Gaura Purnima Festival at ISKCON of Houston

HOUSTON: It was a Thursday night unlike any other this last week where one of the loudest and happening parties took place under the light of the gorgeous full moon as the devotees at Iskcon of Houston hosted the Gaura Purnima Festival. Gaura Purnima marks the appearance of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.  This day is one of the most celebrated festivals for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas and is celebrated worldwide as a testament of love, life, happiness and devotion to the Supreme Lord, Krishna.

Devotees crowded into the new and spacious temple room to glance their lordships taking their sacred bath in a ceremony known as Abhishek and joining in the roaring kirtan that filled the hearts of its listeners with joy. Houston congregation members were joined by two Hindu Monks – His Holiness Rtadhvaja Swami and Jayadvaita Swami, who spoke on such relevant and practical topics such as how one can apply devotion to Krishna in their everyday life. One attendee of the program, Nandini Patel, a student, shared that the poignancy of the discourse given by Rtadhvaja Swami pierced the hearts of the students and youth. Swami spoke on topics such as the GPA, or God Point Average, instilling in them the need to connect with their culture and their relationship with God on a deeper level. Like the best parties, the Thursday festival ended with a mouthwatering feast.

If you missed Thursday’s party, you had a second chance to experience the beauty of the festival at the public celebration this past Sunday at Iskcon of Houston. This festival coincided with weekly Sunday love feast program and was highlighted with multiple cultural presentations from Sri Hari School of Kathak Dance and the temple’s very own Sunday school. The Sunday school children, from age 4 to 14, presented various topics in multiple formats from songs to dramas to an interactive game show! Talking about the performances of these children, Sobhana Murate, one of the figureheads in the Indo-American community of greater Houston, said that she could see the divinity in these performances and that these children were a step above the rest.

For more information on upcoming festivals, activities, and Sunday school and its programs please visit us: ISKCON of Houston 1320 West 34th St. Houston, TX 77018  www.iskconhouston.org