Vrindavan to celebrate Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's visit

Vrindavan will celebrate the first visit to this holy city of Hindu monk and social reformer Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years ago.

Temples, ashrams and religious organisations are working out plans to hold activities focusing on the life and contribution of the saint who rallied devotees of Lord Krishna.

Vrindavan has been the centre of Krishna 'bhakti' (devotion) nurtured by followers of Gaudiya Sampradaya, started by a disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

According to Friends of Vrindavan convener Jagan Nath Poddar, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vrindavan in 1515 to look for shrines and places associated with Lord Krishna.

He and his followers were soon able to map all the important places of Krishna's pastimes in and around Vrindavan.

A special train will bring to Vrindavan Chaitanya followers from Bengal, from where the holy man hailed. The ascetic spent his last years in Puri in Odisha.

Coinciding with the celebrations, President Pranab Mukherjee will lay the foundation stone of a Sri Krishna temple here in November.