His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj appeared on the 2nd of September in the Gaurabda year 443 (1929 A.D.) in Orissa, India. Both his parents were devotees of Krishna and Jagannath, as were their ancestors up to the time of Sri Syamananda Prabhu. His mother’s family were the famous kirtaniyas of Gadai Giri. Thus most of His Divine Grace’s child- and boyhood was spent in Gadai Giri, in the company of his uncles and maternal grandfather, having kirtan and worshiping their ancient family deity, Sri Gopal Jiu. He was never attached to play, but rather spent his time reading Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta and singing Hare Krishna. In April 1974, on Ramnavami, the day of the holy appearance of Lord Ramachandra, His Divine Grace left his family to search for Sri Guru. He was now 45 years old but had since childhood had the desire to accept the renounced order of life, sannyasa, and preach the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was already acquainted with many sadhus in Orissa and throughout the rest of India, but was not satisfied by them. He travelled on foot and by train around northern India for about 5 months, stopping at every temple, monastery and institution where there might be a sadhu. Arriving at last in Sri Vrindavan Dham, he met His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada on the 15th of September 1974. Among the first things Srila Prabhupada asked him was whether or not he had taken sannyasa. Srila Prabhupada said: “I will give you sannyasa!”. Within a short time Srila Prabhupada initiated him giving him Harinam and Diksa and the name Sri Gour Govinda Das and sent him to preach in Orissa. On Ramnavami 1975, during the opening of the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan, one year after he had left home, Sri Gour Govinda Das was given sannyas by Srila Prabhupada. Thus Srila Gour Govinda Swami came back to Orissa and gradually, after much hardships, opened the temple that Srila Prabhupada had envisioned in Bhubaneswar. He also translated Srila Prabhupada’s books into the Oriyan language. From 1985 through 1996 His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami preached throughout the world and accepted disciples. Thus he executed the three instructions Srila Prabhupada gave him.

ISKCON Bhubaneswar organises Śrīmad Bhāgavata Katha Mahotsav. Speaker: HH Haladhar Swami Maharaj Topic: The Churning of the Milk Ocean Date: 25.01.2023 - 31.01.2023 Time - 8.00am - 9.30am 6.30pm - 8.30pm Venue: ISKCON Sri Gundicha Temple, Unit-8, Near D.A.V School All are invited to take the benefit of Srimad Bhagavata Katha Mahotsava.

Sri Nityananda Trayodashi is the auspicious appearance day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna appeared in Navadvipa, West Bengal as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to establish Sankirtana Movement (Congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord, the Yuga-dharma for this age). To help the Supreme Lord in His mission, Lord Balarama appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. He assisted Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by spreading the holy name of the Lord throughout Bengal. Nityananda Prabhu appeared in the village of Ekachakra, in the district of Birbhum (West Bengal) as the son of Padmavati and Hadai Pandita in the year 1474 AD. He was born on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha (Magha Shukla Trayodashi). Even today pilgrims visit the place of birth of Lord Nityananda in Ekachakra. This temple is called Garbhavasa. The parents of Lord Nityananda hailed from a family of pious Brahmins, originally from Mithila.