By Nitya Krishna Das
On September 21st, Detroit ISKCON celebrated its 2nd Annual Pushpa Abhishek Flower Festival. The ecstatic bliss devotees and new guests enjoyed in the shower of seemingly unlimited flower petals was truly a unique experience. One first time visitor to the Temple who was a lifelong Jehovah’s Witness said it was the most amazing experience of his life. Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari were showered with 25 large baskets of flower petals for over one hour continuously, creating a cascading avalanche of flowers from Their Lotus Feet’s onto the alter and spilling over into the Temple room. And what happened next?
It was raining flowers, literally, raining flowers. Devotees collected all of the flowers petals from the altar and began to shower those Maha Prasad flowers on all the guests from the balconies of the Temple Hall. Looking up at the famous blue sky mural ceiling and seeing flowers raining down from the “sky” was a surreal experience for all. Not a soul in the place was able to restrain their excitement as everyone was dancing in the rain of shower petals and thunderous kirtan.
Devotees were collecting flowers and sharing the mercy with all their friends, families and even those they just met, playfully throwing flowers on each other. Smiles were abound, senses fully immersed in spiritual bliss and youthful energy permeated all (even including our elderly guests). As his grace Jagad Guru Prabhu announced at the conclusion of the festivities, everyone in attendance just got a glimpse into the eternal spiritual bliss that awaits those who awaken their dormant love of Krishna. Certainly after this glorious festival, everyone took one giant step closer towards awakening this sleeping giant of potential within us all.
This Pushpa Abhishek festival continues a trend in 2014 for Detroit ISCKON in which crowds surpassed even lofty expectations. Over 700 guests participated this year, following record crowds for Rathyatra (8,000+), Janmastami and Radhastami festivals this year. By the mercy of Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada who personally asked the most merciful deities of Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari to kindly accept the service of devotees, Detroit ISKCON concluded the summer festival series on a high note and now prepares for a wonderful month of Karthik celebrations just around the corner.
Nitya Krishna Das
The flower festival is clearly a new festival which was not introduced by any of the acharyas, and which was not suggested in sastra. Why our ISKCON devotees continue to ignore Srila Prabhupada’s main instruction about introducing speculations in deity worship?
In Vaisnava tradition, there are so many festivals, and we are not having enough man power and energy even for celebrating those festivals. But some kind of new energy is seen in this kind of new inventions. It is better to follow the festivals given by Sastra and acharyas rather than inventing this kind of festival.
Is it not an offense to step over the flowers which were offered to Krsna?
Or am I ignorant of some of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada? Can anyone give any reference from Sastra or from Srila Prabhupada to support this kind of festivals?
PANHO AGTSP yes I agree I have never heard of this festival not all the years in ISKCON I was initiated by his grace in 1973