By Baldev das
On 12th March 2016, ISKCON Chowpatty staged its annual Rathyatra on the famous grounds of Shivaji Park at Dadar. This Rathyatra has been one of the highlights of ISKCON chowpatty’s Preaching outreach. Along with Rathyatra this year, a special event was also launched. The launching of the entire Srimad Bhagavatam in Marathi language.
A team of dedicated devotees consisting of Bhagawan pr, Shyamananda pr, Rohinikumar pr, Raghupati pr, Rajgopal pr & others had been working hard tirelessly for 12 long years to translate Srila Prabhupada’s entire Srimad Bhagavatam in the local Marathi Language. The Wait was now over for all Marathi readers and the hard work of the translators bore fruit when the Bhaktivedanta Book trust team got all the books printed beautifully in time for the ocassion. And what else could be an apt setting for its launch – Dadar’s Shivaji Park ground. Besides being a venue for gatherings of freedom fighters, Shivaji Park is the focal point of pride for Marathi people. It was here that on 12th march 2016, HH Radhanath Swami Maharaja launched the Marathi Srimad bhagavatam set overlooking a crowd of tens of thousands in the massive pandal.
After the launch, H.H Radhanath swami decided to sign all the sets for all those who agreed to buy them on the very day. There was huge Queue to buy the set as many were eagerly awaiting for this priceless gift of Srila Prabhupada being now received through the hands of Radhanath swami. Final count was 180 Bhagavatam sets distributed on that day. This is first time in the history of Marathi literature that this Mahapurana is available with devotional purports in the local Marathi language.
One week later on 19th march, Marathi SB set was again launched in Pune at the ISKCON Nigdi centre, by the hands of HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Maharaja.