Content-Length: 8415 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Hare Krishna - Mayapur: The Temple - Hare Krishna
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Sridhama Mayapur
The Temple


Presently, one large temple houses the Deity forms of the Supreme Lord and His eternal consort (Sri Sri Radha Madhava) and Their eight sakhis (female attendants). Next to this is a temple of the Panca-tattva, the form of the Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya, along with His expansions and energies. Between these two temples is a smaller temple of Lord Nrsinghadeva.

Hundreds of pujaris, or Deity servants, care for these Deities. Every day there are at least six ceremonies, from early morning at 4:15 to nighttime at 8:30. Pujaris offer auspicious articles to the Deities during these ceremonies. They keep the altars clean and neat, as well as change the outfits and ornaments on the Deities each morning.

Dozens of cooks and dozens of helpers prepare offerings of at least seven preparations, which are served to the Lord before each of these six ceremonies. Only the most delicious foods are offered, and the kitchen is kept spotlessly clean.

Bakers create cakes, cookies, rolls, and various pastries to be offered to the Lord and then sold outside the temple to the throngs of devoted guests who visit the temple each day.

As in all ISKCON temples, ISKCON Mayapur observes festival days, and often hundreds of thousands of devotees from the surrounding area attend. On Lord Caitanya 500th appearance day, the police estimated that at least 1,000,000 pilgrims passed through ISKCON's front gates.

Scores of flower garland makers string beautifully-smelling garlands for the pleasure of the Lord. All the flowers are grown by ISKCON in its nearby gardens.

Kirtan (the congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names: hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare / hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare) goes on all day in ISKCON Mayapur. The first session of kirtan starts at 4:15 a.m. and ends around 5 a.m. Then from 5 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., devotees chant to themselves the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. This is known as japa.

At 7:15 a.m. until 8 a.m. there is another kirtan before the Deities and the deity of Srila Prabhupada. The next major kirtans are at the noon ceremony and then again in the evening at 6:30 p.m. There are smaller kirtans during the other ceremonies.

During all other times of the day, except when the Deities are taking rest from 1:30 p.m. till 4:30 p.m., between five to ten devotees chant bhajans with musical instruments such as the harmonium. Bhajans are devotional songs glorifying the names and pastimes of the Lord. Therefore, almost all day long one can hear nothing else in the temple but the holy names of the Lord, which results in a very spiritual atmosphere.


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Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare