ISKCON to celebrate 50th year of founder's journey to west

MUMBAI: International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) temples across the globe will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ' Journey to West' of its founder Acharya A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Shrila Prabhupada tomorrow.

Prabhupada left India at the age of 69 on August 13, 1965 to preach the message of Mythological God Krishna to the English speaking world.

"Devotees and other admirers and followers around the world will begin tomorrow more than a year of celebrations honouring Shrila Prabhupada, a unique spiritual teacher and his achievements," ISKCON spokesperson Lucky Kulkarni said in a release here.

The inauguration of the global events, to commemorate ISKCON's 50th Anniversary will be held in Kolkata from August 13-16 as it was from this city that Prabhupada left India on his historic journey to the west, the release said.

As part of the celebrations, devotees hope to break a world record with the largest number of countries represented practising bhakti yoga together, it added.

Other events will follow in Kochi, Kerala, on August 22, where a memorial plaque will be installed at Kochi port to commemorate Prabhupada's visit there 50 years ago on his way to America.

On the same day the first ever edition of Srila Prabhupada's translation of Srimad Bhagavatam in the Malayalam language will be unveiled, it added.

In 2016, events will be launched around the world in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Prabhupada's founding of the ISKCON, in New York City, on July, 13, 1966, it added.