Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2022
Published On: 2022-08-23
Over the past few years, BGIS has been celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami in its splendid Vrindaranyam campus with innate ardor on a grand scale. This year too Janmashtami festival was organized at our Gurukula campus in Ajai, Vrindavan with much fanfare and added fervor. The arrangements for the festival started well ahead. The entire campus was cleaned and decorated with flowers and colorful festoons. The stage under the guidance of Leela Govind prabhuji was decorated very beautifully by the boys with balloons and a beautiful cutout of Yashodakrishna at the backdrop. This year's celebration was on 19 th August ,hundreds of students along with their parents and a great number of devotees came together in the true festive spirit.
The program started with the incantation of sacred prayers by the team of senior students led by Mahindra Krishna prabhu ji; Amit prabhu ji led the welcome kirtan and bhajans with middle school boys.. The middle and the high school boys came next on stage exhibiting their ability to play mrdanga drum under the direction of Madan Gopal prabhu ji. This was followed by dance presentation by primary students led by Hridaya mataji. After this wonderful performance, Grade 5 boys presented a wonderful drama directed by Vaidehi mataji, depicting the struggle between us and our mind. The entrance to the sage was decorated with the painting exhibits of the students.
In between the performances, our chief guest and other speakers throwed light on beautiful past times of the lord. While the stage was being set for Mahaabhishekh the primary grade boys sang a beautiful Spanish song under the guidance of Priyasakhi mataji. The highlight of the day was instant Krishna quiz conducted by Nimaisunder Prabhuji where not only children even the elderly participated very enthusiastically. The highlight of the fest was drama Mathuravijay written by HG Leela Purushottam Prabhuji and gracefully directed by Anandamayi gauranga Prabhuji.
Days of preparation finally culminated into the majestic ceremonial bathing of the small Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhav and Govardhan shila, which were anointed with fragrant oils and were bathed with auspicious items like milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, sweet water, and fresh juices. Then they were smeared with turmeric paste and bathed in holy water. Varieties of flowers were showered until the Deities are submerged in the soft bed of flowers. The Maha abhishekh ceremony was an eyecatching event led by Dadu with pujaris, Leelagovind Prabhuji and Radhakant prabhujiji. And other prabhujis While the bathing of the Lord is going on, the students recited the Brahma Samhita prayers and did an ecstatic Harriman sankirtan. The atmosphere was surcharged with the vibration of the Holy Name of Krishna. After Maha abhishekh the deities were decorated with new clothes stitched by Prodmaya mataji.
One of the highlights of the Janmashtami festival was the offerings made to Lord Krishna. The Lord was offered more than 108 different food items. The devotees prepared these food items with great care and devotion. While the pujaris are preparing for the grand darshan of the Deities,sankirtan and bhajans s were sang by Dhruv Maharaj. Midnight worship was performed to the Deities, and everyone started to dance in jubilation. An excellent and luscious feast prasadam was served and distributed to all.
The BGIS community has always been making painstaking endeavors to uphold the devotional legacy of inspirations to the students and to their families. Offering the Lord blissful cultural festivities
such as Janmashtami. We would like to thank everyone for making this year’s Janmasthami celebration another success.
