ISKCON Barrie showcased and celebrated its second annual Shree Krishna Janmashtami Celebration on Sunday at SouthShore Centre, one of its largest Hare Krishna community celebrations.
Janmashtami is the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna and is observed world-wide as the Festival of Joy.
“We are celebrating for our Lord Krishna,” said Mokshalila Devi Dasi, who came from Toronto. “He is our supreme lord and he appeared on this day.
“Because of him we are all getting together.”
Devi Dasi said Krishna appeared Aug. 19, about 500 years ago, and that celebrations are held in India every year.
Sandip Pater, from Kirkland Lake, said the Shree Krishna Janmashtami Celebration is also an opportunity to spread his message.
“Be honest, be thoughtful, be humble,” he said. “It’s to speak the love, the message of having each other’s values, to all living things on the planet, including the animals and the trees.
“This (celebration) allows the message and to remind us of his teachings.”
Highlights of the event included swinging the cradles of Baby Krishna, bhakti yoga, mantra meditation, ecstatic live music, dance performances, book distribution and serving free vegetarian meals during the celebration.
All the proceeds from the event will go toward ISKCON Barrie’s many services in the year to come.
This includes educating children with lessons on morality and discipline through bhakti yoga and different art forms.
On a monthly basis ISKCON Barrie runs Food 4 Life, to distribute food among international students. Once a month, it hosts ‘Sanga’ on specific holidays, spreading awareness around traditional Vedic religious culture and serving a free vegetarian feast to the
In the following year to come ISKCON Barrie is planning to offer a variety of adult and children’s classes with topics such as marriage workshops, parenting classes, language and music standards.
These classes will be offered with the help of qualified instructors and fees charged will be only to cover their basic expenses.
For more information, visit ISKCON Barrie on Facebook.
