Bangalore, December 23, 2023:
ISKCON Bangalore celebrated the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival with great fervour this year. The occasion commemorates the pastime when Lord Vishnu Himself received Sri Nammalvar at the entrance of the spiritual world called Vaikuntha. This festival was celebrated at the ISKCON Bangalore temples on Hare Krishna Hill at Rajajinagar and Vaikunta Hill at Vasanthapura. Over a lakh devotees visited Hare Krishna Hill and Vaikunta Hill to take part in the grand festivities.
The celebrations began at 3 am with Suprabhata seva to Srinivasa Govinda at Hare Krishna Hill and Sri Rajadhiraraja Govinda at Vaikuntha Hill, respectively. The Deities were offered an elaborate abhisheka (sacred bathing of the deities) with milk, fruit juices and naturally scented water. They were then decorated with various flowers and other auspicious items. 
The Utsava Deities were decorated in special alankaras and were seated on the Anantha Sesha Vahana at the Vaikuntha Dwara at the northern doors of the temples. Sri Radha and Krishnachandra at Hare Krishna Hill were decorated as Lakshmi Narayana and Sri Rajagopala, Sri Rukmini and Sri Satyabhama at Vaikuntha Hill were decorated in Narayana, Sri-devi and Bhu-devi. Kalyanotsava, the divine marriage of Sri Krishna along with His consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama, was conducted. Laksharchana seva was performed by chanting 1 lakh names of Lord Krishna throughout the day. Kunkumarchana seva was offered to Srimati Rajalakshmi Padmavati Devi at Vaikuntha Hill. The festival concluded with the late-night darshan called Ekanta seva and a Maha Arati. Sri/Smt Raghuram Manikandan offered Sangita Seva. These programs were live-streamed on our official website and social media platforms.
Several dignitaries visited the temples to seek the blessings of the Lord on this auspicious day. All the visitors and pilgrims received prasadam and specially prepared laddoos were also distributed throughout the day.
Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa, President of ISKCON Bangalore, said, “We are happy that lakhs of devotees have come and sought the blessings of the Lord by entering the Vaikuntha Dwara on this auspicious day. I wish everyone a happy, fulfilling and prosperous new year ahead in God-consciousness. May Srinivasa Govinda shower His abundant blessings on all of us.”
