New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

From Yamini and Mangalananda, both former and eternal residents of New Vrindaban.

Greetings to you all !

If I’ve already told you about our New CD; please forgive me. I don’t mean to be a pest. I wear a lot of different hats as an independent music publisher, songwriter, arranger, engineer, promoter, etc. and my weakest link is sales.

If you haven’t heard about our new CD, then this is it. We were inspired working on this album for over a year and we hope you enjoy it.

iTunes link >   AverageSoul  “True Love’s Reflection”

If you prefer a CD over iTunes, send $12 to our Paypal account: MantraRockMusic@msn.com

Include you address and you’ll have your CD in no time.

All the best,
AverageSoul

• Read comments...

Dear Friends,

Hare Krishna!

Indian Culture is a beacon to give direction to the world especially in the current times. Yoga, which is a great gift of the east is now popular all over the world and is helping people improve their physical and mental health. Not only this but vast gamut of Indian culture which includes music, dance and food has a lot to offer to the world. It is easy for those who have had some access to it, to help distributing this gift to others.

As an effort to distribute this gift to the residents of Pittsburgh, we are glad to announce the 2nd Annual India Cultural Fest on September 25th. ICF-2009 was a good success considering the fact that it was the first festival of its kind.

With great enthusiasm and high spirits we are getting ready for the 2nd festival. Like last year, the cultural events will include Dance, Dramas, Devotional singing and kirtans.

A new feature of this years ICF will be “The First Gita Sloka Recitation Competition”. Children from ages 5-15 will have the opportunity to participate in this and overall we will be able to cover a few important chapters of the Gita. The Gita recitation will bring in great auspicious for the festival. Please visit http://folkpgh.com/sloka/ for details of sloka competition, registration, donation page.

We would like to request and encourage you to please participate and attend the festival to help us spread the glories our great Indian heritage and culture.

Date: September 25th 2010

Venue: SV Temple Auditorium

Time: 4:00pm to 8:00pm

PROGRAM INCLUDES: CULTURAL EVENTS, VARIETIES OF INDIAN SNACKS, MEHANDI, BOOKS AND MORE.

FREE VEGETARIAN DINNER.

If you would like to participate or volunteer time for the festival please contact us ASAP.

For further questions, please contact:

Vanamali Gopal Das at 412-725-3442/vbgummadi@yahoo.com or visit www.folkpgh.com

Thank you again.

Yours in the service of Lord Krishna,

FOLK Team

(Shyamsundar Das, Vanamali Gopal Das, Radhika Sundari Dasi, Laxman Pulumati and Annapurna Manchella)

Click here for photos by Jaya Murari from Radhastami.

• Leave a comment...

GENTLE REMINDER TO ALL VAISHNAVI’S!

Your Annual Retreat occurs Oct. 1,2, & 3 in New Vrindaban. There are quality presenters who will offer much guidance and inspiration towards your spiritual journey. You will find gentle satsang and friendship.both old and new. There will be topics of interest for all minds and hearts to engage in, wonderful prasad and fresh country air and it is cost effective! Check vaishnaviretreat.org. It is a simple information site or call 304-845-9591 or servingkrishna@aol.com.

Some of the presenters include direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada, such as:
Laxmimini devi dasi,
Vishaka devi dasi,
Nidra devi dasi,
Nanda devi dasi,
Gopimata devi dasi,
Krishnanandini devi dasi.
Along with them will be senior Vaishanavi’s: Vraja Lila devi dasi, Tualsi Priya devi dasi, Radha devi dasi, Praladananda devi dasi, Vani devi dasi, Shatendriya devi dasi, Tirtha devi dasi and Archana devi dasi.

Some of the “practical to KC” Topics include include putting Bhakti into pranyama, Writing for Krishna, Vedic Women: Then and Now; Auryvedic Massage Workshop; Bharatnatyam Dance Workshop; Krishna Consciousness Parenting; Practicing Forgiveness; Quickly Cooked Snack/Meals; Shooting a perfect video with your own camera; The Magic of Hearing about Krishna; Every Soul Loves Book Distribution; Experience the Happiness. There will be realized discussions on Shastra and chanting the holy name.

Ladies, Please get some friends together and head for New Vrindaban, your home away from home (Husbands and family members are also welcome to accompany you.)! (Please forgive any typho’s!)

Hare Krishna! Dear Devotees: All good fortune to you!

The hallway floor in the Ladies Ashram looks like something out of a worst scenario ghetto. It sorely needs to be replaced, as in ten years ago! Currently, I was able to paint most of the rooms and that has made a HUGH difference but, when you step out to the hallway, it’s back to the hellish planet. Is there anyone out there who would be so generous as to sponsor a new floor for the Ashram Hallway (or, perhaps, two or three persons together)? Please thinks about it and if you can, find a way to step forward and help create a more civil environment for the ladies who are most often behind the scenes, holding up the fort. You can contact me at malatidevi@aol.com or 304-845-959.1 Thanking you all for giving thought and consideration to this humble request.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Dandevats, malati dd

When people visit New Vrindaban for the first time, they often ask, “Who is that girl with Krishna?” Her name is Radha and she is the queen of Vrindaban. On Wednesday, September 15, New Vrindaban Community will celebrate Radhastami, which is Radha’s Appearance Day or birthday. All events are free and open to the public.

The story of Radha’s appearance is one of the most beautiful stories in the ancient Vedic scriptures. According to the Vedas, around 5,000 years ago, King Vrishabhanu was taking his morning bath in the holy Yamuna River. Just then, a beautiful baby girl floated by lying on a lotus blossom. King Vrishabhanu embraced the infant and carried her off to his queen, Kirtida. When Kirtida saw this magnificent child, she showered little Radha with unrelenting affection.

Radha’s spiritual Vrindaban is a place of enormous wealth. The ladies of Vrindaban have wardrobes filled with the finest silks, and jewelry chests filled with precious gems. Nonetheless, Radha’s favorite ornaments are the necklaces and crowns that Krishna makes for her out of wild flowers.

“Because Radha is so fond of flowers, we often make a special outfit on Radhastami made entirely from flowers,” said Malati Dasi, one of the GBCs in New Vrindaban. Last year, the dressmaking team glue-gunned nearly 2,500 flowers – mostly chrysanthemums – onto a stiff cotton fabric, which they used for dressing Radha and Krishna. Other flower varieties include orchids, marigolds and daisies, along with assorted greenery for contrast.

Decorating with flowers is one of the 64 traditional Vedic arts. The art of creating flower dresses and jewelry was nearly lost, however, until it was revived by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). “Srila Prabhupada introduced this art to the western world. ISKCON in India, however, has taken it to another level by importing exquisite flowers from around the world to make flower garments and earrings for Radha and Krishna.”

This year, New Vrindaban is in suspense, wondering whether Radha and Krishna will again be dressed in flower garments, or whether the new special-ordered silk outfit from India will arrive in time for Radhastami. “The outfit from India is absolutely gorgeous. It is made from a white silk brocade with an exquisite red decorative detail,” explained Malati. “One of the local devotees is an expert at jewelry-making, so she will make matching necklaces and chokers.

“Radhastami is a feast for the eyes. I invite our neighbors to visit New Vrindaban and catch a glimpse of mystic India,” said Malati. “There is a lot happening during this early fall festival which begs everyone to join in the fun!”

Here is the schedule of events for Radhastami:

5:30 pm Traditional bhajans (hymns from ancient India)
6:00 pm Narration on Radha’s appearance
7:00 pm Everyone has the opportunity to offer to Radha and Krishna incense sticks, small hand made lamps, flowers, hearts, balloons. There will be dancing and singing.
8:00 pm Free vegetarian feast

For more information about this free public festival, call (304) 843-1600 or visit www.NewVrindaban.com. New Vrindaban Community is located south of Moundsville – Wheeling, off Route 250.

The most auspicious appearance of Srimati Radharani will be celebrated this Wednesday, Sept 15.

Besides the splendid morning darshan of Her Lotus Feet and an Evening Abhisheka and Feast at the RVC Temple, there will be a special program at Radha Kunda at HH Varsana Swami’s place. The program will be from Noon until 2pm. Their Lordships Sri Sri Radhe Shyam will receive a Swan boat ride and then enter into their newly constructed Summer Temple for Their bhoga offering and arotika.

All devotees are invited to a delicious lunch prasadam picnic at Varsana Swami’s place.

There will be no lunch served at the RVC Temple.

See you there!

More recent photos by Jaya Murari.

• Leave a comment...

See recent photos of New Vrindaban by Jaya Murari here.

• Leave a comment...

On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Candra and all the devotees and visitors to New Vrindavan, the ISKCON New Vrindavan Board of Directors would like to express our immense appreciation, gratitude and thanks to Gaura Shakti Prabhu!

Last week, Gaura Shakti performed the Herculean devotional service of donating his time, energy and money by renting and jack hammering all the excess concrete “bumps” in the driveways and parking lots around the temple and cabins! These bumps have been an annoyance for over a decade as they gradually surfaced from the settling of the brick pavers.

This effort took several days of strenuous and exhausting work. He very wisely left two official speed bumps on the main entrance driveway and painted them red to slow vehicles down to a safe speed. He was ably assisted by Janardana das, who, being younger and actually built for this kind of work!, was able to carry the project to completion! As Gaura Shakti himself said, “I could not have done it without him!”