July 12 – 18, 2026 · A look back
Shrimad Bhagwat Katha
॥ श्रीमद् भागवत कथा ॥
Seven evenings of Srimad Bhagavatam katha and the leelas of Bhagwan Shri Krishna with Pujya Acharya Vinod Sodiyal Ji filled the Genesis Centre this July. The katha has concluded — the streams, the photos, and the week's story live on here.
Jai Shri KrishnaAbout the Katha
A seven-day Gyan Yajna
The Shrimad Bhagwat Katha is a sacred recitation of the Srimad Bhagavatam, telling the leelas of Lord Krishna and the values of dharma, devotion, and surrender. Over seven evenings this July, the community gathered for song, prayer, and reflection.
Every session closed with prasad and bhandara, and entry was free all week — the hall was full of families every night.
How the week ran
How each evening flowed
Each evening opened with the Bhagwat Ji Aarti, and the Katha ran to 9:00 PM from July 12 to 18, followed by Aarti and a community meal. Entry was free all week.
Bhagwat Ji Aarti
The evening opened with aarti as the Katha Vyas took his seat.
Katha
Discourse on the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Aarti
The evening aarti.
Prashad & Bhandara
Community meal to close the evening.
The week, day by day
Opening day
The Kalash Yatra procession runs 2:30 – 3:45 PM, followed by the first-day Pooja and the evening Katha.
Evening Katha
Bhagwat Ji Aarti at 5:55 PM, Katha 6:05 – 9:00 PM, the evening Aarti, then prasad & bhandara.
Final Katha day
The Katha concludes a little earlier at 8:45 PM, followed by the Aarti and the final-day Pooja.
Havan · Chestermere
The concluding Havan runs 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM in Chestermere. Yajmans and volunteers may take part, and all Yajmans must attend.
For the record, the Yajman guide with the detailed daily schedule and the July 19 Havan remains available.
Behind the scenes
Our organizing committees
Twenty-two volunteer teams carried this Katha together, from the Kalash Yatra to the closing Havan. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who gave their time and seva.
Master of Ceremonies
Guides the audience through the program, introduces each segment, shares announcements, and introduces honored guests.
Lead: Neeraj Tripathi
Entry Gate Tilak Committee
Welcomes every guest with tilak at the entrance and guides them into the hall.
Leads: Geetika Bector, Harshita Singla
Food Organization Committee
Sets the daily menu with food providers, manages delivery and disposables, and distributes food each evening.
Leads: Avni Goyal, Amit Goyal, Ramesh Verma, Sumit Nanda
Dining Hall Cleaning Committee
Sets up the dining hall and food tables, manages lineups, and leaves the hall clean each night.
Leads: Alok Gulati, Rajnish Singla Ji, Sumit Nanda
Chief Guest Coordination Committee
Invites special guests and prepares their welcome — tilak, flowers, and a traditional shawl.
Leads: Krishna Verman, Vikas Upadhyay, Dhruv Sharma, Tushar Sharma
Kalsh Pooja Arrangements Committee
On July 12, provides each Yajman with mauli and tikka, plus water from sacred rivers for the Kalash.
Leads: Kulwant Jamwal, Geetika Bector
Pooja Arrangement Committee
Provides the daily Pooja samagri from July 12–18, and the Havan samagri on July 19.
Leads: Saroj Kumar, Shallu Ram
Phool Mala / Fruit Committee
Arranges the daily malas for Radhe Krishna, Laddu Gopal Ji, Acharya Ji, and the Bhagwat Ji Pothi, plus daily flowers and fruit for Pooja.
Leads: Saroj Kumar, Shiv Sharma
Barni Banane Ki Committee
Prepares about 160 decorated Barnis — one per Yajman family — ahead of July 12.
Leads: Monika Narula, Anshu Singla, Jyoti Verma
Aarti Committee
Prepares six decorated Aarti thalis and manages the crowd safely as everyone takes a turn.
Leads: Anu Verma, Meenakshi Sharma, Urvashi Bhardwaj, Monika Tripathi, Anuradha Shory, Radha Verman, Munmun Comar
Stage Maintenance Committee
Re-arranges and cleans the stage, Phool Mala, Pooja Samagri, and Vyaas Peedh before and after each day's Katha.
Leads: Pushpanjali Rai, Shweta Singla, Saroj Varma
Event Planning Committee
Prepares five leelas and events: Vaman & Narsimha Bhagwan, Janamashtami, Makhan Leela / Matki / Govardhan Leela, Ras Leela, and Vivah & Sudama Ji.
Leads: Amit Singh Verma, Richa Sharma
Hall Seating Arrangement Committee
Sets up the hall and carpet daily, manages shoes, and reserves seating for special guests.
Leads: Ricky Narula, Monika Narula, Pavan Jariyal, Tanuj Sharma, Vikas Verma
Hall Decoration Committee
Designs and coordinates the hall's decoration — flowers, garlands, fabric, lighting, and props — with organizers and priests.
Leads: Vaishali Kumar, Priya Sodiyal, Anika Kumar, Ayushi Gupta, Aarohi Sharma, Pushpanjali Rai, Trisha Sharma
56 Bhog Organization Committee
Maintains the daily list of 56 Bhog offerings, coordinates commitments with Yajmans, and verifies items on arrival.
Leads: Urvashi Bhardwaj, Sushil Bhardwaj
Parking Lot Management Committee
Directs vehicles, manages traffic flow, and coordinates with staff and security to keep the lot safe.
Leads: Ricky Narula, Dhruv Sharma
Media Coverage Committee
Plans photography, videography, and social media coverage of Pooja, Aarti, Havan, and cultural programs.
Leads: Neeraj Tripathi, Ramesh Verma
Sound System Management Committee
Sets up and runs the full audio system, with sound checks and mic placement for priests, speakers, and singers.
Leads: Dhruv Sharma, Tenzine Audio, Arvind Seth
Photographer / Video Committee
Captures photos and video of every ceremony and group photos of organizers and volunteers, and manages equipment and backups.
Yajman Coordination Committee
Tracks Yajman registrations and contact info, and shares the daily schedule, guidelines, and what to bring in advance.
Leads: Krishna Verman, Shiv Sharma, Ramesh Verma, Saroj Varma
Sarvato Bhadra Kalash Committee
Decorates the five Kalash for the Sarvato Bhadra Pooja, ready before Poojan on day one.
Leads: Monika Tripathi, Meena Sharma, Radha Verman
Sangeet Committee
Plans and rehearses the devotional music for each day's program.
Lead: Shiv Sharma
- Harmonium / Vocals — Sonam Bali
- Tabla — Ram Naiker
- Octapad — Lingam Naikar
- Dholak — Pavan Prashant
- Chorus — Subhash Bali, Shalvin Naidu, Shayn Naidu
Thank you, sevaks
Every team above served the whole week without pause. If you’d like to be part of the seva at a future katha or festival, we’d love to hear from you.
Reach out to volunteerSeva
The Yajman families
Around 160 Yajman families took part in the daily puja and yajna, dedicating the seva for their families, parents, elders, and ancestors.
Why families serve as Yajmans
The seva is ours to carry
Yajmans take part in the daily puja, light the lamp, and sit with the Havan until it is complete.
We serve as a family
Couples and families participate together, remembering parents, elders, children, and the ancestors who brought us here.
We keep the doors open for everyone
The Katha stays free because families step forward to help carry the cost of the hall, puja, prasad, and bhandara.
To every Yajman family — dhanyavad
Your dakshina kept the Katha free and open for all: the hall, the puja and Havan samagri, the prasad, and the nightly bhandara. The merit of the week belongs to the whole sangat.
Questions
Common questions
Where can I watch the katha now?
Every evening was streamed and kept. The day-by-day page has each night's full livestream, and the complete recordings are on the HSNA YouTube channel.
Where are the photos from the week?
Highlights from each evening are on the day-by-day page, and the full albums — more than 2,700 photos — are on the HSNA Facebook page, open to everyone.
When and where was the katha held?
July 12–18, 2026 at the Genesis Centre, 7555 Falconridge Blvd NE, Calgary, with the concluding Havan on July 19 in Chestermere. Entry was free every evening, with prasad and bhandara after.
What is a Yajman?
A Yajman is a family who takes part in the daily puja and yajna, dedicating the seva for their family, parents, elders, and ancestors. Around 160 Yajman families carried the 2026 katha.
Will HSNA host another katha?
Yes — kathas and festivals are announced on the calendar and on HSNA's Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages as soon as dates are set.
Questions?
Reach out to the organizers
॥ जय जय श्री राधा कृष्ण ॥
