Ujjain : Religious joy marked the start of Janmashtami celebrations in the city on Sunday as devotees loaded with offerings began pouring at city temples on the eve of Krishna Janmashtami.
However, crowds began thronging to temple to pay obeisance.
Here at ISCKON temple, devotees gently cradled the little Lord Krishna idols placed in satin spreads, looking resplendent in the golden crown and bright colourful clothes.
Similar scenes were a common sight in all the temples. Flags adorned the road leading to the Sandipani Ashram Temple, Gopal Mandir, and ISKCON temple in where hymns contributed to play since morning even as devotees began trickling in early morning only to swell in number in the afternoon. At many schools where celebrations started, tiny tots gently pulled the string of the flower bedecked cradle where Lord Krishna sat with his beloved.
With ” Sri Krishna Janmashtami, signifying the birth star of Lord Krishna, set to be celebrated on Monday, arrangements are on in full swing for its successful conduct in the holy city.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) one of the major organisations which celebrate the occasion in the form of festival in the temple city, has also geared up for the occasion. ISKCON is holding the event in the form of a two- day festival at the sprawling grounds adjacent to its Bharatpuri located Radha Madan Mohan Mandir from today.
The entire stretch of temple Road is being spruced up and beautified with huge cutouts, banners and paintings of Krishna’s incarnations and events from Hindu mythology.
A huge tent has been erected to provide seating arrangement to thousands of devotees at the venue, where cultural programmes will be conducted.
The temple PRO, Raghav Das told media persons here that special rituals like, Maha Abhishek, Maha Arti, Bhagwat Prawachan, Rajbhog Arti, bhajans and devotional programmes would be conducted in the temple, The chief pontiff who heads the ISKCON’s governing council will be taking part in the event. He is a direct disciple of the founder of the order, Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada.
A special procession will also be taken out by temple society to mark the Janmashtmi.
The procession is named as Krishna- Sudama Sandipani atra. As both friends attained their education here at Sandipani Ashram, the procession will commence at 8.30 am from temple. City dignitaries like MP Chintamani Malviya, MLA, Mohan adav, Mayor, Rameshwar Akhand, BJP district chief, Shyam Bansal and various others will flag off the procession which will end at Krishna- Sudama temple located at village Narayana. The procession will also take stoppage at Sandipani Ashram spanning through villages like, Jaithal, Panbihar, Bacchu Khedi and other nearby areas. In charge Minister, Kailash Vijayvargiya and School Education Minister, Paras Jain has expressed their greetings to district people. Minister duo has greeted people on the eve of Janmashtami and expressed hope that the auspicious occasion would be a harbinger of peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the state. In his message, the ministers observed that the divine message of Lord Krishna, enshrined in the Bhagavad Gita, exhorts mankind to strive for the ultimate truth and to do one’s duty to the best of one’s ability without worrying about the benefits to be gained.
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlingam being adorned as Krishna incarnation to mark Krishna Janmashtami.
