Pune witnessed a grand celebration of Shri Krishna Janmashtami at the ISKCON temple on Katraj-Kondhwa Road.
The event was marked by the participation of 5,000 families who performed the sacred Abhishek, while nearly 200,000 devotees gathered for the darshan of the exquisitely adorned Radha-Krishna idols.
The temple premises were filled with chants of "Radhe Krishna" and "Gopal Krishna," as devotees swung the cradle of baby Krishna, embodying the spirit of Janmashtami.
The deities, dressed in attire inspired by the concept of "Navratna," were adorned with precious stones, drawing thousands of worshippers.
Temple president Radhe Shyam Prabhu, senior devotees such as Revati Pati Prabhu, and Jayadev Prabhu, along with dignitaries from various fields, were present at the event. MP Medha Kulkarni, MLA Yogesh Tilekar, and Ulhas Pawar also visited for darshan.
The deity's attire was based on the concept of "Navratna" (nine gems), with the garments adorned with various precious stones. At 9:30 PM, a grand abhishekam was performed with 75 kalash (sacred pots) amidst the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, followed by the offering of 250 different kinds of food items (naivedya).
Exactly at midnight, the aarti (ritual of waving lamps) was performed, as informed by temple president Radhe Shyam Prabhu and spokesperson Janardhan Chitode.
Vice President Sanjay Bhosale explained the spiritual and cultural significance of the Janmashtami festival and ISKCON's global activities. The four-day 'Krishnasamarpan' cultural festival, organized by the temple, concluded.
The festival saw participation from 1,000 artists, 200 child artists, and 50 institutions from across the country, offering their talents in classical dance, music, drama, and instruments as a tribute to the Lord.
On the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the deities of Shri Shri Radha-Vrindavan Chandra, Jagannath-Baldev-Subhadra, and Gaur-Nitai in the temple's three sanctums were adorned with exquisite garments and jewelry. The entire temple was beautifully illuminated with decorative lighting.
