Janmastami: Join in the birth celebration of Lord Krishna

By Neha Kankani Gandhi

On any ordinary day, drive down Jennifer St in Seventeen Mile Rocks, and things will look pretty ordinary. Drive down on Monday, 3rd September and you’ll be greeted with a celebration so big, it’s almost spilling out onto the road. Janmastami is that special day. It literally means ‘the birth on the eight day’ and it celebrates the sacred birth of Lord Krishna – the revered and much loved God to millions of people around the world.

Imagine the biggest and most festive birthday celebration and then times that by a hundred. That is what you’ll experience at the International Society of Krishna Consciousness’s (ISKCON) Janmastami celebrations.

There is a main stage which boasts of an entertainment program that is capable of keep audiences enthralled for hours – traditional Indian dances, ceremonial offerings, captivating dramas and soul-stirring music. If sitting in one spot is not your thing, then take a wander around at all the stalls. You can easily transport yourself to the streets of India with numerous mouth watering delicacies – this year there will be  langos, dosas and lots of sweets. Keep your children engaged in the kids tent – with activities so fun, that you’d be wishing you were little again. There is a free vegetarian feast for everyone that walks in the festival – a filling dinner that will leave little space for anything else. There will be a books stall for inquisitives, Indian clothes stall for the enthusiasts, Gita cards for the curious minds and much more.

Dozens of volunteers spend months working towards this festival – it’s a day they serve tirelessly so they can give without hindrance. Janmastami is a time where you can come and experience the warmth, love and care of the ISKCON devotees.

So please come and join in the celebrations – because a birthday party isn’t a party without the guests!