East-West Times…Information you desire

The festival was well attended with more than 300 visitors and was immensely appreciated. For the elderly Indians it was a journey back home, for the new generation it was an experience of a culture and for the first timers, it was a pleasant combination of color, sound and taste smeared in devotion.

The program started with devotional songs followed by ceremonial worship. “The Birth of Sri Krishna” was enacted into a lively drama by the youth wing of the temple. They very skillfully brought alive on the stage the demoniac king Kamsa, his divine sister Devaki and her saintly husband Vasudev- who were to be the parents of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Young children recited verses from sacred texts and narrated their meanings. Everyone enjoyed and appreciated the children’s presentation.

The deities of Sri Sri Radha- Krishna, Lord and His Eternal Consort, were bathed in various auspicious substances by the devotees (Abhishek) for Their pleasure. The deities were dressed in flower outfits, made by the temple devotees. The program also included a fire sacrifice, which drew many a faithful. HH Trivikrama Swami, the leader of the community delivered a discourse on the significance of Janmashtami. One of the main highlight of the event was offering of 108 different vegetarian preparations for Their Lordships. Devotees made an array of traditional Indian as well as various exotic dishes. The program extended until midnight, the time when Lord Krishna appeared on planet earth. All the visitors were given sumptuous vegetarian feast, which is sanctified by offering to Lord. The response to the festival was overwhelming and very satisfying to the temple authority who worked hard to accomplish this feat.