Our Bureau
Chicago, IL
On a warm Wednesday evening, June 17, 2026, the ISKCON Chicago Temple at 1716 W Lunt Ave came alive with devotion, nostalgia, and heartfelt celebration as it marked the 53rd anniversary of the sacred installation of Sri Sri Kishore Kishori (Radha Krishna deities). From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the temple filled with longtime devotees, newer faces, and community members who gathered to honor not just a milestone, but a living legacy of faith, service, and transformation that has touched thousands of lives across decades.
The evening unfolded like a beautiful tapestry woven with personal stories, historical reflections, and deep spiritual emotion. Devotees recalled how the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Kishore Kishori were first installed in a pandal program in Bombay before making their auspicious journey to Chicago. On this very day 53 years ago, the community became blessed with their daily darshan and worship. Lila Manjari devi dasi, one of the priests, noted with wonder, “Sri Sri Kishore Kishori to Chicago even before Srila Prabhupada visited in 1974-75.”
The program opened with warm invitations for senior voices to share memories. Jitendriya das, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and devotee who has lived at the temple for over 50 years often responding to late-night emergencies like plumbing issues reminisced about the early days. Other devotees spoke of the first small temple in an apartment on Halsted, the challenges of Chicago winters seeping through unscreened windows, and the pioneering spirit of early devotees who tolerated hardships to please the Lord. From there, the temple moved to a former YMCA building in Evanston in the 1970s, facing city violations and opposition, before securing its current home. The grand opening took place on Lord Rama’s appearance day in 1980. The purchase of the building for $140,000 was seen as a miracle, especially with a neighboring bank eyeing the property for a parking lot.
Jitendriya das painted vivid pictures of those foundational years: 24 sannyasis visiting, massive festivals with parades downtown, clay deities before the grand marble altar, and the evolution of the temple’s infrastructure from wooden floors to beautiful marble, from a small Jagannatha deity to larger ones used in Rath Yatra processions. Sunil Madhava das, one of the ex-temple presidents fondly recalled replacing a broken boiler around 1989 and the transformation of the brahmachari ashram.
Multiple speakers emphasized the causeless mercy of Sri Sri Kishore Kishori. Stories flowed—of prayers answered instantly, of protective spiritual spaces felt in the temple room, of families raising children within the community, and of lifelong commitments to service. Krsnarcana devi dasi read from Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, highlighting simple acts like standing before the deity and opening one’s mind as profound forms of worship. Subala das reflected on dedicating decades to children’s programs and Sunday school under the guidance of his spiritual master, HH Romapada Swami.
The celebration also honored long-serving leaders temple presidents, book distributors who traveled through the night, devotees who embossed the altar with gold leafing, kitchen teams, and countless others whose quiet service sustained the temple. Gratitude extended to Indian community members who provided crucial loans and donations during the temple’s acquisition. The evening concluded with a group photograph of all assembled devotees, a visual testament to the living community that continues to grow around Sri Sri Kishore Kishori.
–Asian Media USA
