The Virtual Pilgrimage Challenge Newsletter

https://www.myvirtualmission.com/missions/ 98504/a-spiritual-journey-to-the-birthplace-of- shree-krishna-chaitanya

Thursday 1st April 2021 Dear parents, carers, staff and pupils, Thank you for engaging with this tremendous journey to the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. We made it to Sir Mayapur Dhama in time for the festival of Sri Gaura Purnima. It has been an incredible meditation and a month of healthy living. We hope you have learned more about the geography and history of the world we live in and more about the significance of a collective faith in God across the numerous countries we stopped in.

Warmth & Light, Ms Kochhar, Ms Ahuja

7681 miles in 30 days... Krishna Avanti Primary School Harrow | PRE/Humanities Newsletter | Issue 4 Ayodhya

Ayodhya is regarded as one of the seven sacred cities for Hindus, revered because of its association in the great Indian epic poem Ramayana with the birth of Rama and with the rule of his father, Dasharatha. The town was prosperous and well fortified and had a large population.

Varanasi

Varanasi is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. Pilgrims come to the Ganges here to wash away sins in the sacred waters, to cremate their loved ones, or simply to die here, hoping for liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Lord Chaitanya stayed in Varanasi and wanted to freely distribute the highest knowledge of devotional service to Krishna. Two thousand years earlier Lord Buddha had given His first sermon only six miles away at Saranatha and Sripada Sankaracharya, the incarnation of Lord Shiva had come to Varanasi in A.D. 695, shortly after taking sannyasa at the age of eight. Varanasi remains a stronghold for his followers and for the worship of Lord Shiva. Krishna Avanti Primary School Harrow | PRE/Humanities Newsletter | Issue 4 Gaya

Gaya is a holy city beside the Falgu River, in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It’s known for 18th-century Vishnupad Mandir, a riverside temple with an octagonal shrine. Close by, the ancient Mangla Gauri Temple is set on a hilltop. To the north, Hindu devotees bath in a Brahma Kund pond before honouring their deceased ancestors atop Pretshila Hill. To the south lies the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Haritala Bodh Gaya.

Koladvipa is an emblem of “pada-sevanam” or rendering devotional service unto the lotus feet of the Lord. This island is also known as Koladvipa parvata. “Kola” means boar and “Dvipa” means island. It is so called because Lord Varahadeva (an incarnation of the Lord who appeared as a boar to kill the demon Hiranyaksa) appeared at this place in Satya Yuga to bless His devotee. This place is even known as Varaha ksetra. It is said that this place is non-different from Giri Govardhan parvat of Sri Vrindavan dham.

Krishna Avanti Primary School Harrow | PRE/Humanities Newsletter | Issue 4 Mayapur

Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple of ISKCON is the major reason why devotees all over the world come to this sacred land. Inside you can see the magnificent deities of Pancatattva, Lord Nrisingha Dev, Srila Prabhupada and Radha- Madhav with the Gopis. This is a place flowing with devotion.

Yoga Pitha

The appearance place of Lord Chaitanya is known as Yoga Pitha, and is situated at the very centre of Mayapur. “ Yoga Pitha is "a meeting place." At this place all the associates of the Lord meet with Him to participate in His pastimes. In 1893, Bhaktivinoda Thakura established Yoga Pitha as the actual site of Lord Caitanya's appearance. He personally collected the funds to purchase this land and built a small temple here. This was completed in 1906 at which time he also installed the deities of Gaura-Narayana and His two wives, Laksmipriya and Vishnupriya. Sri Gaura Purnima maha mahotsava 2021

We had a wonderful celebration with the children! Thank you so much for sending them in with love in their hearts, smiles on the faces and offerings of festive colour. Children designed and create their own classroom bathing kunds to hold their deities for the abhishek ceremony.