Events for June 2025

Gangamata Goswami was the daughter of King Naresa Narayana of Bengal. From childhood she showed deep devotion to Krsna.

The appearance anniversary of Ganga Devi, the goddess of the River Ganges.

This is literally the “birthday or descent of mother Ganges – Ganga Ma”. Throughout india this festival lasts ten days beginning on the Amavasya (dark moon night) and going through to the dasami tithi (tenth phase of the Moon, the day before Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi)

“Festivals connected with rivers are essentially bathing festivals. Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of Jyeshtha. River Ganga is worshipped as a mother as well as a Goddess, particularly by people of Uttara Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal through which the river flows. On this day, if a devotee is unable to visit and bathe in the river Ganga, then Ganga jal (water) kept in most Hindu homes is used for purification. A bath in the river is said to purify the bather of all sins. The Ganga is revered all over India even in places far from its course.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the author of Govinda Bhasya, the first Gaudiya commentary on the Vedanta-sutras, appeared in Remuna, Orissa, in the late 1600.

Nirjala Ekadasi occurs during the Jyestha (May/June) month and a description of this fantastically gracious day is found in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.Once Bhimasena, the younger brother of Yudhisthira, asked the best of sages Srila Vyasadeva, "O great sage, yogi and knower of the Vedas, please hear my humble request. My elder brother Yudhisthira, mother Kunti devi, brothers Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, and Draupadi fast completely on the Ekadasi day.

Yudhisthira is often encouraging me to fast and while I know it is the injunction of the scriptures, and I have tried; I simply am unable to fast. My hunger is too great too bear fasting on every Ekadasi. I can give in charity, I can worship Lord Kesava but I cannot fast. Please instruct me how I can obtain the mercy of Sri Ekadasi.

Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami’s chipped- rice-and-yogurt festival for Lord Caitanya and His associates. Celebrated especially in Panihati, West Bengal.

The Chida-dadhi Mahotsav, also known as the Chipped Rice Festivalof Panihati, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of SrilaRaghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Thisastonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges atPanihati, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya and hisassociates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida-dadhiMahotsav remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with Hisdevotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunathadasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice,along with various other nectar foodstuffs. Linked below is anexcerpt from Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya lila chapter 6, whichdescribes this wonderful pastime in detail.

Mukunda Datta, the son of Vasudeva Datta, was a classmate of Lord Caitanya’s. Mukunda Datta had a melodious voice, and he knew the intricacies of musical meters and ragas.

Kholaveca Sridhara Thakura lived just on the border of Nadia. He maintained himself by selling bananas, vegetables, banana leaves and cups.

On this full-moon day, sixteen days before Ratha- yatra, Lord Jagannatha is bathed. He becomes sick and is confined to rest for fourteen days. He is then offered special care until He comes out for Ratha-yatra.

A special bath of Jagannath takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month (Devasnan Purnima), to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannath.

According to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden deities he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day considered to be the birth-day of Lord jagannath. Held in the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha this festival is also simultaneously held in all other important Puri, it attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims from all over the country.

Syamananda Prabhu, a disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya, established the temple of Sri Radha-Syamasundara in Vrndavana.

Vakresvara Pandita is mentioned in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta for his ecstatic dancing. Once, in the house of Srivasa Thakura, he danced in constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.

Srivasa Pandita, or Srivasa Thakura, was a member of the Panca- tattva, consisting of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His four immediate expansions and energies.

Yogini Ekadasi occurs during the waning Moon in the month of Ashadha (June/July) and it's glories are described in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Once Maharaj Yudhisthira enquired from Sri Krsna, "O Supreme Lord! O Madhusudana! You have described the insurmountable glories of Nirjala Ekadasi. Now I very much wish to hear about the Ekadasi that takes place during the waning Moon in the Ashadha month.

The Personality of Godhead svayam-bhagavan Sri Krsna replied, "My dear King, I will detail the Ekadasi that comes in the month of Ashadha and the glorious results it's observance brings. This Ekadasi is known to all as Yogini Ekadasi and it destroys all one's most grave sinful reactions. It has the power to deliver one from the ocean of material existence and is all auspicious.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura reestablished, in the closing days of the nineteenth century, the teachings of Lord Caitanya, which by then had been largely misrepresented or lost.

Gadadhara Pandita is among the group known as the Panca-tattva. Gadadhara Pandita is considered an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Sri Krsna.

In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizesthis chapter as follows. The King of Orissa, Maharaja Prataparudra,tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Nityananda Prabhu andthe other devotees informed the Lord about the King's desire, but SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Sri NityanandaPrabhu devised a plan, and He sent a piece of the Lord's outward garmentto the King. The next day, when Ramananda Raya again entreated SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, askedRamananda Raya to bring the King's son before Him. The prince visited theLord dressed like a Vaisnava, and this awakened remembrance of Krsna. Thus SriCaitanya Mahaprabhu delivered the son of Maharaja Prataparudra.

Sivananda Sena, an associate of Lord Caitanya, used all his possessions and wealth in the service of Lord Caitanya and His devotees. Every year he would lead a party of 200 devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to attend the annual Ratha-yatra festival.

Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was the personal secretary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was a great scholar as well as an expert musician.

The chariot festival in which Lord Krsna in the form of Lord Jagannatha rides with Lord Balarama and Subhadra Devi in Jagannatha Puri, India.

At the height of Indian summer, right at the beginning of the Monsoon, the Lord of Puri goes to his garden palace for the annual summer vacation. Originally the festival has its foundation in the residents of Vrindavan bringing back their Lords, Krishna, Balaram and Lady Subhadra from Kurukshetra.

Today in Puri He, the Lord of the Universe travels in some style from his temple in Puri, to his garden temple, located outside the town centre called Gundicha. Thousands of Hindus flock to see, and to pull the grand chariots from one temple to the other. The English word "Jagannaut" comes from the giantchariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the size of the chariots, they coined a word for it!