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Pomp, colour and devotion on Janmashtami

Adelaide’s Hindu community marks Janmashtami, the birth of Krishna. VANI SHUKLA reports

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The auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami (appearance day of Lord Krishna) kickstarts the festive season for the Indian community, which continues on till Christmas and New Year.
Janmashtami (Janma means birth and ashtami means 8th lunar day) brings us the joy of blessings of Lord Krishna.
Adelaide’s Indian community marked the occasion with some half a dozen celebrations, including those by the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga (ASMY), ISKCON, Niswarth Sewa Samiti and BAPS Shri Swami Narayan Mandir.

ASMY led the celebrations on Sun 2 Sept with colourful decorations, delicious vegetarian meals, kirtans, beautiful presentations on the life of Krishna, spiritual talks and dance.
Primarily Australian devotees participated, and sang bhajans and kirtans together. Kirtans were led by Australian couple Gopal Dasi and Bala Rama Krishnan. Nearly a hundred attendees enjoyed the event.
ISKCON very thoughtfully organised their festivities on two days, 2 and 3 Sept, so that more people could participate. The idols of Krishna and Radha, decorated with much love by volunteers, looked divine.
 
On the evening of Janmashtami Sun 2 Sept, they had their youngest devotees present cultural programs. The event featured bhajans, sandhya, aarti, guru pooja, abhishek and midnight aarti. Spritual talks were delivered by Indian speaker HG Adi Purusa Krishna Das. Some 200-300 people visited and prasadam was distributed.

The gathering chanted: May Krishna steals our sorrows and replace them with happiness, joy and peace. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.
Legend has it that Krishna was born/appeared on the Earth in a small village of India, Vrindavan, some 5,000 years ago. In Hindu dharma (religion) he is known as 8th most powerful avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. His appearance day is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in India and by Hindus around the world.
The sole objective of Sri Krishna’s birth was to deliver the Earth from evil. He played an important role in the Mahabharata and propagated the theory of bhakti, jyana, karma and dhyana Yoga.
Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata
Abhythanamadharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers,
For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.
Bhagwad Gita, Chapter 4.7

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