Shantipur Festival

The Shantipur festival has been a key part of ISKCON Mayapur’s Gaura Purnima festival for many years.  Advaita Acharya observed it in honor of the disappearance day of his guru, Sripad Madhavendra Puri. Since then, it’s been held on that sacred day every year. It is here in Shantipur festival, once when Lord Caitanya participated declared that, ”Whoever honors prasada here on the day of disappearance of Madhavendra Puri will receive Govinda Prem”.

Devotees will set up an outdoor kitchen in the large mango grove outside the house where Advaita Acharya himself once lived and is still worshipped. There, they’ll cook vast quantities of kichari and chutney in giant pots. Then nearly 2,000 international devotees will participate in serving the prasad out to “dhamvasis,” the residents of the holy town.