ISKCON Vrindavana Announces Annual Pilgrimage Schedule

By Deena Bandhu Dasa | Oct 03, 2010

Now that Janmastami and Radhastami Festivals have finished, thoughts turn towards Kartika. The Puranas glorify the month of Kartika (October-November) as very special for making spiritual advancement, and the best place to be in Kartika is Sri Braja Dham—the area surrounding Lord Krishna’s birthplace of Vrindavana.

The month of Kartika is, in fact, known as Damodar, since in the middle of this month the Lord performed His very enchanting Damodar pastime. Kartika month also represents Sri Krishna’s eternal consort Srimati Radharani, and devotees perform special austerities to gain Her favor.

With great happiness in our hearts, we invite everyone to join in the auspicious Kartika Festival in Vrindavan. Because of the extra month of Purusottama this year, Kartika is a little later. The weather will be quite pleasant in the day, just a little chilly in the morning. We have organized a wonderful variety of parikramas (pilgrimages) to the holy places of Krishna’s pastimes in Braja for all of you.

Almost daily, we will be leaving by bus at 7:00am and returning in time for lunch around 2:00pm, unless otherwise noted. Sometimes we will also join up with Lokanatha Swami’s Braja Mandala Parikrama and enjoy the association of the many devotees who will be wandering around Braja on foot. Tickets will be available from the newly renovated Information Center next to ISKCON’s Krishna Balarama Mandir in Vrindavana. The parikrama is free for all of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and accompanied family members.

The 9th of November is the holy Disappearance Day Festival of ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada, and we extend a warm invitation to all to come and commemorate this sacred occassion with us in Vrindavana, where His Divine Grace’s Samadhi (mausoleum) is located.

Leading up to this day, every evening, senior disciples will be relating their memories of Srila Prabhupada. The day before Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, we will take the very same palanquin disciples used to carry him in 1977 for a grand chanting procession past all the Goswami temples in Vrindavana.