Ask, Discover, Explore!

Festival of India presents a wide variety of opportunities for festival attendees to dive into the incredible spiritual depth and wisdom of the ancient east. With renowned guest speakers hailing from all over the world, we are proud to present a lineup of seminars and topics that will surely inspire you! Don’t pass up the opportunity to interact and ask questions with our host of learned, spiritual scholars.

What To Expect

Wisdom of the Gita

Dive into the profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita through engaging and insightful discussions led by esteemed spiritual leaders and scholars. These seminars explore the timeless wisdom and practical applications of the Gita's teachings, providing valuable insights and the path to spiritual enlightenment.

Explorations in Vedic Philosophy

Immerse yourself in the rich and complex world of Vedic philosophy with our detailed seminar sessions. These explorations cover a wide range of topics, including the nature of the soul, the concept of the cosmos in Vedic thought, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Inspirational Talks

Be inspired by a series of enlightening talks from renowned spiritual leaders, gurus, and motivational speakers. These sessions cover a wide range of topics, including the essence of bhakti-yoga (devotion), the importance of mindfulness, and the journey towards self-realization.

Seek and Discover

Engage in dynamic interactive Q&A sessions where you can ask questions and seek answers on various spiritual topics. These sessions provide an open forum to explore and deepen your understanding of spiritual concepts, personal growth, and the application of ancient wisdom in contemporary settings.

Pavilion Guests

HH Candramauli Swami

HH Candramauli Swami hails from the USA and has been practicing the bhakti tradition since the early 70s. He leads the ISKCON Prison Ministry and in over thirty years of operation, the lives of hundreds of inmates have changed due to the practice of Krishna Consciousness and the support received by devotees and practitioners of Krishna Consciousness. Candramauli Swami also offers spiritual guidance around Europe, the US and India. He has also authored a book called Holy Jail which is a touching compilation of the activities of the ISKCON Prison Ministries.

HH Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami

HH Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami hails from the Philippines and has been practicing the Bhakti tradition since the early 80s. He is a disciple of Gopal Krishna Goswami. In 2014, he was awarded sannyas initiation by Gopal Krishna Goswami. His main area of traveling and spreading the glories of the Bhakti Tradition is New Delhi, Vrindavan and Philippines.

HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj

HH Sundara Chaitanya Goswami is one of the seniormost disciples of His Holiness Lokanath Swami Maharaj. He hails from Mauritius and embarked on his spiritual journey with ISKCON in 1982. As an international motivational speaker and renowned youth preacher, Maharaj specializes in empowering individuals to realize their true selves. His energetic workshops and captivating lectures on Krishna consciousness, along with his expertise in Bhajans and Kirtans, have touched thousands worldwide.

Currently, Maharaj is engaged as a lecturer at the Vaishnav Institute of Higher Education in Sri Vrindavan Dhaam, India, where he continues to inspire and educate.

HG Sankarshan Das Adhikari

His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari, is an author of over 10 books. He is a disciple of His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada since 1971. Having served in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON for over 50 years, he has rendered many valuable services. Today he serves as an Initiating Guru within ISKCON. His ultimate Self Realization Course features a daily thought, a Q&A, weekly lesson on the Bhagavad Gita, and the Bhagavata Online Academy, and has over 29,000 subscribers worldwide. It is the longest running Internet course in the Bhakti Community Worldwide.

HG Vishnu Priya Devi Dasi

Her Grace Vishnupriya Mataji, is a guide and mentor to thousands of souls around the world. She is affectionately referred to as “Gurumataji” by students worldwide. She is a disciple of His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami since 1978. She adopted Krishna Consciousness earlier as a schoolgirl and dedicated herself fully to Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON at a very young age. She is an expert in many devotional arts, including deity worship, cooking for Krishna, reading and explaining Srila Prabhupada’s books in a most practical and profound way.

Rupanuga Das

HG Rupanuga Das was born and raised in a family practicing Bhakti and has worked in the IT industry in a variety of technical, management and executive roles, finally retiring with IBM. He currently resides in Toronto, Canada and serves our Toronto community. Some of his services include facilitating classes on Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, providing mentorship and counseling for youths and families across Canada.

HG Mahabhagavat Das

HG Mahabhagavat Das is a disciple of His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari since 2011. His decade-long journey from skeptic to devoted disciple began on the streets of Mumbai around the year 2000. Drawn to atheism, he only started reading the Bhagavad Gita As It Is to prove it all wrong. He pursued a PhD in Machine Learning and Computational Linguistics in Toronto. But this coincided with his increasing interest in Bhakti, and had to choose between the umpteen research papers and the works of Srila Prabhupada. He cooks for Krishna, distributes books on the street, goes out regularly on Harinam and mentors many devotees around the world. He currently works as a Chief Technology Officer at an Insurance Company. He serves souls on the Internet via dasadas.com.

Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi

Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi was born in the USA. She completed her university education with a BA in Human Ecology in 1991.She first met devotees in Penang, Malaysia. She soon joined the temple in London, UK. After several years of distributing books in the UK, she moved to India, taught at Sri Mayapur International School, distributed books, and did some writing. She is author of two books: Rising Above it All: Higher Consciousness, Happier Life, and The Living Gita. In 2018, she returned to the USA, and currently resides at Krishna House in Gainesville, Florida, where she serves as a Board member and Educational Director, teaching and planning curriculum for new devotee training and education.

HG Malati Prabhu

Malati Devi Dasi was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in San Francisco in early 1967, and became an integral part of the pioneer years of ISKCON. In 1968, along with her six week old daughter Saraswati, Malati Devi Dasi was part of a team of six adults to first establish Krishna consciousness in the UK. A founding member of the Vaishnavi Ministry, established the first Vaishnava/Hindu temple in Ohio for women in 1990, recognized by the State’s Historical Society, and continues to lead international retreats promoting spiritual growth among women in ISKCON.

Deva Madhava Das

Deva Madhava Das is the community director of The Harmony Collective, Ypsilanti in Michigan USA where they have a farm, restaurant and community center. He is also the founder of the Bodhaka project. Professionally, he shares practices of Bhakti in secular environments with his business Ananta Wellness. He began practicing Krishna consciousness in 2010 when he met devotees at ISKCON Detroit.

Krishna Das Kaviraj Das

Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja dāsa is a practitioner of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for over 50 years and has been married for 47 years, embodying deep spiritual devotion and wisdom. Professionally, he served as a Respiratory Therapist for 35 years, with 20 of those years devoted to the Intensive Care Unit at SickKids Hospital. His experience in such a critical and demanding environment has equipped him with a deep understanding of life’s stresses and the resilience required to navigate them.

Radha Mohan Das

Radha Mohan Das is a youth preacher and counselor at ISKCON Indore. He has initiated many forums, including, Leadership Development Course, Gita Youth Society Transformation and Learn Apply Manifest Program. He is also an eloquent speaker on vedic literatures like the Bhagavad Gita. He is trained in communication, mediation, leadership & time management. Formerly, he was working as a radar engineer at Bharat Electonics Limited. He is also an alumni of IIT Delhi.

Seminars

Time Topic Speaker
Saturday, July 13
2:30pm-3:15pm Brains vs. Beliefs: Science vs. Spirituality Radha Mohan Das
3:30pm-4:15pm The Role of Spirituality in Mental Health Sankarshan Das
4:30pm-5:15pm Actions – the Cause of Bondage and Liberation Sundar Chaitanya Goswami
5:30pm-6:15pm Unveiling Krsna: The Irresistible Divine Krishna Das Kaviraj Das
6:30pm-7:15pm Achieving Self Control in the Midst of Distraction, Impulse and Stress Candramauli Swami
7:30pm-8:00pm Stories from the Spiritual Sky: Celebrating the Festival of Chariots Rupanuga Das
Sunday, July 14
12:00pm-12:45pm Chasing Bliss: The Quest for Happiness Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi
1:00pm-1:45pm Achieving Freedom from All Anxieties Sankarshan Das
2:00pm-2:45pm Yoga for the Mind, Soul, and Body Candramauli Swami
3:00pm-3:45pm Chanting Bliss: The Hare Krsna Mantra Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami
4:00pm-4:30pm Unlocking Your Inner Superpowers: The Adventure of Self-Discovery Rupanuga Das

Q & A

Time Topic Speaker
Saturday, July 13
2:30pm-3:15pm Beyond the Flesh: Are We Spirits in Disguise? Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami
3:30pm-4:15pm Seeking Spiritual Guidance: How Do You Spot a True Guru? Candramauli Swami
4:30pm-5:15pm Are We Masters of Our Destiny? Radha Mohan Das
5:30pm-6:15pm Why Is there So much Conflict in the World? How do We Deal with It? Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi
6:30pm-7:15pm Beyond Infinity: What Lies Beyond the Universe’s Edge? Sundar Chaitanya Goswami
7:30pm-8:00pm Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Bhakti Yoga Mahabhagavat, Deva Madhava
Prabhupada Priya, Radha Mohan Das
Sunday, July 14
12:00pm-12:45pm Peace: Fantasy or Achievable Reality? Vishnu Priya Devi Dasi
1:00pm-1:45pm Fact vs. Fiction: Is the Truth Absolute? Where Do we Get the Truth From? Deva Madhava
2:00pm-2:45pm Spirit Over Matter: Can Higher Consciousness Lead to a Happier Life? Rasesvara Madhava Das
3:00pm-3:45pm Where Did We Come From, Why are We in this World? Malati Dasi
4:00pm-4:30pm Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Mind, Body and Spirit Mahabhagavat, Deva Madhava
Prabhupada Priya