New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 10/11/2015

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes simple living, cow protection, engaging oxen, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Chaitanya Mangala (chair), Kripamaya, Madhava Gosh and Ranaka

Participating Advisors: Jaya Krsna, Sri Tulasi Manjari and Radha-Krishna

Participating Managers: Nitaicandra

Recording secretary: Jamuna Jivani

1. Mukunda’s Monthly Report

Mukunda reported on the previous month’s projects:

• Bahulaban Barn: The restoration of the exterior is nearing completion. At some point a decision needs to be made as to how the upstairs will be used. In the meanwhile it will remain locked for the winter.
• Village Council Steering Committee: The Committee prepared a one-page presentation about a proposed Village Association and a short survey that will soon be presented to some local devotees for feedback.
• Bahulaban Water Test: The results are expected by the end of October.
• Recycling Project: Connecting with the Marshall County authorities has been a challenge. Mukunda desires to meet people who can help move this project forward. He will network with a group of like-minded “green” people who meet monthly in Wheeling.
• Temple Barn: The goshala received some maintenance repairs, but needs more: fencing, gutters, insulation, etc. Mukunda, Ananda Vidya and Lalita Gopi have made a prioritized list. Mukunda has begun the work and will continue for the next several months, two days per month.
• Skills Training: Nitaichandra and Mukunda took a four-day course in Restorative Agriculture. They intend to implement some of their learning in the next growing season.
• ECO-V’s Conference Room: Construction is progressing slowly, but nicely. It is on schedule to be completed by the December Joint Board meetings.

2. Nitaicandra’s First Monthly Report

Nitaicandra reported on the previous month’s projects:

• Gardens: The community gardens have mostly been on hold for 2015 and now Nitaicandra is preparing the beds for 2016. A cover crop has been planted and two oxen have been temporarily moved to the Garden of Seven Gates. He met with Madri from the temple kitchen regarding seasonal cooking and quantities.
• Oxen: Nitaicandra began working with the oxen and crew at Bahulaban.
• Permaculture Training: Nitaicandra attended a Restorative Agriculture conference with Mukunda.
• Orchard: The apples are being harvested and sorted. The pears are next.

3. Update on Community Folklorist

Kripamaya reported that Sankirtan is interested in this role. Kripamaya will follow up with Sankirtan to see what ideas he has. Kripamaya and Radha-Krishna will brainstorm ideas for a proper service description. The position will most likely be managed by ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) and Jaya Krsna would oversee its direction.

4. Garden of 7 Gates 2 Pole Barn Grant

Jaya Krsna, Mukunda, Nitaicandra and Ranaka will review the present situation and develop a proposal for how to proceed with this project.

5. Garden of 7 Gates 200 sq ft Prototype House

The prototype house is approximately half-way completed. Nitaicandra would like to continue the work on this project and will meet with Jaya Krsna to discuss the next steps. From that Nitaicandra will develop a budget for what it would cost to complete this project.

6. Solar Equipment

There is $2K remaining in the budget designated for this project. The ECO-V managers will review the current situation and propose how to proceed.

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By Madhava Smullen

New Vrindaban’s autumn 24 Hour Kirtan – held during the sacred month of Kartik — is rapidly catching up to its summer cousin in popularity. Up from 100 attendees in 2011, this year’s festival is expected to attract over 400, looking for the authentic Vrindavan Kartik experience without having to travel seven-and-a-half thousand miles.

“Many devotees go to the original Vrindavan in India for Kartik,” says organizer Vrindavan Das. “But they can also get the same experience and benefit in New Vrindaban – as Srila Prabhupada often said, ‘New Vrindaban is non-different from Vrindavan.’”

ISKCON devotees will arrive from Toronto, Montreal, New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C. , Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago and beyond. They’ll be joined by several student groups from local schools like West Virginia University and Cincinnati State Community College, eager to see what the increasingly popular practice of kirtan is all about

A special inauguration kirtan will set the tone on Friday October 30^th from 6pm to 9pm at Prabhupada’s Palace, where devotees will seek the ISKCON Founder-Acharya’s blessings.

At 9:30 the next morning, everyone will gather outside Radha-Vrindabanchandra’s temple for a tour of Vrindavan’s holy places: Kusum Sarovara, Manasi Ganga, Radha Kunda, Shyama Kunda, Radha Gopinath Mandir, and Govardhana Hill, which have all revealed themselves at New Vrindaban too. At each spot, senior devotees will tell stories of the Lord’s pastimes. And of course, no Vrindavan experience can be complete without a visit to Krishna’s cows at His goshala.

Next there’ll be a large Harinama Sankirtana procession to Prabhupada’s Palace, where devotees will see the bongo drum Srila Prabhupada played at the Western world’s first public kirtan in Tompkins Square Park, New York. They’ll then escort the drum to Radha Vrindabanchandra’s temple, where the 24 Hour Kirtan will officially begin at 10:00am.

A host of renowned kirtaniyas will lead the chanting, switching every hour or half hour, including Agnideva, Ajamila, Amala Kirtan, Amala Harinam, Bhaktimarga Swami, and Karnamrita Dasi – who is originally from New Vrindaban. They’ll be joined by resident kirtaniyas Rupanuga, Lilasuka, Ananda Vidya and others, as well as a special one-hour kids’ kirtan.

Throughout the day, devotees will offer ghee lamps to a special form of baby Damodar and His mother Yashoda – but the highlights will be the 8:00am and 8:30pm group lamp offerings while the Damodarastakam prayers are chanted. The bonding created by hundreds of devotees offering their glowing golden lamps together in the cosy warmth of the temple room, safe from the chilly autumn weather, encapsulates the sweetness of the Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan.

“There is a transcendental Vrindavan atmosphere,” Vrindavan says. “You can feel that the room is filled with love and devotion for the Lord and his devotees.”

Meanwhile, delicious prasadam breakfast, lunch and evening snack will be served, along with hot tea; and spontaneous sangas with devotees discussing the Lord’s pastimes or reading the “Krsna” book together will pop up throughout the day alongside the kirtan.

The chanting will continue through the night, and finally end at 11 o’clock on Sunday morning.

“It’s a wonderful, transformative experience,” says Vrindavan. “Many people who come to both the summer and Kartik 24 hour kirtans say they prefer the Kartik one, due to the meditative, reflective and connecting atmosphere. Because Kartik is a very auspicious month, during which the merit of devotional practice is increased, the mood is particularly focused. Everyone really gives themselves to the chanting.”

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Festival participants throw colors to chanting of the Maha Mantra.

By Madhava Smullen

Since it was introduced in 2012, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Festival of Colors has dramatically improved public perception of the West Virginia farm community, mended lost relationships with locals and built new ones.

The spiritual rejuvination festival is advertised with thousands of flyers and posters in local shops, restaurants, and universities, billboards in the local towns of Moundsville and Wheeling, social media, and coverage from virtually every local newspaper, TV channel and radio station.

Festival participation has continued to grow each year since its launch, drawing mostly locals from the surrounding tri-state area of West Virgina, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The event has even been renamed “The Ohio-Valley Festival of Colors” to better describe its inclusive approach.

While attendance at this year’s festival on Saturday September 12^th was somewhat lower due to inclement weather, it didn’t stop anyone from having a great time.

Vrindavana Dasa being interviewed by reporters from channel 9.

“You could say it was the brightest gloomy day you’ve ever seen,” said the reporter for local channel WTOV9.

From noon to 5pm, festivalgoers danced their hearts out to Ananda Groove and Atma’s mantra rock and hip-hop, sang the Hare Krishna mantra (inscribed on banners on either side of the huge stage) at the top of their lungs, and hurled powdered organic colors into the sky every half hour.

They also participated in a yoga class, took tours of Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and its award-winning rose gardens, purchased many of Prabhupada’s books, browsed clothing stalls and sampled Indian and Western prasadam cuisine.

Plastered with color, everyone’s racial, economic and religious designations fell away, and participants connected with each other as fellow souls. Locals left with broad grins and a great impression of New Vrindaban.

“No politics, just some good food and good music – you can’t beat it,” said one young festivalgoer.

“It’s our first time, and it was absolutely amazing,” another commented. “Everyone just coming together and being nice to everybody. Good vibes everywhere.”

And people get hooked. Many participants, both students and middle-aged men and women with their families, were repeat visitors.

Smiling faces enjoying the festive atmosphere.

“I spoke to a young couple in the temple room who were contemplating the Deities at length,” says Gopaswami Das, a devotee from France who participated. “They had received one of Prabhupada’s books at last year’s Festival, and this time they asked me many questions about Krishna consciousness. Finally they bought a Bhagavad-gita and a japa mala, and left happily chanting the maha-mantra.”

While many local people have seen New Vrindaban as a place to stay away from since its historical challenges in the 1980s, Festival of Colors is turning things around, according to Jaya Krsna, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s president.

“Whenever we go to town and speak with anybody, and they find out we’re from New Vrindaban, their reaction is so positive,” he says. “ They go, ‘Oh, I was there for Festival of Colors, it was so wonderful, I want to come again!’ Recently I was getting a haircut, and the hairdresser said, ‘Oh, you’re from the Palace of Gold? I haven’t been there for 25 years, but my 13-year-old daughter really wants to go for Festival of Colors, are you still doing it?’ ”

And people don’t just come for Festival of Colors itself. The event has taken down fences and misgivings that were up for years and opened locals up to visiting Sri Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra’s temple and the ISKCON New Vrindaban grounds throughout the year, too.

“Some locals are now coming for our Sunday Feast,” says Jaya Krsna. “One man visiting from Limestone, just ten minutes’ drive from here, said, ‘I haven’t been to New Vrindaban for 35 years, but I’m so happy that I came back.’

While there, people take a tour of the Palace of Gold and the temple, see the Lord, and enjoy New Vrindaban’s unique grounds with its ponds, flowers, peacocks and swans.

“We also give them the core messages of Krishna consciousness – that there is one God, who simply has different names in different religious movements; that you are the soul, not the body; and that you are an eternal servant of God,” says Jaya Krsna.

Outreach beyond New Vrindaban has also received a marked boost, with locals in nearby towns recognizing resident brahmachari Pranatakaruna Das as ‘one of those Festival of Colors people’ and giving him a more receptive audience for his daily street chanting and book distribution.

ISKCON New Vrindaban devotees are also making other efforts to integrate into and serve the local community, open up their village and make connections and relationships with their neighbors. Communications Director Vrindavan Das, for instance, is Vice President of the Marshall County Convention Bureau, which promotes tourism in the area; and New Vrindaban recently hosted the Bureau’s latest tourism meeting with representatives from all the surrounding counties.

Members of the Marshall County Tourist Bureau gather at Govinda’s Restaurant.

In the meantime, Festival of Colors will continue to be one of New Vrindaban’s greatest opportunities to connect with people in the tri-state area, and, despite this year’s weather, organizers expect it to continue to grow – along with the number of locals it inspires to visit New Vrindaban throughout the rest of the year.

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Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra on Janmastami 2015

By Madhava Smullen

The 45^th annual Janmastami festival at New Vrindaban in the USA this Labor Day Weekend saw more exciting progress made in revealing Lord Krishna’s holy dhama (abode) of Vrindavan there.

The West Virginia village was established in 1968 by ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada, who described it as “non-different from the original Vrindavan” and directed disciples that “the hilly portions may be named as Govardhana” and “If there are lakes, they can be renamed as Shyamakunda and Radhakunda.” He also requested the seven main temples of Vrindavan, India to be constructed in New Vrindaban.

Over the past four years the infrastructure of ISKCON New Vrindaban has seen tremendous improvements. Its Palace Lodge guesthouse, temple residential rooms and office wing have received full upgrades; the temple roof has been replaced; the snack bar has been transformed into a gorgeous full service Govinda’s restaurant; there’s a brand new children’s playground; and Prabhupada’s Palace is also undergoing major restoration work.

Now, a new phase has begun wherein even more of the ‘Vrindavan atmosphere’ Prabhupada envisioned is gradually being revealed. “I always had great hopes for New Vrindaban,” he wrote in 1972. “You may gradually bring that New Vrindaban property to its full potential by stages, and that will please me very much.”

On Friday September 4^th, the day before Janmastami, the newly restored bas-relief forms of Jaya and Vijaya, the four-armed gatekeepers of the Lord’s Vaikuntha home, were re-installed on either side of the Sri Sri Radha Vrindabanchandra’s temple entrance with arati and joyous kirtan.

Sculpted by Prabhupada disciples Bhagavatananda and Soma and first unveiled in 1984, their original golden color had faded to such a dull gray that they were rarely noticed. But with the support of a kind donor and the efforts of Rupanuga and Lakshman Ishvara, their skin is now the rich dark blue of Vaikuntha residents, and their clubs, discs, conchshells and crowns are shining gold.

According to community president Jaya Krsna Das, they draw visitors’ attention to the temple, and their divine presence can be clearly felt.

Restoration of the bas-relief forms of Jaya and Vijaya.

On Janmastami day at 10:00am, 150 devotees and pilgrims gathered next to Jaya and Vijaya to head off on a guided Govardhana Parikrama tour – which is held every Saturday and Sunday at New Vrindaban.

On the way they passed an elephant prostrated in obeisance, made in 1986 by Soma and Devaprastha, and repainted last year with pure white tusks and golden tilak.

Elephant in New Vrindaban

They stopped at at Kusum Sarovara, a peaceful sacred lake surrounded by ornate domed chattras which devotees also plan to restore.

Next, they paid their respects to the giant 40-foot tall Gaura Nitai originally sculpted by Soma Das and his crew in 1985. In the days leading up to Janmastami, Damodara Das had repainted Lord Chaitanya’s lotus flower base yellow and Nityananda Prabhu’s blue, and had also freshly repainted the bridge leading up to Them and the fencing around Them.

“We have future plans to completely repaint Gaura Nitai, and possibly erect a cover to protect Them from sun, rain and snow,” says Jaya Krsna.

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai above Kusum Sarovara

Singing the Holy Name, the pilgrims then continued up the hill to Lalita Kund, Gopisvara Mahadeva – the protector of the dhama – and Radha Kund and Shyama Kund, where they sprinkled their heads with the sacred water. At each spot, longtime New Vrindaban resident Varsana Swami narrated the Lord’s divine pastimes enacted there.

Finally, the tour reached Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, the first of the seven temples Srila Prabhupada requested to be built at New Vrindaban. Currently under construction, its unique domed shape truly makes you feel you are in Vrindavan.

Radha Kunda Parikrama

Over the course of the next year, a series of six new dioramas by artist Lakshmana Dasi depicting Lord Krishna’s pastimes will be installed along the parikrama path. Three of these, all ten feet wide and six feet high and containing both painted and 3D elements, were revealed in the temple on Janmastami day.

The first shows Krishna’s close associate Uddhava speaking about the Srimad-Bhagavatam to the Lord’s 16,108 queens at Kusum Sarovara, to console them after the Lord’s departure from this world. In the second, Lord Krishna appears to Madhavendra Puri in a dream the saint had while at Govardhan, directing him where to excavate a long abandoned Deity of Gopalnathji. Finally, the third diorama shows a sweet pastime in which Lord Krishna helps His divine consort Srimati Radharani down from a tree, with the transcendental ulterior motive of taking the dust from Her lotus feet.

Varsana Swami shares Krishna’s pastimes.

“At 7:45 in the evening on Janmastami, we had all of them set up outside and illuminated, while Varsana Swami gave a wonderful talk on all the different lilas,” says Jaya Krsna.

Meanwhile Lakshmana Dasi is also working on dioramas of the cowherd boy Lauta Baba waiting on the Govardhan Parikrama path for Krishna’s return; Radharani and the gopis singing Haridev’s name to invoke Their Lord; and Lord Indra coronating Krishna as Govinda. Each diorama will include a signboard briefly explaining it, with future plans to also include an audio track that visitors will be able to listen to by pushing a button.

Next year there are plans for restoration work on the boat house that’s home to New Vrindaban’s famous Swan Boat. Every weekend in the summer, the Deities are carried in it across the lake, just as in the boat festival at Vrindavan Dhama’s Krishna Balarama Mandir.

And in 2018 – New Vrindaban’s 50th anniversary – devotees have plans to restore the original New Vrindaban farmhouse to reflect how it was while Prabhupada was present, including its temple and a small museum for Srila Prabhupada with pictures taken from his two visits to the house in 1969 and 1976.

After all, it’s his vision that the residents of New Vrindaban are always trying to serve. “We have started New Vrindaban in America and it must be finished in the American way,” he wrote in a letter in August 1970, the year of New Vrindaban’s first Janmastami festival. “In Vrindavan there are so many temples, they say 5,000, or in Vrindavan every home, every cottage, is a temple. As far as possible try to develop New Vrindaban on this standard.”

The temple was packed for Janmastami.

Gradually, the residents of New Vrindaban are striving towards this lofty goal, slowly excavating the dhama. And pilgrims are showing their appreciation. This year, 3,000 people visited New Vrindaban throughout Janmastami day, with 350 gathering for the midnight arati – twice the usual number.

“One devotee visiting from Mumbai told me ‘On Janmastami evening, the Vrindavan mood was really appearing in New Vrindaban,’” Jaya Krsna recalls. “That was the best feedback for me. It’s clear that the dhama is slowly revealing itself more and more, and I am very happy to see that.”

He concludes: “In 1975 Prabhupada wrote ‘I am always praying to Krishna that the New Vrindaban attempt will be more and more successful and ideal for your country.’ So Prabhupada, the pure devotee, prays to Krishna that New Vrindaban develops, and Krishna reciprocates. We are fortunate servants, trying to support Srila Prabhupada’s sincere desire.”

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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 09/13/2015

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes Simple Living, Cow Protection, Engaging Oxen, Local Agriculture, and above all, Loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Anuttama, Bhima, Chaitanya Mangala, Kripamaya, Madhava Gosh and Ranaka

Participating Advisors: Sri Tulasi Manjari

Participating Managers: Mukunda, Nitaicandra

Recording secretary: Jamuna Jivani

1. Appreciation Gifts for INV and ECO-V Staff and Volunteers

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to offer a token of appreciation to the INV and ECO-V staff and volunteers.

RESOLVED: The Board approves up to $1,500 as a budget for plaques and t-shirts to distribute during the December meeting weekend.

2. Gopal’s Garden School Funding for 2015-16

Gopal’s Garden requested $15K towards the current school year operating budget.

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to continue to support the education of children in the New Vrindaban community.

RESOLVED: The Board approves $15,000 for the Gopal’s Garden School 2015-16 academic year.

3. Nitaicandra’s Welcome & Start

Nitaicandra arrived in New Vrindaban about a week ago. He has already begun serving in his new role by spending time in the gardens and with the oxen.

4. Mukunda’s Monthly Manager Report

Mukunda reported on the previous month’s progress:

•  Palace Greenhouse: The new heater has been hooked up but there are other repairs that still need to be done.
• Aviary: The waterline to the aviary has been repaired. The aviary will continue to be renovated.
•  Trailer for Nitaicandra: Most of the repairs have been finished. Nitaicandra is taking care of the final touches.
•  Valley Barn Conference Room: Renovation will begin next month.
•  Village Council Steering Committee: The committee is making progress on defining the purpose of a Village Association.
•  Coaching: Mukunda has begun regularly coaching several INV department heads.
• Recycling Program: Mukunda contacted local officials regarding the establishment of a pilot program.
•  Bahulaban: Vyasasan did more work on the barn and sealing the exterior is nearing completion.
• Temple Flower Garden: A new door has been installed on the shed, but it still needs more work.

5. ISKCON North American Environmental Awareness Initiative

Gopal Lila of The Bhumi Project made a presentation at the recent North American GBC meetings on an environmental initiative governed by the Oxford Center of Hindu Studies. They plan to engage ten NA temples. ECO-V and INV have been invited to be part of the pilot project and look forward to receiving more information on how they can get involved.

6. On-Site Meetings December 4-6

The meetings will begin after lunch on Friday and end around 5 pm Sunday.

7. Meatless Mondays

Students at West Liberty University have begun a Meatless Mondays campaign and is encouraging local groups and businesses to participate. Kripamaya requested an endorsement and a contribution of $300 from ECO-V, to which the Board agreed.

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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 08/16/2015

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes Simple Living, Cow Protection, Engaging Oxen, Local Agriculture, and above all, Loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Anuttama, Bhima, Chaitanya Mangala, Madhava Gosh and Ranaka

Participating Advisors: Sri Tulasi Manjari, Radha-Krishna, Jaya Krsna

Participating Managers: Mukunda

Recording secretary: Jamuna Jivani

1. Village Council Update

The New Vrindaban Village Council Steering Committee made an informal request to the Joint Board members to engage a person (or couple) in a ministerial role to help reconnect the residents of the New Vrindaban community. The Steering Committee also proposed a budget to cover one year’s expenses related to this effort. There is a general mood of support and encouragement from the ECO-V Board and the board members are looking forward to hearing additional details from the Steering Committee.

2. Clarity of Relationship Between INV and ECO-V

Mukunda expressed a desire to clarify ECO-V’s relationship with ISKCON New Vrindaban. Chaitanya Mangala suggested that much of this will be worked out on the day to day managerial level and that the relationship is dynamic and will continually evolve, so the ongoing challenge is to find ways the two organizations can best work together in mutually beneficial and supportive ways.

3. Mukunda’s Project Management Updates

Mukunda reported on the previous month’s projects:

• Prabhupada’s Palace Greenhouse: Improvements have been made, including the old plastic removed and new double layer of greenhouse plastic installed, the old air pump removed and new air pump installed, the old yellowed single-layer fiberglass end walls removed and replaced by clear double-wall polycarbonate panels, and the old inefficient propane heater replaced with new one.
• Palace Gardens: Vraja Dhama is working at the Palace Gardens and is training to be a Palace Manager.
• Teaching Garden: Radhanath (Raphael) has been taking care of the Deity Flower Garden, which is going well.
• Rose Garden: The garden crew is working with Paul Zimmerman to determine the best varieties of roses to grow for garlands.
• Temple Goshala: There is a broken fence in need of repair. Also, there are plans to install insulation and a bathroom. Mukunda would like to dedicate a couple days each month to the goshala’s maintenance.
• ECO-V Conference Room: Mukunda and Ray are renovating the space next to Ranaka’s office for a designated conference room.
• Trailer for Nitaicandra prabhu: Mukunda has made some needed repairs to a trailer near the G7G in order to make it ready for his arrival.

4. Nitaicandra as New ECO-V Staff Member

ECO-V signed a contract with Nitaicandra. He comes to New Vrindaban after completing a 5 year engagement at the ISKCON Escondido Farm. Nitaicandra has a broad skill set, including gardening, cow care, carpentry and running equipment. He expects to arrive in New Vrindaban in early September. The ECO-V Board Members eagerly await his arrival.

5. Testing Water at Bahulaban

The water was tested at this site five years ago. As ECO-V previously committed, Mukunda will repeat the same tests to see if anything has changed.

6. Creating and Adopting a Simple Recycling Policy

Mukunda brought up the point that INV and ECO-V do not have a recycling program in place. Jaya Krsna requested a proposal for a recycling and disposal program, which Mukunda will work on.

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By Madhava Smullen

Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra on Radhastami.

Lord Krishna’s eternal consort Srimati Radharani is known as the Queen of Vrindavan. So what better place in the Western World to celebrate Her appearance day, Radhastami, than New Vrindaban?

Described by Srila Prabhupada as “non-different” from Vrindavan in India, New Vrindaban’s Radhastami festival on September 21^st 2015 drew many devotees from neighboring states, as well thirty students with their professor from nearby Christian liberal arts school Bethany College.

Favored by devotees for its particularly sweet and loving mood, the festival began with the traditional temple morning program when Sri Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra were revealed in a stunning new dark blue and silver bespoke outfit made in Vrindavan, India.

With Radha carrying an umbrella of marigolds from New Vrindaban’s gardens, Krishna leaning on a staff entwined with flowers, and both Their heads decorated with heart-shaped flower halos, Their Lordships were breathtaking to behold. And, of course, Srimati Radharani’s lotus feet were visible throughout the day, the only day in the year when She bestows this boon upon devotees.

Hridayananda Das Goswami giving a lecture at Radha Vrindavanchandra’s Temple.

Visiting for three days, Hridayananda Das Goswami brought his scholarly outlook to several classes explaining Radharani’s position as the feminine aspect of God, and Her qualities of compassion and devotion. He also shared memories of Srila Prabhupada’s 1972 visit to New Vrindaban during an evening program at Nityodita Das and Radha Dasi’s home.

At noon, devotees immersed themselves in the Vrindavan mood, gathering in the under-construction Radha Gopinath temple on New Vrindaban’s Govardhan Hill to sing kirtan before the small yet incredibly sweet presiding Deities.

Varsana Swami sharing the glories of Radharani at Radha Gopinath Mandir.

As in the transcendental village She reigns over, many residents of New Vrindaban offered Srimati Radharani dishes they had made with love in their own homes, such as laddhus, baklava, and fruit salad. The preparations included a strawberry-almond cake baked by Lakshman Isvara Das in the shape of a lotus with twelve petals representing the twelve forests of Vraj.

While Radha enjoyed Her offerings, longtime resident Varsana Swami gave a class full of entrancing stories and revelations about Her pastimes with Krishna, including one wherein She beat the Lord in a wrestling match and pinned Him down until He conceded, “I surrender!”

Devotees honoring Prasadam near Radha Kunda.

As it was a beautiful day, all the devotees then sat outside on the grass of Govardhana Hill around the glittering waters of New Vrindaban’s Radha-Kunda, Shyama-Kunda and Lalita-Kund to honor a prasadam lunch prepared by the appropriately-named Radha Dasi. A bull was brought up by the resident cowherds and the recently completed ornate “moon tower,” where Radha and Krishna are said to go to survey Their subjects and property, added to the Vrindavan atmosphere.

Meanwhile back at Radha-Vrindabanchandra’s temple, two visiting sisters from Mexico, Hladini and Aindayi, were married to their respective husbands Nimai Pandit and Jacob with a fire yajna and a talk on love and marriage in Krishna consciousness by Hridayananda Goswami. With its beautiful natural surroundings and spiritual vibrations, New Vrindaban has become a popular wedding destination among devotees.

Celebrating a double wedding ceremony on Radhastami.

The evening featured an abhisekh bathing ceremony for the small Deities of Radha Vrindavan-nath, along with a New Vrindaban Radhastami special, in which each devotee gets to receive Srimati Radharani’s mercy by submitting their own individual offering to Her.

“Everyone was given the chance to offer Her a stick of incense, a ghee lamp, and a flower,” says ISKCON New Vrindaban president Jaya Krsna Das. “They then each wrote a special vow or prayer to Srimati Radharani, which were all collected and offered in a basket at Her lotus feet. Finally everyone got to take a balloon with a heart-shaped label at the end of its string, each marked with a different one of Radharani’s 1008 names, and place it on the altar.”

The festival also included ecstatic kirtans led by Shyamala Kishori from North Carolina and Shyamasundar Das from Pittsburgh.

The altar filled with balloons carrying the names of Radharani.

It concluded with a multi-course feast cooked by Sundari Dasi featuring a coconut-sauce subji with Arvi, a potato-like vegetable from India that is said to be Radharani’s favorite. There was also an oatmeal-oregano bread; a baked dish called Handvo; paneer subji; pina colada ice cream, and another jaw-dropping cake from Lakshman Iswara in the shape of the steamship Jaladuta, in honor of the recent 50^th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the U.S.

“Radhastami at New Vrindaban is so mellow and pleasing to the heart – hearing Radha’s pastimes and having an opportunity to make our own offerings to Her fills us with oceans of love,” says resident Autumn. “And where else in world – besides Vrindavan, India – can one spend Radhastami on the banks of Radha-Kunda?”

New Vrindaban Website

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Gopal’s Garden Preschool, headed by New Vrindaban residents Sundari Devi Dasi and Mercy Mack, has been filled with action packed projects and fun this summer.

Starting in March of this year, the preschool began with Sundari Devi Dasi and Mercy teaming up to build a healthy and interactive place to bring their children during the daytime. Eventually, the other mothers in the community joined to support, and now there are all together 6-8 students who come regularly throughout the week.

Gopal’s Garden Preschool days include bhajan and prayers with a little dancing if the mood is right. Then they continue with playing, snacks, and indoor activities such as finger painting, coloring, and learning projects. Sundari Devi also introduces Vaisnava songs and stories towards the end of the school day before they go outside to play.

The outdoor activities include sandbox, swing set, and field trips out beyond the preschool.

During this summer semester, the children got to participate in devotional and festival projects such as making Ratha Yathra Jagannath cart and holding a pushpa abhisek for Radha Krishna.

Sundari and Mercy believe the Preschool has been a great success so far and they have had a great time putting it together. The two mothers try to teach everything with a Krishna conscious aspect to it which makes each day very special, creative and innovative. They both feel Krishna brought the two of them together to satisfy Prabhupada’s wishes for the devotee children to be cared for properly. As Srila Prabhupada mentions in a Letter written in 1972, “…If children are allowed to play just like Krishna was playing with his cowherd boyfriends, then little ABC, then see the deity and have arati, then take little prasadam; in this way if they are always diversified, they will be always jolly and become fixed-up devotees at young age. And small children, they learn better these things from their mother and women in general.”

Gopal’s Garden Preschool will commemorate in November for a sweet graduation to congratulate the children for participating in this first year’s projects! Details will be provided on the New Vrindaban website.

Both teachers thank Srila Prabhupada for all of his wonderful books and teachings he made available to pass on to the this next generation.

“We hope and pray our efforts please Srila Prabhupada!!” – Sundari and Mercy

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By Madhava Smullen

As ISKCON’s 50^th anniversary quickly approaches in 2016, and New Vrindaban’s 50^th in 2018, long time members and residents are working to make sure that accurate histories of the past half century are available for future generations.

Since the 1980s, some devotees in New Vrindaban have mistakenly claimed that Prabhupada’s Palace is a Pushpa Samadhi. According to the Vaishnava tradition, a pushpa samadhi houses flowers worn by a departed Vaishnava, like Srila Prabhupada’s in Mayapur.

However although various stories have persisted over time that a flower or flower garland worn by Srila Prabhupada was installed at his Palace in New Vrindaban, they have since been confirmed as untrue through direct testimony by the devotees cited in the narratives.

In July 2015, after extensive research by board member Chaitanya Mangala including the testimonies, the ISKCON New Vrindaban board formally acknowledged that there are no flowers worn by Srila Prabhupada – nor one of his teeth, another claim — installed at his Palace.

Earlier inquiries by New Vrindaban GBCs Tamohara Das and Malati Devi also came to the same conclusions.

This does not, however, diminish the importance and glory of Prabhupada’s Palace. It has been appropriately identified as a smriti samadhi – a memorial shrine that preserves a Vaishnava’s memory by keeping worshipable personal items.

Three very special personal items of Srila Prabhupada’s are displayed in a glass case in his temple room at the Palace: the bongo drum that he played during the first Tompkins Square Park Harinama Sankirtan parties in 1966; a bronzed pair of his shoes; and original clay imprints of his feet.

In 1976 devotees traveled from New Vrindaban to the West 55^th Street temple in Manhattan specifically to get these imprints from Srila Prabhupada in person. They are one of only two such imprints, which were copied and are now on display in ISKCON temples all over the world. But the original remains on display at Prabhupada’s Palace.

As a result of the efforts by the New Vrindaban GBCs, the Palace has been officially recognized by ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission as a Shrine and Memorial and included in the ISKCON Law Book as such.

In a 2006 resolution, the GBC also listed several other reasons as to why the Palace is to be held in high regard as a Smriti Samadhi by ISKCON members all over the world.

Firstly, Srila Prabhupada personally named New Vrindaban, spent quality time there, left behind a legacy of instructions for the project, and emphasized it by stating that it was non-different from Vrindavana, India.

Secondly, Prabhupada’s Palace at New Vrindaban is the only monument in the Western hemisphere built specifically and only to glorify Prabhupada. What’s more it’s built by volunteers who put years of their life into it as devotional service – a labor of love. And Srila Prabhupada reciprocated with that love, calling the devotees working on the Palace “my jewels.”

Finally, Prabhupada repeatedly inquired when his Palace would be finished and expressed his eagerness to live there. “When my palace will be ready I shall go there and stay,” he wrote in 1974. “I like very much that place.” And during a 1974 onsite visit, he said, “If you want, I am already living here.”

While Srila Prabhupada left this world before the Palace was completed, he is living there in spirit — his murti was installed at its grand opening ceremony in 1979, and he has been steadily worshiped there ever since.

And while his physical presence (vapu) may have been limited to four visits, he lives through his teachings (vani), which he lovingly imprints on the hearts of his faithful devotees.

Thus Srila Prabhupada is eternally present at his Palace in New Vrindaban. And to this day, it remains a place where he is the sole focus: from the monthly Sangams, to the mangala-aratis just for him, to the 30,000 tourists and pilgrims who visit every year and learn about his legacy, to the sweet memories that are shared about him by his disciples on his appearance and disappearance days.

And with a major restoration plan now underway, Prabhupada’s Palace is set to become even more renowned amongst future generations as his Smriti Samadhi – the greatest memorial to our Founder-Acarya in the Western World.

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