Dwarka, Gujarat Jan 15, 2021 (Issuewire.com) - Grand event in Dwarka Dham to mark the 7th round of ISKCON's All India Pad Yatra.
All India Pad Yatra organized by ISKCON has completed it’s 36 years. In these 36 years, the whole of India has covered a total of 6 times. The sixth round concluded on 1st January 2021 at Dwarka. Residents of Dwarka gave a grand welcome to this Parikrama. An entrance gate is built in Dwarkadham, which is named as ISKCON Padyatra Gate. Every Padyatra enters through this gate only. After a week's stay in ISKCON Dwarka's hospitality, they were leaving for the seventh round, hence a grand program was organized. The event was presided over by the head of ISKCON World Wide Padyatra Shri La Lokanath Swami Maharaj. A resident of Argentina H. H. Roop Raghunath Swami Maharaj and Mayor of the Dwarka Dham Shrimatii Jyotiben Samani were the chief guests. Manish Bhai from Mahua, Vaishnav Seva Prabhu from Rajkot, Murali Mohan Prabhu, and Chetanya Chandra Prabhu from Ahmedabad were the special guests. More than 1500 devotees from 870 locations from all over the world and Srila Loknath Swami Maharaj from Pandharpur Dham were present together on the virtual zoom cloud to participate in the event. Apart from this, 50 devotees came from Mahua, where this Padayatra stayed for 6 months during the entire lockdown period. Under the leadership of Manish Bhai Desai, all these devotees took special care of all the people of Padyatra along with Nitai Gaur Sundar, Srila Prabhupada, and 5 Ox as well. Lokanath Swami Maharaj thanked everyone for this.The program was conducted by Padmamali Prabhu from Ahmedabad. The Padyatra president, H.G. Acharya Das welcomed all the chief guests and special guests. In his presidential address, Srila Loknath Swami Maharaj said that 36 years ago Padyatra started on Radhashtami on 2nd September 1984. This is the mother Padyatra. With this, more than 108 Padyatras have started in the whole world. Swami Maharaj told the history of Padayatra, "The year 1986 was 500th year of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance. The world and ISKCON also had to celebrate the fifth-centenary festival of Mahaprabhu's emergence. The Governing Body Commission of ISKCON discussed a lot on how we can celebrate this auspicious and important day. Subsequently, it was decided that ISKCON devotees would organize a Padyatra. It was decided that this Padyatra will start from Dwarka. The Padyatra was supposed to reach the Eastern part of India i.e. Bengal, Mayapur Dham on the day of Gaura Purnima (the day Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born). The padayatra was going to start from Dwarka, i.e. Dwarkadham in the west direction. Another goal was that Lord Shri Krishna has reincarnated himself in form of Lord Gaurang. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu traveled to propagate the Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare Hare. This Hare Krishna Mahamantra. His journey started in Mayapur. From Mayapur, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu traveled to Katwa where he took sanyas. He propagated the Mahamantra everywhere. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu traveled to many places in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat. Everywhere he preached the Mahamantra. After that, he returned to Navadwipa. There were two reasons for taking the Padyatra. One was the 500th Anniversary Day of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This had to be celebrated. For that, it was decided to travel to the places where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had been to and had performed Kirtan. This was also an object behind organizing the Padayatra. The second objective was that Prabhupada had a strong desire to make a pilgrimage. Fulfillment of Prabhupada's wish was another objective behind organizing the Padyatra. Prabhupada wanted to travel by a bullock cart. But it wasn’t possible. Then he wanted to travel by bus. At that time Prabhupada said to me in front of everyone that, I Shall be the one to lead this journey.’ This was noted by everyone. When G.B.C. Decided to undertake the Padyatra, it was also decided that the Padyatara will reach Mayapur Navadwip from Dwarka via Kanyakumari. I was handed over the responsibility to lead the Padyatra.’After the Presidential address, HH Roop Raghunath Swami Maharaj of Argentina inaugurated the seventh chariot by cutting the ribbon. Where Nitai Gaur Sundar and Prabhupada sat on the well-decorated chariot. From Mayapur Dham, Ishtadeva Prabhu gave information about the new padayatra i.e. Utkal Bang Padayatra. This will leave from Mayapur and go to the cities and villages of Bengal and Orissa.While giving detailed information, ISKCON Harinam Sankirtan Ministry spokesperson Dr. Shyamsunder Sharma said that before leaving the premises of the world-famous Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka Dham Nagradhyaksha Shrimati Jyotiben Samani, Chief Officer Chaitanya Dodia, Chairman of Gyan Manjuri School, Mahua, Manish Bhai Desai, Vitthal Bhai Karodia, Mahendra Bhai Seth, Dwarkadhish temple priest Nandan Bhai along with other guests worshiped the chariot by placing camphor on the coconut and offering the coconut in front of the chariot. And thus, chariot left for the 7th round. The people of Dwarka showered flowers along the way.
Dr. Shyamsundar Sharma Spokesperson, ISKCON Harinam Sankirtan Ministry. and ISKCON All India Padyatra.
Media Contact
Dr. Shyamsunder Sharma sbgandsb@gmail.com 8010938751 25/8 Shri Pad Ramanujacharya Market, Ka kamana Market to Bharatwada Road Ramanuj Nagar Nagpur http://annamritanagpur.com
