With a month left for ‘Gour Purnima’, the biggest festival for the Gaudiya Vaishnavs of Mayapur, devotees from across the world are arriving at the global headquarters of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) there.
This is the centenary year of ‘Nabadwip Mandala Parikrama’, which was started by Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati Prabhupad in 1918, an ISKCON Mayapur statement said on Saturday, 3 February.
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More than 6000 foreign devotees from 50 countries and 4000 Indian devotees are expected to take part in the centenary celebrations of the eight-day ‘Nabadwip Mandal Parikrama’, which will be held from 18 February, the statement said.
During the ‘Parikrama’ devotees from Russia, China, Australia, Africa, US, Bangladesh and other European countries will walk almost 80 km covering all major spots where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had visited, it said.
Apart from the festivities, the ISKCON Leadership Sangha (ILS), which is held every alternate year at Mayapur, will see the congregation of more than 1000 senior devotes, office bearers, temple presidents from across the world.
From 26 February, international groups will present cultural programmes depicting the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu culminating with the celebration of ‘Gour Purnima’ on 2 March, the statement said.
Altogether 60 seminars will be held From 4-11 February on topics like ‘Etiquette in Management – Spiritual Leadership in ISKCON’, ‘Understanding Tradition and Innovation in ISKCON Outreach’, ‘The Secret of Servant Leadership’, it added.