Jammu. 15th November, 2011 - The first Jagannath Deities from Puri have arrived in the city of the temples. GOKUL (Global Organisation of Krishnachaitanya's Universal Love) grandly celebrated the auspicious arrival of the deities at its greenbelt Gandhinagar situated centre. The founder of GOKUL, Jagadguru Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj did the installation of the deities at Vrindavan Dham from where the devotees brought them to Jammu. The vijaya vigraha of Sri Gauranga and Sri Radha Madhav alongwith Sri Nrisingh Dev were installed by Srila Guru Maharaj ji.

The celebrations started with ecstatic chanting of Sankirtan, with showering of flowers and dancing by devotees.

This will be first Gaudiya Jagannath Dev Mandir in Jammu. A century ago Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj had predicted about this temple in J & K, when He visited the state. Later His dearmost disciple Srila Bhkti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj wanted to have a Math here. But finally His dearmost disciple Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj installed the deities for this Mandir. A long cherished desire of the devotees has been fulfilled. Many aspiring pilgrims who can not go gto far off Puri, can now have easy darshan of Lord Jagannath Dev here in Jammu.

On this occasion, Dr. Rajendra Mishra, Secretary of GOKUL, expressed his gratfulness for the divine blessings of Gurudeva because of which people of Jammu are fortunate to have this Mandir here. Prominent among the present were Shri M N Sharma, Rajeshwar Singh, Ashok Gupta, Pushpa Shastri and Amit. The celebrations culminated with Mahaprasad distribution (Bhandara). There will be daily spiritual discourses on Bhagwatpm Puran and Chaitanya Charitamrita at 7 p m at GOKUL Gandhi Nagar. There will also be regular Sunday noon festivals alonwith observing of Ekadashi fasting, celebrating Janamashtami, Radhashtami and Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath Dev, grandly, on the due dates as per tha almanac. In December Gita Jayanti will be celebrated. From 20th November, special Bhagwat Katha will be organised. The Gokul centre will be distributing Gita and other devotional literature to the youth of the state for their spiritual development.