By Atma Tattva Das,
During Kartik, devotees worldwide worship Krishna in His childhood form as Damodar, remembering the pastime in which Mother Yashoda binds Him with a rope. Offering a lamp is a traditional expression of devotion during the month. ISKCON London describes the observance as an opportunity to deepen one’s love for Krishna.
ISKCON’s Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) describes lamp offerings as an accessible introduction to bhakti, or devotional service, for people with no previous experience of temple worship. Its 2026 outreach announcement encourages devotees to invite friends, relatives, and neighbors, and explains that participants can offer a lamp with simple guidance.
In the UK, East London Bhakti Vriksha (ELBV), a community of ISKCON London, is inviting households across East London and Essex to register for Damodar Puja programs during Kartik, from October 25 to November 24, 2026. According to its public announcement, families can host the observance at home, and a devotee will be arranged to assist them in offering a lamp to Sri Damodar.
Households can submit a request through ELBV’s online registration form, which asks for contact details and preferred times and lists in-person and online options. Applicants can also choose to receive information about future Bhagavad Gita classes and related events.
Home-based Damodar outreach has a documented history in the congregation. CDM’s 2018 annual report recorded approximately 1,000 home programs and 5,000 lamp offerings for East London Bhakti Vriksha.
Internationally, CDM reported 8.2 million lamp offerings worldwide in 2025 and has set a goal of 10 million for the 2026 campaign, which also runs from October 25 to November 24. In its October 26, 2026 announcement, the ministry traces the Damodara Outreach Program to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2004.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/how-devotees-are-reaching-new-audiences-during-kartik/
Comments