Biswabrata Goswami
MAYAPUR, 18 FEB: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday traded the language of power for the cadence of prayer as he stepped into the global headquarters of ISKCON at Mayapur, declaring himself “not as India’s home minister, but as a devoted follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”
In the temple town on the banks of the Bhagirathi in Nadia district, the senior BJP leader began his address with chants of “Hare Krishna,” drawing waves of devotional music and applause from thousands gathered to mark the 152nd birth anniversary of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.
Arriving around 2.30 pm in an Army helicopter at the ISKCON helipad, Shah proceeded in a tight security convoy to the Radha-Madhav temple complex of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The temple precincts were wrapped in multi-layered security, with armed police deployed across the campus and certain sections temporarily closed to the public in view of the VVIP visit. Senior monks received him with garlands and sandalwood paste as kirtans reverberated through the complex.
Addressing devotees at the movement’s headquarters in Mayapur, Shah said he had long cherished the desire to visit the sacred land associated with Sri Chaitanya but circumstances had repeatedly delayed the trip. “Many times I had the opportunity to come to Mayapur, but for one reason or another it did not materialise. Today, by the grace of Mahaprabhu, I feel blessed and grateful to set foot on this holy soil,” he said.
The occasion marked the birth anniversary of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the Gaudiya Vaishnava scholar and reformer who laid the institutional foundations for the modern ISKCON movement. Shah described one of Bhaktisiddhanta’s greatest contributions as preparing a disciple like A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose efforts carried the message of Sanatan Dharma across continents. “The globally spread ISKCON movement today is the result of the life work of these two great souls,” he said.
Reflecting on his travels across the country as BJP president and later as Union minister, Shah said he had witnessed ISKCON’s influence in cities and small towns alike. The Bhagavad Gita published by the organisation, he noted, had reached people cutting across age groups and professions, becoming accessible to both scholars and lay readers.
Beyond spiritual outreach, Shah highlighted ISKCON’s humanitarian role during natural calamities and social distress. He said the organisation often sets up food distribution camps in disaster-hit areas and plays a key role in providing healthcare and education to underprivileged sections. Its engagement with youth through festivals rooted in Indian tradition, he added, helps strengthen cultural confidence.
During his address, Shah also spoke about the social and spiritual reforms introduced by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, including his emphasis on spiritual qualification over birth-based hierarchy. He referred to the reformist thrust that sought to break rigid social barriers and redefined renunciation not as withdrawal from the world but as dedicating one’s actions to the service of Sri Krishna.
Throughout the programme, chants of “Hare Krishna” and devotional songs punctuated the proceedings. Devotees thronged the venue in large numbers, turning the anniversary celebration into a spectacle of faith. After offering prayers before the deities and interacting with ISKCON authorities, Shah left the temple complex around 4.15 pm.
The visit, though devoid of overt political messaging, unfolded against the backdrop of the Union minister’s two-day tour of West Bengal. Yet within the temple walls of Mayapur, Shah framed his presence as that of a pilgrim rather than a politician—seeking, as he put it, blessings on the sacred soil of Mahaprabhu.
