Geetha Patil
CHICAGO: The birth of Lord Krishna, Janmashtami, was celebrated with much fervor at Hindu Mandir of Lake County, Grayslake, a Chicago suburb, last week midnight, with about 40 devotees by observing strict guidelines owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
As the temple was open since early morning, more than two hundred devotees who visited the temple to offer their prayers and seek blessings with 30 seconds for darshan. . Temple also arranged live streaming of the celebration on YouTube channel for young kids and elderly people and those who could not visit the temple for darshan. Many devotees witnessed everything live, virtually.
Devotees were asked not to bring any offerings. If anyone brought the offerings, then they were sanitized before taking them take inside the temple. Ms. Rita Patel, Ms. Sangeeta Singh, and Kamalesh Desai sang melodious Krishan Bhajans Priests decorated the shrine with the cutouts that depicted the Ras Leela story of Lord Krishna with many Gopis and Gwala’s.After Darshan, people enjoyed watching the ‘Rasa Leela Jhanki.’
At midnight, Lord Krishna’s Avatar was celebrated by chanting Krishna Maha-Mantras. Shree Krishna Pujan by the sponsors was done with much devotional Sankalpam. MahaAbhishekam of Baby Krishna was performed by the temple priests, Pt. Anil Joshi Ji and Yogesh Pandey by chanting sacred Vedic Mantras followed by a Maha Aarti. Gorgeously dressed baby Krishna was placed in a beautifully decorated Jhula/cradle. Devotees chanted “Krishna Krishna Hare Krishna” in chorus and sang “Om Jai Jagadish Hare’ with ample joy. Homemade traditional naivedyam was offered to Lord Krishna. Pt. Joshi Ji gave blessings to all the devotees.
The virtual route this year enabled many of our devotees to join the celebrations from their homes, according to the temple management.
