Swagatam Krishna 2026 draws crowds in Chandkheda and Gota
Swagatam Krishna 2026: Chandkheda and Gota programmes draw residents and young devotees
Residents of Chandkheda and Gota took part in devotional programmes organised as part of “Swagatam Krishna 2026”, an initiative by ISKCON Hare Krishna Mandir, Bhadaj, ahead of this year’s Janmashtami celebrations.
The programmes brought kirtan, bhajans and cultural activities to community venues outside the temple. The Chandkheda programme was held at Shri Sadaram Bapa Community Hall, while a youth-focused event took place at Umiyaji Party Plot, Balaji Oasis Lawn, in Gota.
At Chandkheda, residents and devotees from different age groups joined the programme. Kirtan and bhajans formed a central part of the gathering, with participants taking part in the devotional activities and celebrations connected with the arrival of Lord Krishna.
The Gota programme had a stronger focus on young people. Its main attraction was a Bhajan Jamming session in which young devotees of ISKCON Hare Krishna Mandir performed popular Krishna bhajans. Organisers said many young participants joined in the singing and dancing during the session.
The format reflects an approach that ISKCON has used for decades: presenting devotional practice through congregational chanting, music and public gatherings. The organisation lists congregational chanting of the holy name of God among the seven purposes set out when ISKCON was founded in 1966.
For the Ahmedabad events, taking programmes into residential areas also meant that people could take part without travelling to the Bhadaj temple. Participants at the Chandkheda and Gota gatherings thanked the organisers for holding the celebrations closer to their neighbourhoods.
“Swagatam Krishna 2026” is planned as a wider Gujarat programme rather than a single Ahmedabad event. An announcement issued earlier this month said programmes would be held in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Sanand, Viramgam, Kadi and Kalol between August 22 and September 13. It also said activities would reach around 10 villages in Viramgam taluka during the month of Shravan.
The programme comes as the Bhadaj temple prepares for its main Janmashtami celebration. The official ISKCON Ahmedabad events calendar lists the appearance day of Lord Shri Krishna on September 4, 2026, followed by Nandotsava and the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada on September 5.
The timing places the Chandkheda and Gota gatherings within a longer period of religious activity around Janmashtami. For devotees, the festival marks the appearance of Lord Krishna and is observed through worship, chanting, devotional music and other religious practices.
ISKCON Hare Krishna Mandir, Bhadaj, is located near Science City in Ahmedabad. The temple is run by Hare Krishna Movement Ahmedabad, a trust registered at Gandhinagar.
The local programme is part of a much older international movement. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as ISKCON or the Hare Krishna movement, was founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in New York in July 1966. The organisation says its work centres on the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, along with the practice of bhakti-yoga.
Srila Prabhupada, whom ISKCON recognises as its Founder-Acharya, travelled widely after establishing the organisation. ISKCON records that he made 14 journeys around the world during the 11 years that followed the founding of the movement. He also wrote more than 70 books on Krishna tradition, including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.
Music and group chanting remain a visible part of ISKCON’s public religious activities. The organisation describes the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as a central form of devotional chanting: “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
For young people attending the Gota programme, the Bhajan Jamming session offered a setting that combined familiar forms of music and group participation with devotional practice. The Chandkheda event followed a broader community format, bringing families, residents and devotees together at a local hall.
The organisers say the larger aim of “Swagatam Krishna 2026” is to take Janmashtami-related programmes beyond temple premises and reach children, families, senior citizens and young people in their own communities. The Gujarat schedule indicates that the campaign will continue through the period leading up to and following the September 4 Janmashtami celebration.
The Chandkheda and Gota programmes therefore represent the first stage of a wider series of gatherings planned across Gujarat. Further events are scheduled in cities, towns and villages as the state moves towards Janmashtami.
