On the evening of the 27th of Oct 2016, Bollywood fashion designer Rohit Verma invited Jayapataka Swami to have a Damodar program at his fashion studio in Mumbai. It was a short and well-organized program for which Rohit Verma had invited about fifty of his close friends including Poonam Dhillon Bollywood actress, former Miss India, Aditi Govitrikar, Bollywood actress, former Miss World, Vindu Darasingh Bollywood actor, Nisha Rawal Bollywood actress, Madhurima Nigam, wife of Singer Sonu Nigam, Priyanka Shah Bollywood actress, Ashish Bollywood actor, Kanwaljit veteran designer.  

Jayapataka Swami described the Damodar-lila to the audience who listened with rapt attention. He stressed on the fact that Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’S Founder Acharya wrote him a letter that the Karthik month was a special opportunity, like a discount offer for those people who are otherwise busy at work.  “It brings all auspiciousness by doing a little devotional activity of offering lamps to Lord Damodar in this month.” he said.

This was followed by a melodious singing of Damodarastakam. Jayapataka Swami gave out Damodar kits to each of the attendees along with a small book of Srila Prabhupada and a box full of delicious Prasadam snacks from ISKCON Juhu’s Govindas.  

The guests spent more than an hour interacting with Jayapataka Swami and were asking him various questions and seeking his blessings.  They said that the whole evening was very enlivening for all of them. Rohit Verma’s sister Anuragini Radha dasi and her mother Rajasri Gopi an important role in organizing this program and making it successful. 

The Janmashtami dress of ISKCON Juhu’s Sri Sri Radha Rasavihari, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, and Sri Sri Sita Ram Lakshman Hanuman this year was both designed and gifted to Their Lordships by Rohit Verma.