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Thousands celebrate Krishna Janmashtami at ISKCON of Washington DC
The event was the temple's largest celebration to date.
ISKCON of DC is a Hare Krishna community dedicated to living the philosophy of Bhakti Yoga. / Facebook/ISKCON of DC
Over 15,000 devotees gathered at ISKCON of Washington, D.C. on Aug.26, to celebrate Sri Krishna Janmashtami, marking the appearance day of Hindu Lord Sri Krishna.
The event, the temple's largest celebration to date, saw long lines of worshippers patiently awaiting darshan of Radha Madan Mohan in the newly built temple. Activities began as early as 4:30 AM with the Mangal Aarti and continued throughout the day.
The celebration was graced by prominent officials, including Pooja Kwatra, wife of the recently appointed Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Mohan Kwatra. She attended the evening aarti accompanied by Rajiv Mishra, counsellor for the political wing, and Jigar Raval, first secretary for ITOU. They both attended the ceremony with their families. Additionally, Venkatnathan, another recent appointee, sought the blessings of Lord Krishna with his wife.
Montgomery County Sheriff Maxwell Uy expressed amazement at the large turnout. The Montgomery County Executive, who was away on official travel, sent representatives Kate Chance, faith liaison for community partnerships, and Yi Shen, the Asian liaison to the ceremony. After taking darshan, they addressed the crowd and offered Krishna’s blessings to the gathered families. "These are the best pakoras I’ve ever had," Ms. Chance, a fan of Indian cuisine, remarked as she enjoyed the food offerings.
Later in the evening, Maryland State Delegate Neil Parrott, currently running for Congress, and his wife, April, participated in the bathing ceremony of the Deities and received the Lord's blessings.
The celebration concluded with a midnight aarti, with thousands still in attendance. The temple resonated with the sounds of conch shells and bells as devotees admired the Deities and the beautifully decorated altars.
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