The annual Gaura Purnima Festival is the most exciting event of the year at Mayapur. Please check this years festival schedule:
Since Sri Mayapur is the transcendental appearance place of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir serves as the international spiritual headquarters for ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada desired all devotees to come to Mayapur at least once in a year as far as possible, to get charged with the unlimited mercy of Mahaprabhu, and Gaura Purnima is the best time to do this.
The festival officially begins after the GBC meetings and festivities extend to about 3 weeks. But many devotees start to assemble at Mayapur even one week earlier, at the beginning of the GBC meetings. So, about one month before Gaura Purnima each year Mayapur gets flooded by devotees from all around the world and everyone is enjoying blissful sadhu-sanga.
First week of festival is focused on a 5 day Kirtan mela. Thousands of devotees from all continents are joined in a holy name chanting yajna, sankirtan, for more than 12 hours a day in both temple rooms followed by nocturnal kirtans at Srivas Pandit’s house.
Second week all devotees perform annual Navadvipa Mandala parikrama.
Third week is filled with festivities and cultural programs. Various cultural entertainment programs such as dance, drama, ISKCON cinemas, kirtanas, and bhajanas are performed every evening. There are also award nights praising devotees for preaching endeavors such as congregational preaching and book distribution. A mini-market is set up for the devotees to procure unique Mayapur products, as well as other devotional items. Almost every day is dedicated to one major festivities event:
- Kirtan Mela
- Radha Madhava boating festival
- Santipur festival – large amounts are Krishna Prasadam are distributed to local villagers, along with Katha
- Ganga puja
- Ratha Yatra festival
- Gaura Purnima day celebrations
- Gaura Purnima Courses
- Jagannatha Misra’s feast
Please visit our Gaura Purnima Sponsorship page to help support this festival.
On the whole, the month long Gaura Purnima festival is very well worth participating in!
Recent Comments