What is ISKCON?
ISKCON stands as a beacon of spirituality with over 750+ temples and rural communities throughout the world. ISKCON also has more than one hundred affiliated vegetarian restaurants, thousands of local meeting groups known as namahattas, and a wide range of community projects.
Our congregation groups include millions of devotees across the globe coming from different facets of life. Since its inception by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in New York City in 1966, ISKCON has rapidly expanded its influence in less than half a century throughout the world.
A Glimpse into Our Philosophy
ISKCON at its core is an institution that promotes pure devotional service towards Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. ISKCON comes under the Gaudiya-Vaishnava tradition which has philosophical foundations based on the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā and Srimad Bhagavatam which promote the bhakti yoga tradition that helps us to rekindle our love for God, Lord Krishna.
God is all famous which is why He has innumerable names like Jesus, Allah, Rama and, Govinda. Our of His compassion for us all that Supreme being is easily acessible to all of us through the chanting of the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This mantra which has proven effective in transforming millions of lives throughout the world is an encapsulation of our devotion and therefore is an integral part of our daily practices.
Leading scholars, academics, and famous personalities have recognized ISKCON's authenticity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various occasions has praised ISKCON's contributions towards uplifting human consciousness throughout the world. Diana Eck, a well-known academician and scholar of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at Harvard University, describes our movement as "a tradition that commands a respected place in the religious life of humankind." In the 1980s, Dr. A. L. Basham, a renowned authority on Indian history and culture, lauded ISKCON, noting that it emerged from obscurity in less than two decades, becoming a noteworthy chapter in Western history.
Our Practices and Outreach
At ISKCON, we encourage individuals to embrace bhakti-yoga and imbibe the knowledge and culture of Bhagavad Gita in their homes and worship in our temples. Here at ISKCON Ghaziabad we promote many Krishna Consciousness activities through various discussions on Bhagavad Gita, youth festivals, yoga seminars, ecstatic kirtans and mantra-meditation. As part of our commitment to service, ISKCON members have established hospitals, schools, colleges, eco-villages, and free food distribution projects, embodying the principles of devotional yoga.
History of ISKCON Ghaziabad
How did it all start?
Srila Prabhupada constantly travelled to Delhi to print books before he went to the West. In the later years, he also made Delhi his base, where he stayed at Shri Shri Radha Vallabhji temple located at Chippiwara, Delhi. He would move around Delhi to distribute the "Back to Godhead" magazine.
While he preached to a relatively uninterested crowd of this great historical place, he saw the changing India, which was "developing," according to its leaders. Witnessing the degradation of the Vedic values with time, Srila Prabhupada wanted to rejuvenate this ancient culture in the national capital.
Srila Prabhupada again came to Delhi, with all grandeur, accompanied by his worldwide disciples in 1973 when he gave a vision of building twelve great temples in Delhi.
ISKCON Ghaziabad: Enlivening its people
Keeping the vision of Srila Prabhupada always close to his heart, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj inaugurated the seventh temple in the National capital region, naming it ISKCON Ghaziabad.
In a three-day inauguration ceremony on the auspicious day of Nityananda Triyodashi, the temple was open to all on January 31, 2007. Around 8,000 people welcomed the Lord to His new home. The Mayor of Ghaziabad showed his support for the temple by naming the temple compound "Hare Krishna Square."
ISKCON Ghaziabad: Sweet Struggles and Achievements
The temple of Ghaziabad was a great accomplishment for all the devotees who had a sigh of relief after spending over a decade developing their community and three years in temple construction.
The four-story temple, along with a fifteen-room guest house, was built with great help from the Arora family residing in London. They donated the temple land at one of the most affluent areas of Uttar Pradesh, in Raj Nagar. The temple is made with pink Jaipur stone with ornately carved wooden altars, Italian marble floors, gold-leafed ceiling motifs, chandeliers, and a spiral staircase.
ISKCON Ghaziabad: Home of the Lord of the Universe
The heart of the entire temple is the Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannath, along with His siblings, Baladeva and Subhadra. ISKCON is also the home of Shri Shri Radha Madan Mohan Ji, who blesses all the inhabitants of Ghaziabad with Their merciful glances.
Since the opening of the temple, ISKCON Ghaziabad has been focusing on youth outreach as the city of Ghaziabad is home to many of India's top engineering colleges.
