New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

From: The Wall Street Journal

By SUDEEP REDDY

NEW VRINDABAN, W.Va. — Saving cows, the Hare Krishnas in this village have learned, is a lot easier in India.

Created four decades ago, New Vrindaban was the first cattle sanctuary in the U.S. At its peak, it had 434 bovine refugees. Today, the cattle population is down to 80 because there’s not enough money to support more. So the Hare Krishna community is borrowing a tactic more commonly used by charities that try to save people.

For $51, you can feed a cow for a month, while $108 would “provide special care for retired cows who can no longer breed or give milk,” the group says in one appeal. “In one selfless stroke, you are sending a valuable message to our children and to a troubled world which sees today’s gentle cow as tomorrow’s dinner.”

The adopt-a-cow effort promises bovine photographs and updates for donors, along with an open invitation to visit the cows in this village, near Moundsville, W.Va. The village is modeled after the childhood home of the Hindu deity Krishna, who taught his followers to revere cows.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, a Hindu group that grew out of a movement to ban the slaughtering of cows, has joined the Hare Krishna effort with its own appeals to help raise the roughly $1,000 needed to support each cow for a year. “It is needless to mention that by taking special care of Lord Krishna’s cows you and your family will definitely receive His special blessings,” reads another appeal, targeting the estimated 1.5 million Hindus in the U.S., recently posted on the group’s Web site.

‘Party Animal’

Other Hare Krishna groups in the U.S. also offer adoption programs, including one just up the road, called the International Society for Cow Protection. It posts names and profiles of cattle available for adoption on its Web site, calling one a “party animal and break-out artist” and another “Mister Handsome Heartbreaker.”

Cows are sacred to Hindus, a status allowing them to roam the streets of India untouched. Most Indian states prohibit their slaughter, although an illegal beef trade thrives. Krishna is believed to have encouraged the people of Vrindaban, India, to worship the land and animals that support them, preaching the power of cows to provide everything from milk for children to manure for farming.

The cows at New Vrindaban — from the oldest of the herd to the youngest calf, 6-month-old Rama — are doted on, often getting hugs and kisses. Devotees offer the cows’ milk to Krishna in religious ceremonies and use it to make butter, yogurt and sweets.

“We look at them like our own mothers,” says Ranaka Das, 54 years old, a cow caretaker. Once known as Doug Fintel, he worked at a Coors brewery in Colorado before joining the Hare Krishna movement and moving to New Vrindaban in 1977. “You take care of them like your own family,” he said. “In a regular dairy operation, cows are like any piece of machinery.”

Milind Bharambe, a Pittsburgh software analyst who immigrated from India nine years ago, initially sought a reward of sorts for helping to save the animals. “Cows are very dear to Krishna,” he says. “If I help someone very dear to Krishna, maybe I might benefit,” he thought.

But today, Mr. Bharambe — who donates about $800 a year to New Vrindaban, half earmarked for the cows — says his motivation is more spiritual. “I’m supporting someone very dear to Krishna. That thought itself gives so many things. You feel happiness. You feel better.”

Many of New Vrindaban’s cows were born on site. Devotees occasionally rescue doomed cows from slaughterhouses and bring them to the sanctuary.

“Slaughtering an animal is not natural for human beings,” said Rishi Shinde, a Dallas businessman who donates about $360 a year to sponsor one cow. “It affects one’s consciousness, makes one violent and makes one lose contact with the emotional self.”

New Vrindaban’s cow farm, or goshala, includes a giant barn for the cattle — as many as 200 — which spend most of their day grazing on the pasture. Only half a dozen of the 80 cows still produce milk, about 50 pounds of it a day. The rest of the cattle are left to carry out their natural lives — as long as 20 years — far longer than the life span for many U.S. cattle raised for slaughter.

Seventies Devotees

At the top of a winding West Virginia road, New Vrindaban was established in a small farmhouse in 1968 with 100 acres by two American disciples of Swami Prabhupada, an Indian who moved to New York City to spread his love for Krishna. As the Hare Krishna movement expanded with hippies-turned-devotees in the 1970s, hundreds of Americans — 700 at one point, the group says — moved to New Vrindaban, took up robes and Sanskrit names and assumed a mission of protecting cows, growing their own food and building temples.

They raised money selling wares at street corners and airports nationwide, pouring their funds into materials to build, by hand, an ornate temple for Prabhupada on the site of a former trash dump. Completed in 1979, two years after his death, Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold became a shrine. Tourists came by the busload, drawing more publicity, devotees and money — millions of dollars a year. New Vrindaban grew to 3,000 acres.

A 1986 murder of a former devotee sent the community into turmoil. Authorities raided the community, sparking years of investigations into allegations of murder, racketeering and child abuse. The New Vrindaban founder who was alleged to have ordered the murder eventually went to prison for racketeering. He received a 20-year prison sentence, which was then reduced to 12 years due to poor health. He served eight years.

Today, the New Vrindaban area has fewer than 200 resident devotees, about a quarter of them of Indian descent. The site still draws about 25,000 visitors a year, the group says. A donation of $6 is sought from those who visit the Palace of Gold. Visitors of Indian descent take special interest in the cows, often bringing their children to pet the animals.

That doesn’t produce the $100,000 a year needed to pay for hay, the barn, workers and property taxes. Hence the adopt-a-cow fund raising. The leaders of the community say only a few of the cows are sponsored in full for life by the donations, which are tax-deductible. But they are clear about one thing: None of these cows ever leave for the slaughterhouse.

“We’ve kept that promise to Pradhupada and the cows since we first came here,” says Nityodita Das, one of the community’s current leaders.

The Hare Krishnas’ cow-protection campaign doesn’t seem to be getting much traction with some neighbors. “There’s not much of a push around here to save cattle,” says Allen Hendershot, Moundsville city manager. “Cattle are raised for a reason.”

Indeed, drivers exiting Interstate 470 in Bethlehem, W.Va., to reach New Vrindaban recently were greeted by a giant sign in the median featuring a bovine cartoon, promoting a nearby event. It read: “Bethlehem Steak Fry.”

Write to Sudeep Reddy at sudeep.reddy@wsj.com

Twenty four hours has come come and gone, but the kirtan is still going on! Again, log on to www.krishna.com/nv24 to catch the end!

The legendary Agnideva Prabhu singing (left of stage)

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As I type this, about 11 hours of the 24 Hour Kirtan still remain and HH Radhanath Swami is singing to a packed temple. If you are *not* one of the nearly 2000 devotees who have been viewing the live video/audio broadcast, there is still plenty of time left! Log on to www.krishna.com/nv24 and immerse yourself in the nectar of the holy name. Here are some photos:

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Things are just warming up here, but here are some photos from this morning:

View from the back of the temple

Srila Prabhupada's original bongo drum next to him on the Vyasasana

View towards the back of the temple

Kirtan stage (between Nrsimhadeva's altar and Srila Prabhupada's vyasasana)

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Dear Devotees,

Thanks to the efforts of Manu Prabhu and Shyam Pandey, we are broadcasting live video from the 24 Hour Kirtan now! Please visit:

www.newvrindaban.com (click on the video)
www.krishna.com/nv24

Tune in from wherever you are in the world and immerse yourself in the nectar of the holy name!

Hare Krishna!

Your servants from the 24 Hour Kirtan Team

Kirtan Schedule (all times in EDT)

24 Hour Kirtan Schedule

Saturday June 20 to Sunday June 21

7:30 am: Darsana-arati, Gurupuja to Srila Prabhupada, and opening ceremony with Srila Prabhupada’s original drum as played in Tompkins Square Park, 1966 (with procession to Srila Prabhupada’s Palace, weather permitting).

8:00 am: The Mayapuris (Visvambhara)

9:30 am: As Kindred Spirits (Gaura Vani)

10:30 am: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

Noon: Youth Bus Tour (Manu)

1:00 pm: Uttam Bhakta & Damodar

2:00 pm: New Vrindaban (Thakur)

3:00 pm: Columbus (Dhira Lalita)

4:00 pm: Dallas (Rupa)

5:00 pm: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 pm: Agnideva Das

9:00 pm: Radhanath Swami

10:00 pm: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

11:00 pm: New Vrindaban (Abhay)

Midnight: To be Announced (open slots)

5:00 am: Toronto Kirtan Party (Ajamila)

6:00 am: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 am: Agnideva Das

8:00 am: Radhanath Swami

(schedule is subject to change)

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Dear devotees,

We will be broadcasting live video and sound for the 24hr Kirtan and thus we will be requiring every bit of bandwidth we can get. In order to facilitate proper and uninterrupted live webcast, we will be blocking the internet connectivity in RVC temple from  Saturday June 20th starting at 6 am to Sunday 21st morning 8 am till the kirtan festival ends.

Please let me know if anyone needs internet in emergency situation.

Thank You

ys
Shyam

Find link to 24 Hour Kirtan at:  http://www.newvrindaban.com/

STARTING FROM RUPANUGA’S AND VANI’S HOUSE 12 NOON

It is getting closer to that magical time of the year when Their Lordships disappear for a few days and then triumphantly return to grace Their Rathyatra Chariot. Not to be outdone by last year’s performance, the Rath cart has been revamped since last year.

Gaura Nitai, Who gracefully lead the procession last year, are returning to bless our Festival again. The Rathyatra Festival Team (Malati dd, Radha Sundari, Ananda Tirtha & Braj Mohan, Vrindaban Pryia and Cakori Radha) all look forward to making this a memorable event. Right now, we are looking for vendors, kirtaneers and creative artists in particular.

Later on, other needs will be addressed, such as cooks, decorating the cart, garland making, flower purchasing, and a spectacular menu (cooked in ghee) for the Lord’s pleasure, etc all as offerings of love for the Lord.

Please stop by Malati ‘s office or call 304-845-9591 if you would like to participate. Let us get New Vrindaban’s Rathyatra on the map!

Hare Krishna! My name is Rita, and I am a new resident of New Vrindaban Dham. My service is to be the Temple Lobby Hostess. I enjoy this service very much. I greet guests when they arrive and give informal tours of the temple room. I point out some of the beautiful features of the temple room, such as the stained glass ceiling and hand-woven tapestries. I then introduce guests to the Deities, and tell some of the lilas that have taken place right here in New Vrindaban. My goal is to make the guests excited about and interested in Krishna Consciousness.

I also escort guests around the property, especially in the afternoon, when the altars are closed. I take guests to see the peacocks, Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, etc.

I always try to get the guests to fill out a “Community Guest Book” form, so that they will be added to our mailing list. People on our mailing list receive regular e-mails regarding New Vrindaban news, festivals, and other events.

I also encourage guests to take home Prabhupada’s books. If guests promise to chant every day, I give them a free set of japa beads –- their promise is the payment.

When necessary, I also sweep the temple lobby and re-stock the temple book display.

I enjoy this service very much. I meet so many interesting people! I intend to write regular reports about who I am meeting. Here is the first edition.

I met a couple from Ohio this week, and the husband and wife were both absolutely delightful. He had met a devotee at his college in 1970. He made a small donation — fifty cents was all he had. In return, the devotee gave him a card with the Maha Mantra. He took the card home and chanted for about five minutes, but then started giggling and stopped.

He told me that although he never chanted again, it was always in the back of his mind. Recently, he decided to pursue Krishna Consciousness again. He purchased a copy of KRSNA Book. He said he had to read it three or four times to “get straight who is who and get all the relationships right. That was the hardest part.” During our conversations, I was very impressed with how much he had understood from KRSNA Book.

KRSNA Book awakened his interest in spirituality. By Krishna’s arrangement, he purchased and read multiple books by Prabhupada’s disciples, without realizing the authors are associated with Prabhupada’s movement. When I asked him what interested him about these books, he said confidently, “I am interested in transcendence.”

Recently, he purchased japa beads and has been chanting at home. His wife asked him how he knows the Maha Mantra works. He told her, “Because I can feel it working. The first time I chanted, it was very intense. It was like Krishna was welcoming me back — like if you take one step toward Krishna, he will take ten steps toward you. That is the only intense experience I have had. Now the chanting is more steady.” I felt very blessed by Krishna to hear this pastime.

His wife was absolutely wonderful. She is a devout Catholic, so I had the opportunity to share with her the non-sectarianism of Krishna consciousness. She was extremely respectful toward Krishna consciousness, even though she is very happily situated in the Catholic Church. In fact, she was wonderful.

I explained to them Vrindavan and New Vrindavan are non-different, and that all the spiritual benefits that can be gained from doing pilgrimage to Vrindavan can be gained from doing pilgrimage to New Vrindavan. The husband looked thoughtful. He said, “I hadn’t thought of this as a pilgrimage before.”

She chastised him mildly, saying, “You didn’t think of it as a pilgrimage? I thought of it that way.”

Thank you for reading this report. Hare Krishna!

June 20th 2009

The event we’ve all been waiting for. The third annual 24 Hour Kirtan in New Vrindaban. This year promises to be even bigger and better than before.

What is the 24 Hour Kirtan Festival?

The New Vrindaban 24 Hour Kirtan Festival started in 2007. The idea is to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra continuously for 24 hours, as is done in Vrindavan India 365 days a year. Featuring some of the world’s most respected Bhakti chanters, the festival is open to all.

Kirtans start at 8 AM Saturday the 20th and end 8 AM Sunday the 21st.

Who’s Singing?

Click here for the Who’s Who and info on registering plus recordings of previous years’ kirtans.

HG Pankajanghri Prabhu

Pankajanghri Prabhu has served in Sri Dham Mayapur since 1971. He and his twin brother, Jananivasa Prabhu, have become world famous as the exemplary “pujari brothers”. For nearly forty years, they have been serving the Deities in Mayapur with steady dedication as instructed by Srila Prabhupada. Pankajanghri Prabhu is also on the Mayapur community’s Management Board and a facilitator at Mayapur Academy, an institution commited to brahminical training.

Known for his friendly dealings and great sense of humor, Pankajanghri Prabhu enchants devotees with his incredible accounts of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s very personal dealings with Their devotees in Mayapur.

By Radha-Vrindaban Chandra’s mercy, we have the good fortune of hearing from him right here! Please partake of this special opportunity on Monday & Tuesday evening after Evening Arati (7:30pm). You’ll be enthralled and enlivened!

Pankajanghri Prabhu will also give Bhagavatam class on Wednesday morning and hold an istagosthi with the pujaris (TBA). For more info, contact Ananda Tirtha Das on 304-845-9591.

From Srila Prabhupada:
Tamal Krsna: These two pujaris, the two brothers…
Prabhupada: They’re ideal.
Tamal Krsna: …they look like they’re out of the Caitanya-caritamrta. They appear as two persons right out of that book.
Prabhupada: Yes. Very good boys.
Tamal Krsna: Vaikuntha men.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. They do not know except the duty. Very good boys.
Tamal Krsna: Perfect team of brothers.

Srila Prabhupada told one of his Mayapur managers, “I have noticed those two brothers. They are wonderful devotees. They never speak nonsense, they’re gentle, and they’re always meditating on Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.

Schedule:

Monday, June 8th 7:30 pm (Temple Room)–Amazing Pastimes of Lord Jagannatha in Mayapur

Mayapur Jagannath in Gaja-vesa (Elephant Dress)

Tuesday, June 9th 7:30 pm (Temple Room)–Miraculous Displays of Nrsimhadeva’s Mercy

Mayapur Nrsimhadeva

Wednesday: Srimad-Bhagavatam Class

We also have with us for the first time HH Bhakti Sundar Goswami, formerly Jagat-caksur Das ACBSP, who will give the Srimad-Bhagavatam classes on Tuesday and Thursday!

Tune in to http://www.krishna.com/nv to hear the live audio if you can’t make it in person!

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