Around 200 devotees attended the celebration of Janmashtmi - the birthday of Lord Krishna - held at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Auckland.
The celebration assembly began at 9.30 pm and featured speeches and devotional songs lightening the divine exploits of Lord Krishna. The youths performed a drama entitled 'Drashta' enacting a scene from the Maharabharat in which Lord Krishna reveals that without refuge to God or His holy Sadhu, conflict in life cannot be prevented.
At the stroke of midnight, the time of Lord Krishna's birth, the celebration arti was performed, after which the murti of the Lord was swung in a decorated cradle.
Many devotees - young and old - had observed a waterless fast that day, in accordance with the wish of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj.
The devout atmosphere of the celebrations was enjoyed by all.