The New Indian Express ·
Telangana comes alive in Janmashtami fervour
HYDERABAD: A wave of devotion swept across Telangana on Friday as temples and spiritual centres came alive with prayers, chants and colourful Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations.
At the Hare Krishna Golden Temple in Banjara Hills, scores of devotees offered prayers and had darshan of Lord Krishna in different forms, including Sri Radha Govinda, Sri Godha Krishna, Sri Laddu Gopal and Sri Makhan Krishna. They also participated in the Unjala/Jhulan Seva of Sri Laddu Gopal and Sri Makhan Krishna.
The celebrations began with Shodashopachara Seva, followed by Shringara Arati, as Sri Radha Govinda were adorned with flowers, new vastras and specially crafted jewellery. The Sri Sudarshana Narasimha Homa was also performed in the morning for the welfare and prosperity of devotees.
Seven abhishekams were performed during the day, with the Krishna Anugraha Sandhya Abhisheka, a special 108-Kalasha Abhishekam, being the main attraction. Accompanied by Vedic chants and Harinam Sankirtan, the ritual included a ceremonial bath for the Lordships with holy water collected from seven sacred rivers.
The evening ceremony concluded with a spiritual discourse by Hare Krishna Movement Hyderabad president Sri Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa Prabhuji on the significance of Lord Krishna’s appearance.
Drawing from the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, he spoke about Krishna’s role in protecting the righteous, annihilating miscreants and restoring dharma, and urged devotees to incorporate the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita into their daily lives.
At the newly envisioned Hare Krishna Heritage Tower in Narsingi, Kokapet, devotees and visitors were offered Sri Radha Krishna Darshan and Sri Laddu Gopal Jhulan Seva throughout the day. Similar celebrations were held at the Hare Krishna Cultural Centre in Kandi, Sangareddy, with devotees participating in various spiritual programmes.