ISKCON Mayapur had the biggest Gaura Purnima in the history.

More than 300 thousand devotees and pilgrims from all over India and from more than 70 countries visited Sri Mayapur Dham on Gaura Purnima day 2016. Please note that we are not talking about the whole festival that started on the 5 of March and went on until the end of the month. We are talking about the Gaura Purnima day alone! During this very special day for all the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ISKCON Mayapur did its homework and those who visited Mayapur were overwhelmed with a variety of Gauranga conscious activities organized by the management with the inspiration and the incredible ideas of Jayapataka Swami Maharaja and Bhakti Purushottama Swami Maharaja, the festival coordinator.

During the Gaura Purnima day, four main activities enhanced the spiritual experience of those who came to Mayapur. There was Gaura Purnima Kirtan Mela, which was held on Gaura Purnima as well as the previous day (from 10 am to 10 pm), the Spiritual United Nations from March19th till the 24th where the huge parking area became 50’ized with all ISKCON’s 50th anniversary celebration activities.

The three abhiskekas of Gauranga deities and the Special Stage Program in the International Pandal completed the 4 main activities. 

In the Spiritual United Nations Pavilion were many booth stalls, some representing a specific country, which were displaying banners, pictures and other digital devices about what ISKCON has been doing for the last 50 years. At least 50 countries presented their achievements in trying to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions as described in the seven purposes of ISKCON!

Special projects such as ISKCON Tribal Care, Nama Hatta preaching, Bhakti Vriksa program, Kirtan Mela Mayapur,  Preaching activities by International  devotees, ISKCON Educational Projects, Food for life, ISKCON’s management structure etc, were being displayed to the public in general, government authorities and devotees, in order to reveal to them, the magnitude of Srila Prabhupada’s society. One of the most outstanding booths was the Gaura Mandala Bhumi presenting all the aspects of the Holy Land of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). There we could see the birthplaces of many of the Vaishnava Acharyas, temples, preaching centers, culture, kirtans and many other activities, which the devotees of that country have been developing in all these years. 

At the area where ISKCON’s 50th anniversary was celebrated, the visitors could see the exhibits in the pavilion, watch Krishna- conscious cultural activities on the stage, have prasada and visit the shopping stalls. In the special Gaura Purnima day the cultural programs were transferred to the International stage, and instead three abhishekas were held in that place. At least 50 thousand people were sitting and watching the abhiskeka.

They were overwhelmed to behold such an opulent ceremony accompanied by the loud chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. After all auspicious items were offered to the Lord, dozens of kilos of flower petals were showered upon the various deities of Gauranga Mahaprabhu present there, closing the ceremony in the most beautiful way, giving those who were attending it, a unique experience that they will never forget.

Those who were not in the abhisheka were participating in the Pancha Tattva temple room in the Kirtan Mela. This event was organized by the Mayapur Chandras, for the pleasure of Lord Chaitanya and His associates, who were most wonderfully dressed in their new outfits.

At the same time, Mayapur International Preaching’s kirtan, led by Giri Govardhan Das’ sweet voice, was attended by no less than 2,500 people who squeezed themselves in the International Pandal. Girls from Mayapur Bhaktivedanta Academy Gurukula and Syama Natarani dasi (JPS) from Siberia performed “Jet Gaura Sei Krsna Sei Jagannath” to honour the Kali Yuga Pavana, the crest jewel of all incarnations, Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

After the International devotees presentation, a professional dance group from Kolkata overwhelmed all the visitors with an amazing performance.

This year ISKCON Mayapur authorities are planning to have an unforgettable celebration to show to the whole world the activities of ISKCON, and how those activities become one thousand times more glorious in the land of Navadvipa Dhama.