Their Lordships Sri Gopal, Sri Sri Gaura Nityananda, Sri Prahlad Maharaj and Sri Sri Laksmi-Nrisinghadev

Sorting Tulasi beads and preparing flower petals for puspanjali for the initiations.

Sripad Shanta Maharaj, followed by Sripad Muni Maharaj give morning class....

....while His Divine Grace grants initiation to fortunate seekers.

An initiation in Singapore.

Above and below: second initiations

Sripad Bhakti Chandan Vishnu Maharaj doing the fire yajna and giving the brahman thread to the male devotees after they have received the second initiation.

It is a common custom for the initiated brahmans to collect guru-daksina outside the temple after receiving the brahman initiation—many devotees who see them at the temple also give a donation as it is a part of pious behaviour.

A glimpse of the joyful noon arati.

Devotees are busy in the kitchen quarters virtually the whole day from morning to evening cleaning and cutting the vegetables, cooking, etc.

About two hours before moonrise, His Divine Grace comes to preside over the festive programme celebrating the holy advent of Sri Gaurasundar.

Sripad Bhakti Vijnan Muni Maharaj addressing the assembled devotees.

After the class, everybody comes to participate in the divine kirtan and arati of the Lordships.

His Divine Grace is chanting the verses from Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita describing the holy advent of the Lord on this day.

Completing the arati and temple parikrama, devotees come to the pandal to honour anukalpa maha-prasadam (non-grain, the fast continues until the next day).

"Gaurachandra uday holo Gaura Hari Hari bolo!"

<< Back to the main page