By Basu Ghosh Das
Pictures of the program: http://tinyurl.com/ovthhyf
[posted on Google plus]
In what has become an annual event, ISKCON Baroda organized a “Vishnu Yajna” on the temple grounds in front of the Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar Mandir, here on Thursday, January 1, 2015, that coincided with Putrada ekadashi.
The Mayor of Baroda, Sri Bharat Shah, [in this picture below:
– seen sitting on the right side of ISKCON Gujarat Zonal Secretary Jasomatinandan Das — on his right is Baroda City BJP President Bharat Dangar], Baroda BJP President Bharat Dangar, Member of Parliament from Baroda, Srimati Ranjanaben Bhatt, leader of the opposition in the Baroda Municipal Corporation, Chandrakant “Battu” Srivastav, former leader of the opposition in the BMC, Chirag Jhaveri, Deputy Mayor Srimati Sunita Shukla (one of three Municipal Councillors from the ISKCON temple’s ward) and BMC Standing Committee Chairman Dr. Hitendra Patel were among the prominent citizens, ISKCON donors, and ISKCON life patrons who attended the Yajna.
Jasomatinandan Prabhu, ISKCON Gujarat Zonal Secretary, and senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, lectured to the crowd and led an ecstatic kirtan with ISKCON Baroda devotees while moving around throughout the “yajnashala”.
The yajna commenced at 10:00 am, and was conducted by the disciples of the late Nilkanth Vaishampayana Shastri, a Maharashtrian “Krishnayajurvedi” brahmana, who before he left this world, used to conduct the yajna as the chief priest.
“Aahutis”, offerings of ghee and grains, were made to Lord Vishnu while reciting His various names.
The actual yajna — fire sacrifice — attracted hundreds of participants and viewers.
Later on, “phalaahaari” (non-grain) prasad meals (bhojan) was distributed to hundreds of attendees and even more who came just for the tasty prasad!
The program was organized by ISKCON Baroda Vice President Nityananda Ram Das, with the help of ISKCON Baroda head pujari, Seva Vilas Das. The main sponsor of the yajna was Sri Shivlal Goyal, a prominent industrialist here at Baroda, who hails from Hariyana. His entire family, including his elderly parents, and his brothers and their families came specially from New Delhi to attend the yajna.