Patna, Aug. 18: International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), Patna, is set to celebrate Shri Krishna Janmashtami in the state capital on August 22 and 23.

Around 10,000 devotees are expected to take part in the festival. While August 22 would be celebrated as Janmashtami, the next day would mark the birth anniversary of Iskcon founder Srila Prabhupada.

The celebrations will include mass prayers, preaching, devotional and cultural programmes and other events.

A formal announcement of the various events to be held during the two-day-long celebrations of Janmash- tami was made today at a news meet on the premises of the Iskcon temple at Budh Marg.

“The birth of Lord Krishna — an avatar of Vishnu — is celebrated all over the world. Iskcon, Patna, will also organise grand celebrations for the festival. Devotional dances, drama, bhajans and other cultural events will be organised on the day of Shri Krishna Janmashtami,” said Shri Krishna Kripa Das, director, Iskcon, Patna.

Sri Krishna Memorial Hall has been selected as the venue for celebrating the festival on August 22. The celebrations would start at 6.30pm with bhajan, kirtan and devotional songs by Iskcon devotees, followed by a Hindi skit — Gaudia Vision. A theatre group from Calcutta would perform the play.

The devotees would continue to perform kirtans and prayer till midnight. Then, they would welcome the advent of the Lord by blowing 208 conch shells. This would be a part of Shri Krishna Janmaabhishek. Special prasad would be distributed after that.

The next day would be celebrated as the birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupad, the founder of Iskcon. The devotees would pray from 12noon to 2pm.

In 2007, chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi had laid the foundation stone for the Iskcon temple, which would be completed by 2013.