Bhagwat Bhaskar Krishna Chandra Shastri: The land of Mathura-Vrindavan has been the home of devotion, love and storytelling tradition for centuries. Every corner here is filled with the sweet Leela of Radha-Krishna and amidst this music, many saints, gurus and storytellers were born, who mesmerized the devotees in the country and abroad with their speech. Today, a bright name of this sacred tradition is the young and popular storyteller Indresh Upadhyay, who is going to get married on 5th December in Jaipur. As soon as the wedding rituals started, devotees and listeners across the country were once again interested to know about his family, especially about the personality whose guidance has taken Indresh to this position.
Many people know that Indresh Upadhyay belongs to a strong spiritual tradition, but not everyone knows who his father is, why he is called ‘Bhagwat Bhaskar’, and how his hard work created a unique identity in the world of fiction. Indresh’s father Krishna Chandra Shastri, fondly called Thakur ji by thousands of devotees, has been a shining star in the field of fiction for the last five decades. His speech, humility and knowledge not only made Mathura proud, but also earned him respect across the world.
This article will introduce you to those aspects of Thakur ji’s life, his struggle, his spiritual practice and his narrative journey, which truly make him ‘Bhagwat Bhaskar’. It will also explain how his father’s teachings and values are reflected in the personality of Indresh Upadhyay.
Storyteller Family Legacy
As soon as the story of Mathura-Vrindavan is discussed, many names come to mind, but the name whose echo is heard above all is that of Pandit Krishna Chandra Shastri, i.e. Pujya Thakur Ji. Indresh Upadhyay is his son. This family has been associated with the Katha tradition for many generations and even today the same energy, the same emotion and the same devotion is visible in every event.
birth and childhood
Thakur ji was born on 1 July 1960 in Lakshmanpura village near Vrindavan. His father Pandit Ram Sharan Upadhyay and mother Chandravati Devi were simple people who lived a devotional life. There were Bhagwat recitations, bhajans and visits of saints in the house every day. Growing up in such an environment, Thakur ji was imbued with devotion since childhood.
At the age of just 15, he narrated Bhagwat Katha for the first time in Mumbai for seven days. This start he got at such a young age became a strong foundation of life for him.
50 years of continuous story journey
This journey never stopped after the first story. Thakur ji has till now
-More than 1500 Bhagwat stories,
-Hundreds of Ramkathas,
-And many Geeta Gyan Yagyas
-Have been done in India and abroad.
Many seven-day Gyan Yagya conducted by him are now considered to be included in world records.
Association with Vaishnava tradition and titles
Thakur ji took initiation from Swami Garuddhwajacharya ji in Jagannath Puri. The love of the devotees gave him the name ‘Thakur Ji’, while the scholars, seeing his speech and knowledge, gave him the title of ‘Bhagwat Bhaskar’. There is a deep impact of the thoughts of Morari Bapu and Swami Karpatri ji on his thinking and speaking.
Shri Krishna Prem Sansthan Service Center
Along with the story, Thakur ji also paid full attention to social service. In Vrindavan he established ‘Shri Krishna Prem Sansthan’, where children are given free education in Vedas, Puranas and Sanskrit.
The cowshed started here in the year 2003 has today become a big centre, where cow service and food donation continues continuously.
Inspiration for Indresh Upadhyay
Indresh kept going to Katha Sthal with his father since childhood. It was only by watching him that Indresh learned to speak, read and understand stories. Thakur ji’s devotion, his simplicity and his clear thinking led Indresh on the path where today he has become the favorite storyteller of the young generation.
(Disclaimer: The information and information given in this article is based on general assumptions. Hindi news18 does not confirm these. Contact the concerned expert before implementing them.)
