Over 50k devotees celebrating Janmashtami at ISKCON hq

More than 50,000 devotees from all over the world have arrived at the global headquarters of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Mayapur, Nadia, to celebrate three-day Janmashtami festival, beginning on Friday, a statement here said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wished the ISKCON fraternity on the occasion.

"As the ISKCON fraternity celebrates Janmashtami, let us all beseech Sri Krishna to bless and guide the mankind. May the collective chant of 'Hare Krishna' pervade the spirit and bestow His grace on all the devotees and members of the ISKCON family," a message signed by Modi has said.

Lord Krishna's messages are universal in its appeal, the prime minister maintained.

"The relevance of Shri Krishna's message of peace, unbounded spiritual love and bliss is timeless and universal in its appeal. His sublime instruction to humanity to perform duty without attachment to its fruits continues to be even more relevant today," Modi added.

A spokesperson of the Vaishnavite order said the major highlight of this year's celebrations would be the offering of close to 400 'Kalashas' (urn) to the Lord.

Apart from pilgrims from all over the country, hundreds of devotees from Spain, Russia, Brazil, China, Portugal, Australia, England and US have gathered at Mayapur to attend the three-day festival, he said, adding that some of them would be participating in cultural programmes over the next three days.