Kolkata: The state Tourism department has for the first time partnered with International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and made a video to highlight the Gaur Purnima festival at Mayapur, its global headquarters.
The five-minute video on Gaur Purnima, to observe the birth of Sri Chaitanya, has been shown in all the festivals where the state Tourism department participates, said a senior official of the department.
His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, founder Acharya of ISKCON and the first Indian saint who spread Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy successfully in the West in 1960.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the ISKCON in Mayapur had given a go ahead to set up a world centre of religious tourism.
Currently, ISKCON is constructing a magnificent temple — Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) which is expected to be open by 2022 and it is going to put Mayapur in the spotlight of global Tourism industry.
With the support of the WB Government ISKCON has also planned to build Sri Chaitanya Cultural World Heritage Centre (SCCWHC) spread over 750 acres of land in Mayapur.
Annually more than 65 lakh devotees, pilgrims visit Mayapur.
Currently, home to devotees from almost 70 countries , who study and practice Krishna Consciousness, Mayapur is set to grow in near future.
In the last 50 years, ISKCON has developed the entire of NabadwipMandala, which comprises 9 islands where Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhuhad performed his divine pastimes(leela).
The five-minute video is currently played on many social media platforms and exhibitions. It is shot inside ISKCON Mayapur campus during Gaur Purnimafestival , which is the biggest festival of Mayapur. It showcases how beautifully devotees from all over the globe irrespective of caste, colour, colour, celebrate the festival with fervour from MahaAbishekof the deities to making garlands, performing ecstatic Kirtans, following the Vedic traditions of chanting mantras, said Subroto Das, Media Spokesperson of ISKCON.