Chicago's First Hindu Temple, ISKCON Chicago, Celebrates Sri Krishna Janmashtami with Historic Midnight Maha Arati

- ADVERTISEMENT - Forty-five sponsoring families simultaneously offer arati to Sri Sri Kishore Kishori during a celebration of devotion, unity and service The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Chicago celebrated the auspicious festival of Sri Krishna Janmashtami with a day of worship, kirtan, cultural programs, devotional service and spiritual fellowship, culminating in a Midnight Maha Arati featuring 45 sponsoring families. Thousands of visitors came for darshan and prayers. Devotees, families and visitors from throughout the Chicagoland area gathered at the temple in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood to celebrate Janmashtami, one of the most sacred and joyous festivals in the Vaishnava tradition. At ISKCON Chicago, home of the presiding deities Sri Sri Kishore Kishori, the temple came alive with prayers, flowers, lamps, food offerings and acts of selfless service. The festivities began early with Mangala Arati and continued until after midnight. Continuous Hare Krishna kirtan filled the temple with joyful chanting, music and dancing, while families and visitors enjoyed cultural presentations, children's activities and devotional performances. The temple resounded throughout the celebration with the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,Hare Rama, Hare Rama,Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The Deity Department was led by Premarasa Devi Dasi and Lila Manjari Devi Dasi, together with their dedicated team which worked on the special Janmashtami outfits, altar decorations, flower arrangements, worship services and organization of the Abhishek ceremonies. One of the most cherished traditions of the evening was the Abhishek, the ceremonial bathing of the Lord with sacred ingredients. The Deity Department and Abhishek teams coordinated the program, allowing participating families to make their offerings. The large-scale Midnight Maha Arati was offered directly from the temple floor by 45 sponsoring families. As midnight approached, the temple filled with enthusiastic chanting and anticipation. At the sacred hour considered by devotees to mark Lord Krishna's appearance, the curtains opened to reveal an elaborately adorned Sri Sri Kishore Kishori, and the principal Maha Arati began on the altar. Simultaneously, the 45 sponsoring families offered glowing arati lamps from individually designated positions on the temple floor. Dozens of glowing lamps moved before the Deities as the temple resounded with the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, ringing bells, devotional music and jubilant chanting. Gajendra Moksa Das and his team was responsible for planning and coordinating the Midnight Maha Arati. Another important feature of the festival was the distribution of prasadam—sanctified vegetarian food prepared and first offered to Lord Krishna. Volunteers worked behind the scenes to prepare, transport and serve prasadam to the large number of guests. Devotees served in Deity worship, altar preparation, decorations, flower arrangements, Abhishek coordination, prasadam preparation and distribution, guest reception, registration, crowd management, cultural programming, cleaning and many other essential services. ISKCON Chicago has served the Chicagoland community for more than five decades, under the umbrella of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness which was founded in New York in 1966.