With continuous chanting of ‘Hare Krishna, Krishna Hare’ evening through midnight, and a variety of soulful bhajans in praise of Lord Krishna, the Brooklyn temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness celebrated Krishna Janmashtami in New York last week.
At hand were devotees both from Brooklyn and other boroughs of New York who had thronged the Radha Govinda Mandir at Schermerhorn Street from 6 in the evening Aug. 25 when the celebrations began.
Janmastami marks the day that Krishna is believed to have appeared on earth over 5,000 years ago. At the Brooklyn temple, which is the largest ISCKON shrine in the region, along with its newest full-sized temple in Plainfield, New Jersey, as well as other places in the Tri-state area, devotees of Lord Krishna came together for kirtan, special pujas and arati ceremonies as well as dramas depicting Krishna’s pastimes as both a naughty butter-thief and slayer of the evil King Kamsa, took place.
ISKCON , founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who opened his first temple in 1966 in New York City’s lower east side, is rooted in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya, a monotheistic tradition within Hindu culture although Vaishnavas are monotheists, and believe Lord Krishna to be the same God worshiped by Christians, Jews and Muslims.
At the celebrations at the Brooklyn temple last week the collective piety of some 200 devotees seemingly reached its peak just before midnight when a 3-feet-high marble deity of Lord Krishna was ceremoniously bathed along with three smaller deities that are normally kept behind a fine veil but was opened on that day for public viewing. The bhajans and the sounds of accompanying musical instruments like harmonium, drum and hand-held cymbals reached a crescendo.
“Some people think religion or spiritual life is dull,” said Amrita Hari, an ISKCON spokeswoman.
“But anyone who has ever visited an ISKCON temple on Janmastami knows that spiritual practice is colorful, fun and exciting—just like Lord Krishna Himself,” she said.
At the end of the celebrations, devotees and guests had a Hare Krishna vegetarian feast at the temples.
This year’s Janmastami marked a milestone for ISKCON members. It was just 50 years ago, in 1966, that Prabhupada established his first temple in the western world.
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