Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 26 : The ISKCON temple in Hyderabad witnessed a vibrant congregation of devotees on Monday, marking the auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami.
The festival, which commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, saw enthusiastic participation from thousands of devotees, including Telugu actress and former YSRCP minister RK Roja.
RK Roja, who visited the temple to offer her prayers, expressed her joy at being part of the celebrations. "It is a beautiful experience to be here and celebrate the divine presence of Lord Krishna," she told ANI.
The temple manager, Shambhu Vaishnav Das, warmly welcomed attendees, highlighting the significance of the festival.
"We welcome you all on this grand and auspicious festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Shri Krishna," Das told ANI.
There have been elaborate preparations for the devotees who have come in, with two queues being made, one for the general population and another for coupon holders or lifetime members of ISKCON.
The temple expects to have around 1.5 lakh devotees to visit the temple today. "We have made elaborate arrangements for all the devotees who are coming in. We have made two queue lines, one is for the general queue, and the other is for the special queue, that is for coupon holders and life members and the police are also very cooperative in the sense that they have deployed their forces and we are expecting around 1.5 lakhs of devotees today." added the temple manager.
The ISKCON temple in Hyderabad holds historical significance, being one of the four ISKCON temples in India and was inaugurated nearly 50 years ago by the founder, Acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Globally, ISKCON operates 108 temples, with four situated in India.
Celebrations at the temple will span three days, including special programs and ceremonies throughout the day and night.
Highlights include a midnight Abhishekam and a Maha Aarti to honour Lord Krishna's birth. "We are conducting this festival for three days - yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Today is Janmashtami, and tomorrow is Nandotsava," Das explained.
Nandotsava, commemorating Nand Maharaj's feast, is a tradition where households refrain from cooking to join a communal feast.
In addition to Hyderabad, devotees in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, also gathered at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple to offer their prayers on this sacred occasion.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and several celebrities from the film fraternity also extended their greetings to the nation on Janmashtami.
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