This year we had a wonderful Gaura Purnima Festival that was unmatched like any previous years. Each year more and more devotees are coming for the festivities, and we are becoming more prepared. We had our newest guesthouse providing shelter to many devotees, even though it was not fully complete. The years festivities began with tons of seminars with the ISKCON Leadership Sanga, followed by an amazing Kirtan Mela with various expert kirtaneers and senior devotees bestowing their mercy upon all, by singing their heart out for the pleasure of the Lord. Everybody then struggled to get a peek at the Maha-Abhishek of Sri Pancha-tattva, which occurs only once every five years or so. The devotees then gathered for the 25 anniversary of the Navadwip Mandal Parikrama, including wonderful lectures and visits to auspicious holy places. As has been the tradition for many years now, we have many small festivals during the week leading up to Gaura Purnima, such as Ganga puja, Ratha Yatra, Swing Festival, Boat Festival, Shantipur Festival. Later in the year some of the festivals are performed on a grand scale, but we provide the devotees with these small "teaser" festivals give them a chance to have a little taste of how the large festival would feel. This is in hopes that some people may become inspired to return later in the year to participate in such festivals. On Gaura Purnima day we had thousands of pilgrims dancing through out the campus, some were already covered in multi-colored clothing and skin due to the Holi festivities. Various colors adorned the Radha Madhava altar, and the Pancha-Tattva were bestowing Their merciful glance upon everyone. The deities were dressed in beautiful white garments for the occasion of Purnima. The security also had a streamlined temple room so that every would be able to have a nice close darshan of their lordships. In the evening time everybody gathered in the large field near the temple to behold the Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Appearance Abhishek ceremony. There were three different Abhishek pandals erected to accommodate those who wanted to perform the abhishek themselves. the entire function was very beautiful, followed by amazing harinam San-Kirtan in the temple room. If you were not present this year or even able to watch online at all then you can see some of the pictures so that you may become inspired to visit Sri Mayapur Dham the following year for our annual Gaura Purnima Festival.
