New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

by Hrishikesh On July 4, 1983 , a “temporary” temple for Shri Shri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra was dedicated which dwarfed many United States ISKCON temples in beauty, size and craftsmanship. The building was constructed in less than ten months; the temple room, which covered 5,000 square feet of floor space, was constructed in less than three […]

by Dulal Candra das (written for a memorial held by his family) audio is available at: http://dulal.podomatic.com/entry/2007-11-26T07_55_38-08_00 Dear Friends, I say friends not because we have ever met, but because of the close friendship I had with your intimate relative and friend, a kind soul I knew as “Taru”: devotee, writer, public speaker, humorist, ascetic […]

In May 1972, Kirtanananda Swami received a message to meet Prabhupada in Los Angeles, wherein Prabhupada ordered him to return to New Vrindaban and take over the management. Prabhupada had heard disturbing reports that the farm was not faring well and there was some talk of closing it down. Up to that time, the community […]

by Hrishikesh  Exquisitely beautiful deities hand-carved from white marble were imported from India, installed at New Vrindaban on Janmastami, August 13, 1971, and named Shri Shri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra: the most beautiful Radharani and Krishna (the moon of Vrindaban). Kuladri Das explained, “Shrila Prabhupada personally picked out Radha-Vrindaban Chandra for New Vrindaban. They were carved by […]

by mrupa I’ve been following Laksmi’s progress and was encouraged a few days ago when it looked like she might recover. That she had such a rally is a miracle in itself. I am sure it is due to the care she is receiving. I was also struck by your comment about seeing ‘that’ in […]

by Hrishikesh In September 1968, New Vrindaban acquired a small pair of bell-metal Radha Krishna deities from a devotee who recently returned from India. Prabhupada gave instructions for their worship, “I am very glad to learn that Harivilas has given you a pair of Radha Krishna Murtis, so it appears that Radha Krishna is very […]

Dearest Brijabasis, I am greatly enlivened by Mother Rupa’s excellent reminisces about the deities of New Vrindaban, and I wish to make a humble contribution of some small bits of information from my research to supplement her inspiring account. Sincerely Your Servant, Hrishikesh (Henry Doktorski) Oakdale, PA ————– Kirtanananda sees his spiritual master again After […]

by mrupa I’m afraid I do not remember too much about the coming of Saligram Sila to New Vrindavana. I do recall when Srila Prabhupad was deciding to begin the introduction of worshiping Saligram Sila in ISKCON, He first entrusted this highly delicate and demanding service to two long proven and highly devoted pujaris: Jananivas […]

by mrupa I’m not sure of the time sequence exactly. It must have been very early ‘70’s though and Big Lord Jagannatha was staying in one of the old (not the present log cabins) shacks along the little road out from the Vrindaban temple building. These were small one room uninsulated wooden board buildings, some […]

Here’s a blast from the past (1991), as HH Radhanath Swami sits with HG Soma Prabhu on the right (sporting quite a beard) and HG Raghunath Prabhu on the left in the little white house down the road apiece currently occupied by HG Lalita Gopi and Family.