New Vrindaban Deity Lore
by mrupa
This is some things about Deities in New Vrindavana. I’ve forgotten more than I remember I’m afraid. Maybe it will help someone else who knows it more and better. Its another longy though. You can use it or not as you think best.
ys rupa
(Editor’s note: this will be published in a few parts)
This is a small attempt to put down as much Deity history as I can still recall for New Vrindavana before I lose it completely. Already exact dates are very fuzzy for me, and there may well be some mistakes and overlapping that I am not even aware of.
But perhaps making this attempt will stimulate others who really have a better grip and knowledge of the service and events who can correct or fill in the gaps.
The first Deities in New Vrindavana were the little Lord Jagannatha Deities that now reside with Krsna Bhava and Krpamaya. They came to be referred to as the “Bahulavana Jagannathasâ€. I don’t remember so much about Their installation it was before my time. But Hladini told me They had been put in a closet somewhere (I think it was Pittsburg, but am not entirely sure) and had gotten spider webby from neglect, when they were rescued and moved to New Vrindavana .
Then the next Deities Who came were the tiniest pair of Radha Krsna Deities now on the main altar and cared for by Dhara every morning.
They were sent to Kirtanananda personally to be his own Deities by Srila Prabhupada when Kirtanananda was going to go on the Road Show with Visnujana Swami for some time. When he returned to take charge of New Vrindavana, They became the first Radha Krsna to appear here. We used to make little teeny puris and preps for Them, until Prabhupada said to go ahead and make Them a plate like a regular person would eat.
Srila Prabhupada also sent Radha Vrindavana Chandra here. One day a letter came from Prabhupada to Kirtananaanda saying that They would be arriving at such and such a time and place and how much it would cost to get Them here. It was said that the little tiny Radha Krsna were so beautiful, but no one could see Them very well. So now They had expanded Themselves in a form big enough for everyone to be able to experience and appreciate Their beauty.
Radha Vrndavana Chandra were installed at Vrindavana Farm, (I have a copy of a picture of the bathing ceremony in the temple room up there). They were first worshiped by Kutila and Hladini. If I remember it correctly, Hladini told me they did the bathing and dressing puja once a week, and that it took quite a long time even with the two of them to perform the service. At that time They had only wrap-around pieces of cloth for outfits, and pop-it bead jewelry.
The Deity paraphernalia included a pair of pliers and the circular center of a mason jar lid as the ghee wick holder. The pujari had to hold the mason jar lid piece with the pliers to offer the ghee wicks (oil wicks then) because the metal became to hot to hold. Kutila and Hladini would wash, dry, and style Their wigs as part of the puja, that took hours to complete.
There was a period also when the “Tie-dye king†of the time had come to visit and donated bolts of material. For a time, EVERYTHING was tie-dyed including Radha Vrindavana Chandra’s clothes.
