Bloomington devotees celebrate Diwali at local senior center.
Diwali celebrations have been happening worldwide, and for ISKCON devotees, these festivities can often create strong connections with their local communities and even inspire creative service opportunities. We looked at four examples, from Bloomington to Brooklyn and Utah to the UK.
Diwali, or the “Festival of Lights,” is a five-day celebration widely recognized as the Hindu New Year. It is traditionally marked by the illumination o
On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I share with you a description by Smriti “Baby” Warrier (later initiated as Sravana dasi), whose family were tenants at Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, of how when she was a child she and her brothers wanted to set off fireworks, and how Srila Prabhupada responded.
One Diwali, in the evening, Mother Kanta was in the women’s ashram above our flat and we were outside setting off fireworks. It was around 9:00, and I guess she wanted to take rest, but we weren’t fin
We wish you all a happy Diwali. Diwali, or Dipavali, marks the end of the year, and by the year’s end we want to pay our debts and rectify our relationships—and then try to do better the next year.
The Vedic literatures inform us that in the present age, Kali-yuga, the recommended process for self-realization, or God realization, is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Lord Krishna appeared about five thousand years ago and spoke the Bhagavad-gita, and at the end of the Gita (18.66), He
DIWALI FESTIVAL: 10th October. 1968,
(Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Hamsadutta dasa written from Seattle., Letters book Vol 1. p.549.)
Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating 100’s of candles, indifferent parts of the temple, and offering a special Prasad to the Deity. This ceremony was observed by the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the Kingdom of Lord Ramachandra, while Lord Ramachandra was out of His Kingdom due to His 14 years banishment by the order of His father. His young
In a letter dated October 10, 1968, Srila Prabhupada wrote,
“Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating hundreds of candles in different parts of the temple and offering special prasada to the Deity. This ceremony was observed by the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the kingdom of Lord Ramachandra. While Lord Ramachandra was out of His kingdom due to His fourteen years’ banishment by the order of His father, His younger stepbrother, Bharata, took charge of the kingdom, and the day on w
By Thomas Haribol
The 22nd Annual Diwali in London (DiL) celebrations brought thousands of people to Trafalgar Square for the annual “Festival of Lights” on Sunday, October 29th. ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor was this year’s hosting organization for the joyful event, a partnership between the DiL Committee and the Greater London Authority (GLA) representing diverse organizations and religious traditions across the city.
London’s Mayor Sadiq Kahn said of the celebration, “Diwali is a joyous occ
This year it was ISKCON’s turn to host the annual Diwali in London (DiL) event, which was especially appropriate because it is Bhaktivedanta Manor’s 50th anniversary.
Special features provided by Bhaktivedanta Manor included a tent showcasing many of ISKCON’s achievements and what is on offer, and book tables. The junior Bhaktivedanta Players put on a delightful performance of The Ramayan.
Read more: https://www.krishnatemple.com/iskcon-bhaktivedanta-manor-hosts-diwali-in-london/
By Thomas Haribol
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced this week that the State Assembly and the State Senate have passed a bill making Diwali a New York City Public School holiday. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Kathy Huchul.
Diwali is a five-day festival commonly observed by illuminating candles or lamps in homes and temples. Anciently, Diwali was first observed by the joyful citizens of Ayodhya to celebrate the return of King Rama, an incarnation of Lord Krishna.
By Madhava Smullen
In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released. As well as Govinda Priya’s first single “Achyutam: Your Names,” another UK-based artist, Radhika Ranjana Das (affectionately known as Radhika Das) has announced his debut track Ram Sita Ram.
“In my childhood I would hear ancient tales of Sita Ram and particularly Hanuman, the fiercely str
By Mathura Lilesvari Dasi
KUALA LUMPUR – In view of the upcoming Deepavali Festival of Lights, the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, Malaysia hosted a virtual Deepavali gathering on Sunday, November 1st, 2020.
The event, which was attended by 6,538 participants from many locations including Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, UK, USA, Russia, and South America, exceeded the previous record of 1,360 participants in the cat
The second annual Diwali celebration at the Bhakti Center in New York City not only drew around 350 festivalgoers including 200 new guests, but was also covered by the CBS News New York television station.
Since the Bhakti Center is the only temple with Radha Krishna Deities in Manhattan, it was an obvious choice for Diwali. A CBS News camera crew filmed first on Thursday October 24th, before the event, and then again on Diwali day itself, Monday October 27th.
The first
