38th Sri Gaura Purnima festival starts Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir
Mayapur, 24th of February, 2009.
Dear devotees.
Dandavat pranams.
With great happiness and joy we inform the vaishnava community that the Sri
Gaurpurnima festival in its 38th edition starts at Sri Mayapur Candrodaya
Mandir.
After The morning darsan arati program, all the devotee went to Srila
Prabhupada Park for the inaugural ceremony and flag hoisting that declares
officially the beginning of the most transcendental festival in the
universe. This festival was founded by Srila Prabhupada himself in the year
1972. For the gracious occasion we have the special visit of HG Balaji Swami
who is one of the head pujaris of Balaji Tirumala Mandir in Tirupati, who
did the official ritual ceremonies and chanted the special mantras assisted
by HG Bhadra Caru prabhu for the pleasure of Sri Sri Gaurnitai the presiding
Deities of this magnificent event.
The flag hoisting was done by HH Gopal Krsna Goswami and HH Lokanath <swami,
after HH Jayapataka swami spoke few words about the festival and that we
offer this for our deities and the devotees from all over the world as well
as for Sri Garuda deva. At the end he declared the festival inaugurated from
this moment.
The devotees came in a procession carrying Srila Prabhupada´s small golden
deity from the altar of Radha Madhava and headed towards the park amidst
loud kirtans and chanting of vedic mantras by the gurukula students. The
Deities of Sri Gaurnitai were placed in theis wooden altar on the and Lord
Garuda´s deity was at their lotus feet. While all the ingredients and
paraphernalia was ready to star this very auspicious ceremony. as Lokanath
<swami described it from the other world.
Balaji Swami came specially to visit HH Jayapataka Swami and to do special
yajnas and treatments for His Holiness´s health and at this moment he is
performing a special yajna and Garuda sankalpa for the health of HH
Jayapataka Swami Gurumaharaja who is the chief host of this festival, as
well as for the benefit of all devotees from the world over. Beside of that
he is chanting 10000 times the holy names of Lord Narasimha deva. (Please
see attached pics).
The master of ceremony was HG Praghosa prabhu, who began announcing the
opening of the festival and thanking HH Jayapataka swami for his presence at
this very important moment, that even due to his health conditions he wanted
to be present and was able to make it, as he is the senior devotee who never
missed one Gaurpurnima festival since 1972. He also gave an introduction
about the festival and the vision we all have to improve all the festivals
every year. At the end he requested devotees to take some special pots that
were in the same park to go the Ganges and get water for the maha Abhisheka
tomorrow.
After was the speech of HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami and HH Lokanath swami who
said Jayapataka maharaja is ahead of me for one year as I am assisting to
this festival every year since 1973. His Holiness also said, who doesn’t
like festivals?, everyone likes festival but this is the most important
festival, unfortunately people like other kind of festivals. Also other
speakers were HH Gopal Krsna Maharaja, Candramali Maharaja, HH Prahladananda
swami and at the end HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami.
Present were also, HH Bhaktisidhanta Swami, Vedabyasapriya Swami and other
senior devotees including the CEO of Balaji Tirumala as well.
HG Aindhra Prabhu the great kirtan leader of Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir
in Vrndaban is also here performing along with devotees ecstatic kirtans. We
can hear their excellent voices and sweet melodies all time surcharging the
atmosphere with spiritual energy for the pleasure of Sri Sri Panca Tattva
Bhagavan and devotees.
Today we started seeing many new faces and new devotees arrive from all over
the world. The GBC meetings ended yesterday, I am posting also a historical
pic of all the GBC members including HH Jayapataka Swami sitting on his
wheel chair in the middle. The Chairman elected of this year is His Holiness
Romapada Swami.
Many lectures are been given simultaneously today, the Bengali lecture was
given at 6 am by HH Jayapataka Swami as also all the other lectures were
delivered at the same time in different halls and pandals. In this way there
would be time for the flag hoisting ceremony.
All are eagerly waiting for the Maha Abhisheka tomorrow on the 25th.
All will have the opportunity to serve Sri Sri Panca Tattva Bhagavan deities
in a very special form.
Please visit www.mayapur.com for more info and news.