Nagpur: Temples in the city are gearing up to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami with fervour. Rich sweets, glittering costumes and aesthetically decorated altars are the hallmark of these celebrations. At the temples, the celebrations are spread over Monday and Tuesday.
The Iskcon temple at Empress City has put up three pandals, one in front of the temple, the other at the ground outside the IT building. The third pandal has been set up to serve as a kitchen where mahaprasad and chappan bhog will be prepared.
Giving details of the preparations, Nand Kishor, director of the temple said, “On Monday, the festivities will begin at 4.30am with a mandala aarti. But the highlight is a dance drama based on the life of Lord Krishna which will be presented by the devotees at 7pm after mayor Nanda Jichkar lights the lamp.”
The devotees will sing bhajans on both days. The temple has also made elaborate arrangements for distribution of mahaprasad. “Prasad in packets will be given to all devotees on Monday from 7pm. At midnight, we will distribute upwas ka prasad and on Tuesday afternoon there will be mahaprasad for members of ISKCON. From 8pm, there will be prasad for life members and patrons of the temple,” Nand Kishor said.
He added that the “sringar of Radha Gopinath has come from Vrindavan and, as the temple is also located here, the devotees will also be able to take darshan”.
Celebrations will be held on Monday midnight at the Swaminarayan temple in Wathoda. “We will herald the birth of the lord with bhajan and satsang by Muni Darshan swami and Prem Prakash swami at the temple. The idol of Lord Krishna will be placed in the jhoola, and prasad will be distributed,” informed Praveen Patel a trustee of the temple.
At the ancient Madan Mohan temple in Badkas Chowk, the festivities will start at 5am on Monday with a series of aartis. “There will be jagran and bhajans from 9pm. At midnight, darshan will start after a milk and curd abhishek of Lord Krishna,” says Brajesh Vyas, the temple head.
“On Tuesday we will have Nandutsav where milk, curd, dry fruits and sweets will be offered to God and distributed among the devotees,” added Vyas.
