CHICAGO: The Hindu Mandir of Lake County, Grayslake, a Chicago suburb, celebrated Krishna Janmashtami grandly, with many residents who were visited the temple from the Greater Chicago area, and dressed up their little and younger children as Krishna and Radha. More than 800 devotees visited the temple on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 and offered prayers to the Supreme Lord Krishna.
The temple was decked up for the celebrations with Krishna Leela cutouts from his birth in jail to Dwarka and all other deities also dressed up with new clothes and elaborate jewelry and flowers for the occasion. Janmashtami celebrations started with the evening Pujan of Lord Ganesh and Krishna followed by the procession of little Krishnas and Radhas in the open ground of the temple.
Younger children also celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor, theDahi Handi event, by forming a human pyramid to reach and break earthen pots filled with butter and curd. More than 40 students belonging to different age groups form Kiran Chauhan’s I-Radha dance school performed amazing Kathak dance that narrated the story of Krishna’s birth to Maha Raas. She was one of the famous students of Pandit Birju Maharaj the Indian dancer, composer, singer and exponent of the Lucknow “Kalka-Bindadin” Gharana of Kathak dance in India.
Rita Patel, Kamalesh Desai, and Sangeeta Singh sang melodious Bhajans that filled joy in the hearts of the devotees that busted in an overflowing expression of devotion. At Midnight Krishna Avatar was witnessed by all the devotees. Baby Krishna rose form the heaps of rose petals during the darkest time to fill our lives with divine light.
Then saffron Milk and Kumbha Abhishekam of infant Krishna was performed by the temple priests and placed him in a beautifully decorated cradle after adorned him with new dresses and jewelries. Devotees performed Maha Mangalarati after offering him traditional Naivedyam that included Panjari, homemade butter and numerous kinds of laddoos.
Pt. Anil Joshi Ji delivered his brief discourse on the importance of teachings of Shri Krishna in the present world where everyone is expected to do good karma to save this earth and follow Dharma Marga in every walks of our life. A weeklong Krishna Janmashtami celebration was concluded by chanting 100 chapters of Narayaniyam for more than 7 hour. This described different avatars of Lord Vishnu.
Rajesh Jayaraman who provides service of Sanskrit and Mantra teaching to many people in the community led this event. . Fifty sponsors’ Sankalpam was performed before the chanting. Pt. Joshi Ji blessed everyone for his or her happy, healthy and prosperous life. Shammi Dhall, religious committee head coordinated the event.
Geetha Patil
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