Residential societies and local temples across Gurugram celebrated Janmashtami with great enthusiasm, focusing on community participation and inclusivity.
A priest performing rituals during Janmashtami at ISKCON in Gurugram on Saturday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Gurugram, located in Sector 67, witnessed over 100,000 devotees and visitors and more than 1,000 volunteers worked to manage the large crowd and ensure a smooth experience.
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The celebration featured the offering of 1,008 bhoga items, kirtans, bhajans, and cultural performances. The main event was the midnight abhishekam and maha aarti of Lord Krishna, which was attended by thousands. Special arrangements were made for senior citizens and expectant mothers, including exclusive pick-up and drop-off services from the parking area to the temple entrance.
ISKCON Gurugram also organised a digital Janmashtamifor those who could not attend in person. This feature allowed thousands of devotees to participate in the festival from their homes.
Residents from various societies also shared their joy. “It felt like a mini-Vrindavan right here in Gurugram,” said Priya Sharma, a resident of Sector 56. “The atmosphere in our colony’s temple was so vibrant and full of positive energy. My children learned so much about the festival.”
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Another devotee, Rajesh Kumar from Sector 50, said, “The arrangements were excellent, especially the special provision for senior citizens at ISKCON. My parents were able to attend without any difficulty, and it was a truly blissful experience for them.”
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Another devotee, Rajesh Kumar from Sector 50, said, “The arrangements were excellent, especially the special provision for senior citizens at ISKCON. My parents were able to attend without any difficulty, and it was a truly blissful experience for them.”
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Rambhadra Das, the temple president of ISKCON Gurugram, said, “Sri Krishna Janmashtami teaches us that true joy and inner peace come from connecting with and serving Sri Krishna. This occasion offers us a chance to rise above our daily stress and anxiety and experience a divine relationship with God.”
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
