chakradhari Das delivered a discourse that captured the audience’s attention. Later, they offered Bhoga with over 108 items, performed Maha Aarati, and distributed Anna Prasadam to the thousands of devotees who attended the grand celebration.