SLC31-W3 || Our Surroundings A Series of Real Life Experiences ; Mosque & Temple

I am here with my visit to ISKCON, Modipuram India for SLC31-W3 Our Surroundings A Series of Real Life Experiences ; Mosque & Temple inviting @suboohi, @jyoti-thelight and @max-pro

What type of service location did you visit? Briefly describe it.

I am taking you to ISKCON in Modipuram in Supertech Sports City, Modipuram, India. This temple in Modipuram is a branch of well-known International Krishna temples located near Supertech Sports City on Roorkee Road, Modipuram, 250110, India.

It is a popular religious place internationally with local as well as international following, and a large number of devotees attend morning and evening prayers. I would like to add at this point that the ISKCON temple, the "International Society for Krishna Consciousness," serves as a center for worship, kirtan (prayers), bhajan (religious songs), and spiritual gatherings.

ISKCON is known for peaceful centers for devotees and visitors seeking refuge in Lord Krishna, which is one of the major Hindu religious sects followed by devotees worldwide. As this temple is located in a major residential society, it makes it easy to reach, especially for people coming from nearby residential colonies.

Special festivals at ISKCON Temple

Daily aarti and special festivals at ISKCON Temple Modipuram

At ISKCON Temple Meerut, the most special festivals include Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Gaura Purnima, Govardhan Puja, and Radhastami (Radha was Lord Krishna's most loved person).

For the Modipuram ISKCON center, the festival of Janmashtami is the biggest event, observed with an entire day of chanting, cultural programs, and midnight celebrations for Lord Krishna’s birth celebration. Gaura Purnima celebrates Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance and is also widely observed with special bhajans and spiritual discourses besides daily morning and evening prayers.

Other important festivals celebrated at ISKCON centers include Rath Yatra, Narasimha Chaturdashi, Holi, and Deepotsava (Diwali), depending on temple calendar. Modipuram ISKCON temple also marks other important days and special dates with extra chanting and services.

Operational history & Location (Steem Atlas pin)

I have collected the info from various websites, which show that ISKCON temples began with the mission of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who went to New York in 1965 to spread Krishna consciousness. In 1966, he formally established ISKCON in New York City, and the first temple started in a small storefront that became a gathering place for chanting, philosophy, and devotion.

You can see his picture and statues in every center.

As the movement grew between the 1960s and 1970s, with temples, cultural centers, and pilgrimage sites opening across North America, Europe, India, Africa, and South America. By the late 1970s, ISKCON had established more than 100 temples and related centers worldwide. You can find more, as I have attached the ISKCON International website in the info box.

I was at ISCON Vrindavan recently.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a mosque Imam and Muazzin, and a temple priest?

At ISKCON temples, the Modipuram priest’s main role is to conduct deity worship and maintain the daily spiritual routine of the temple. In ISKCON, worship centers on chanting, arati, offering food, dressing the deity, and preserving a devotional atmosphere. I will show you how they work in my images and video.

Typical responsibilities include performing mangala aarti, shringar, bhog offering, evening aarti, and other prescribed puja services according to ISKCON standards. The priest also helps with chanting, bhajans, festival rituals, and special observances such as Janmashtami and Gaura Purnima.

Let me make it clear at this point: these priests are responsible for making sure the temple’s worship is done properly, devotionally, and on time. As you can see in this picture, the priests are doing cleaning and preparing for prayer.

At ISKCON, the role of service is especially focused on anyone who wishes to act as a priest without any payment or fees but voluntarily. The people who trust in Lord Krishna through disciplined daily practice, purity, and community participation can join this service even on a part-time basis.

I have visited some of the best ISKCON temples of Sri Krishna-Balarama, like in Vrindavan, Canberra, Sydney, Bangalore, etc. I have also visited Mumbai's center.

These temples are worship spaces but also act as centers for education, cultural programs, chanting, and community service, like they just sent me an invitation to attend a function on my WhatsApp number.

A temple priest may also guide devotees, explain basic rituals, and help organize spiritual programs, classes, and festival activities. The same is the case in this temple at Modipuram, which is coordinated and managed by volunteers for worship, cleanliness, and visitor flow to stay orderly. By the way, the head priest in this temple today is an ex-army officer.

Today, you can go to any major city in the world and visit ISKCON temples and continue to follow the same basic tradition as devotional worship of Krishna and sing kirtan, get prasadam, and practice spiritual classes and festival celebrations. By the way, everything is sponsored by big corporate houses or donations.

Environmental impact & (With pictures + videos)

ISKCON’s environmental impact is mixed, but in recent years the movement has made a visible push toward sustainability. On the positive side, ISKCON has launched environmental initiatives that encourage temples to reduce waste, save energy and water, and use more eco-friendly practices. I was at Vrindavan ISCON recently, which is one of the major centers in India, and it was a treat to watch.

A major part of this effort is the ISKCON Environmental Initiative, which promotes practical steps such as recycling, composting, avoiding single-use plastics, using efficient appliances, and improving food and water management. Some ISKCON communities also emphasize local or organic food sourcing, temple gardens, and renewable energy in advanced sustainability models.

ISKCON’s eco-villages are one of the best-known examples of this environmental approach, combining spirituality with green buildings, conservation, and self-sufficient living. It has also received awards and recognition for sustainability-related work.

Information

ISKCON MEERUT, Modipuram	Supertech Sports City, Roorkee Rd, Modipuram, India, 250110
Place Type	International Temple
Google Maps	Maps
International Website	Here
Google Coordinates	3PG6+3J Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
Atlas pin code	//:# (!steematlas 29.07558734 lat 77.71130919 long ISCON, Modipuram, India d3scr)
Opening & closing time	8:00 PM - 9:00 PM closing during 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Security	Guarded
Restroom	Available
Overall review	World class
Date Visited	29/04/2026

• The ISKCON temple is open daily with a good number of devotees, but the best time for a true religious experience is during Janmashtami or Gaura Purnima, when the temple is most active and richly decorated.

Cc. @kibreay001 and @adeljose

Beneficiary @steem-atlas