The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in Mayapur witnessed a sea of devotees on Sunday as thousands from India and abroad gathered to celebrate Radha Ashtami, marking the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, consort of Lord Krishna.
The festival began on Saturday evening with the traditional adhivas rituals, setting the stage for a day of elaborate ceremonies on Sunday. At dawn, devotees performed mangalarati (auspicious morning prayers) before the deities of Radha and Krishna, followed by devotional chanting, harinam sankirtan and a special mahabhishek (ceremonial bathing of the idols).
Rasik Gauranga Das, ISKCON Mayapur’s spokesperson, also known as Ramesh Maharaj, said, “Radha Ashtami is one of the most sacred observances in our tradition. Every year, we organise special programmes to honour Srimati Radharani. She is inseparable from Krishna — they are one and the same, appearing together in different forms across the ages. The divine love of Radha for Krishna is pure and unconditional. If devotees imbibe even a fragment of that love, it can create an atmosphere of peace across the world.”
The sprawling Chandrodaya temple complex was adorned with thousands of lights and decorations for the occasion. Devotees queued up from the early hours to offer prayers, with temple officials estimating that over 20,000 people received prasadam (consecrated food) during the celebrations. The festival continued until late evening, with spiritual discourses, cultural performances and devotional singing forming part of the programme.
Authorities made extensive security arrangements to manage the large crowds, with additional measures in place compared to regular days. “We anticipated the surge of pilgrims this year as restrictions have been lifted. Our priority was to ensure that everyone could celebrate peacefully,” a temple official said.
For the past two years, Radha Ashtami at Mayapur had been subdued due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with devotees barred from entering the temple premises. This year’s full-scale observance, unrestricted for the first time since the pandemic, brought a festive fervour back to the holy town.
Alongside Radha Ashtami, the temple also marked Janmashtami — the birth of Lord Krishna — adding to the devotional atmosphere. Speaking on the significance of Radha, Rasik Gauranga Das emphasised the role of divine feminine power: “When the strength of the mother increases in society, only then will humanity in the age of Kali find true peace.”
The Mayapur temple, ISKCON’s global headquarters, is one of the most important centres of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and continues to attract devotees from across the world.
