Ahmedabad awaits Lord Krishna’s birth

It seems as if the whole city is preparing for Janmashtami and is leaving no stone unturned in the preparations for grand celebrations on Monday. While some are organising raas leela to re-enact the episode of Lord Krishna and the Gopis, others have planned breaking of dahi-handi (matki phod) to signify the childhood days of Krishna.

A series of activities will be held at Vrajdham Haveli of the city on occasion of Janmashtami. A panchamrut snaan of Thakorji (Lord Krishna) will take place at the haveli at 6am and the devotees can have the darshan of the Lord the whole day.

There will be a Jagran ka darshan for the devotees from 9pm to 11:30pm after which the birth of the Lord will take place at 12 midnight. A panchamrut snaan of the Lord will again take place after the birth of the Lord. On Tuesday, the Haveli will celebrate the birth of the Lord with palna (cradle) and Nand Mahotsav for the Lord, where devotees in thousands are expected to be present.
Similarly at Ram Mandir in Paldi, a grand Janmashtami celebration will take place and will begin at 11:30pm on Monday with dahi handi programme. At the birth time (12 midnight), the idol of Lord Krishna will be placed in a grandly decorated cradle.

At ISKCON, festivities will begin 4:30am with Mangala Aarti, kirtan, Japa yagna followed by Gurupuja at 8:00 am. Shringar darshan of deities in their new beautiful attire and a special floral decoration in the temple will also be there. A religious discourse on Krishna Leela will take place for three hours. A dance drama 'Narsaiyaano Naath' by Kashmiraben Trivedi and her group will take place in the temple.

Chief minister Narendra Modi and Governor Dr Kamla will be present to inaugurate the Krishna Janma Abhishek at night at the temple.

The devotees will get a chance to experience a grand celebration after 11:30 pm when the whole atmosphere will resound with the chanting of Purusha Sukta, Govindashtakamand Brahma Samhita with ecstatic kirtan.

On Tuesday, ISKCON will celebrate Nandotsava with Shree Vyas Puja; the 115th appearance day of ISKCON founder Acharya AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Shrila Prabhupada will also be celebrated on the day. The festival will begin at 8:00 am with abhishek and aarti. On this occasion, a love feast will be served to everyone.

An event with bhajan singer Anuradha Paudwal has been organised at Rajpath Club, SG Highway. People can have darshan of the Lord from 10 am on Monday and the bhajan programme will take place at 6:30 pm. At 10:00 pm, a maha abhisheka will take place followed by Krishna bhajans and Krishna birth celebrations. After 12 am, there will be jhulan sewa (Lord in the cradle).