Chennai: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will celebrate Sri Krishna Janmashtami and founder’s vyasa pooja on 24 and 25 August at ISKCON, Sholinganallur.

Inaugurating a roadshow as part of the celebration here on Friday, ISKCON governing body commissioner Bhanu Swami said, “ISKCON has 600 centres around the world, where Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated in a grand manner. Special arrangements have been made to ensure hassle free dharshan for devotees.”

The presiding deities at ISKCON will be bedecked in a special decoration for the occasion. There will be darshan throughout the day. Special arrangements have been made for devotees standing in queue for darshan and for parking of vehicles. There will be a devotional vocal concert from 7 pm by Sudha Ragunathan, followed by a lecture by H H Jayapata Swami.

The main highlight of the day will be the elaborate Conch-abhisheka to the deities – Radha Krishna Chandravali beginning from 10.30 pm and culminating with Arati, Kirtan and Anukalpa Prasadam at midnight, coinciding with the time of Lord Krishna’s birth.

The next day, 26 August, popularly celebrated as Nandotsav, is also the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. This is the 120th appearance anniversary of Prabhupada and the day is observed as his Vyasa pooja.

Shanthi Theatres Pvt Ltd managing director Ramkumar Ganesan will be the chief guest. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Managing Director Vikaram Kapoor and actress Gautami Tadimalla will be the guests of honour on the Krishna Janmashtami inauguration function on 25 August.

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