The Guide tells you about where to head this Janmashtami (August 28) to enjoy traditional celebrations
Janmashtami, the festival which celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, is celebrated by people across the country. Temples that house the deity are decorated with colourful clothes, jewels, garlands and flowers. Devotees visit the temples and sing songs glorifying his times and activities and recite the teachings of Lord Krishna written in the Bhagavad Gita.
An image of Radha Krishna at the ISKCON temple
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In the city, Janmashtami festival will be celebrated at the ISKCON NVCC temple on the Katraj-Kondhwa Road while the ISKCON temples at Camp and Nigdi will also be open and will feature aarti, kirtans and prasad.
“Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna, is very relevant to the modern world as it celebrates the victory of righteousness over evil, and the importance of values such as liberty, protection of the family, prevalence of social order and the importance of spiritual elevation to higher levels of consciousness,” explained Radhe Shyam Das, President of ISKCON Pune.
The festival will commence atu00a010 am at the New Vedic Cultural Center complex located at Katraj Kondhwa Bypass, and will continue till midnight. Other Krishna temples in the city situated at Kasaba Peth and Nigadi will have special pujas. Sashidharan CP, president of Shree Krishna Charitable Foundation, which runs the Shree Krishna Temple, Nigdi, said “There will be a big Jamastami celebration in the temple. From 5 am till midnight the temple will be open for devotees. There will be Bhajans that will take place here as well as dance events. The main function will be at midnight when the Krishna Janama (birth) takes place).”
Mahanubhav Shri Krishan Mandir at Ganesh Peth will have functions like Puja, bhajan, etc from morning till 12am on the day, said Mahanubhav Prabhakar Baba, president, Mahanubhav Shri Krishan Mandir .
Also there will be celebrations at the Hari Krishna Mandir at the Kasaba peth where bhajans will take place the whole day as well as at Hari Krishna Mandir at Model Colony and other Krishna temples in the city.
Shubham Das, culinary head at Govindas (eating places at ISKCON) informed that, “The prasad is very tasty and has a variety in it. The dry prasad consists of corn chiwada, poha chiwada, chips that can be used by fasting devotees. Khichadi is our main prasad and given free of cost. This will be available from August 27 to 29,” he concludes.
Recipe of Khichadi made at ISKCON temple
Ingredients
>> 2 bowls of rice
>> 1 bowl yellow moong dal
>> 2 red chilles
>> 1 tea spoon turmeric
>> 1 teaspoon jeera
>> 5-6 curry leaves
>> Half tea spoon red chili powder
>> 1 carrot
>> 3-4 beans
>> 1/4th Kg- Pumpkin
>> Half bowl green peas
>> 1/4 kg cauliflower
>> 2 table spoon Ghee
>> Salt to taste
Method
>> Cut all the vegetables in small pieces.
>> Put 2 table spoon Ghee in a deep pan; add jeera, chill powder, curry leaves, turmeric, cut red chilies and mix for 3-4 minutes.
>> Add the cut vegetables.
>> Add rice and dal to it, mix well and add water till it is cooked well.
>> Cook for 15- 20 minutes, till it is cooked properly.
>> Keep it in semi-gravy form, so that it tastes good.u00a0(courtesy Shubham Das)u00a0
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