Prabhupada Sangam Invitation, Saturday March 14 with Sankirtan Das
Srila Prabhupada in his Palace
Sankirtan Das
Open Invitation Reminder: March 13, 14 & 15, 2015
The board members of ISKCON New Vrindaban and ECO-Vrindaban humbly invite all New Vrindaban residents and well-wishers to participate in the upcoming weekend activities.
Weekend schedule:
Friday, March 13th.
7:00 to 8:00 pm: Dinner Prasadam with Board Members & GBCs (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)
Saturday, March 14th.
9:45 am to 1:30 pm: Department Head Presentations for 2015 (under the Lodge)
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm: Lunch Prasadam (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm: Community Dialog (under the Lodge)
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm: Srila Prabhupada Sangam & Prasadam (at his Palace)
Sunday, March 15th.
10:00 am to 1:00 pm: New Vrindaban Parikram Tour (various locations around the Community)
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Sunday Program & Feast (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Community Service Appreciations (under the Lodge)
Prabhupada’s Vision for New Vrindaban: Holy Pilgrimage
Artist rendering of the Radha Gopinath Mandir under construction in New Vrindaban.
“Therefore, I may once more request you to try your best to construct New Vrindaban an exact duplicate of Vrindaban, and that will give me the highest pleasure.” – Srila Prabhupada, 1970.
Click here to read the rest of the letter at the Vanipedia website.
New Vrindaban’s Special Rising Moon Gaura Purnima Festival 2015
by Lilasuka dasi
The New Vrindaban 2015 Gaura Purnima festival on March 5 was very special. It is said that “You can’t buy a ticket to Vrindavan – you have to be invited by Srimati Radharani Herself.” It seems that Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra of New Vrindaban gave out special mercy invitations to those who braved sub-zero temperatures and seven-inch deep snow drifts to come from Pittsburgh and surrounding towns to see Sri Sri Gaura Nitai on this Gaura Purnima day. The snow-covered roads and the trees lining the roads of the dhama were a milky scene from a winter dreamland.
Gaura Purnima’s serene snow scene.
Despite the extreme snow, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu spread out His golden rays of mercy and warmed the hearts of the souls attending the celebration. In the early morning, a few people had the good fortune to attend Malati Prabhu’s uplifting class on Lord Caitanya. Sweet, soft bhajans began early in the afternoon, when a few more stalwarts drifted into the temple room. Then, Sankirtan prabhu gave his slide presentation of “How the Hare Krsna Mantra Came to the West” to a slightly growing crowd. This was followed by the beautiful abhishek of little Gaura Nitai, where a steady stream of devotees took their turns bathing the deities at the front of the altar with great reverence.
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai
Varsana Maharaja’s class was well attended as he held everyone’s attention with the pastimes that flowed from his mouth. The evening kirtan exploded with all the devotees’ exuberation and enthusiasm. We finished the day with a sumptuous Gaura Purnima feast.
An added bonus to the significance of the day is that we were fortunate enough to get a live phone interview on a local radio station, WKKX, a few days before the “Rising Moon Gaura Purnima Festival”. The interviewer had been to the Palace of Gold before and he was very interested in letting the people of the local Ohio Valley know about this special celebration in honor of the founder of kirtan, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All in all, Gaura Purnima 2015 was a smashing success.
Great Potential @ New Vrindaban
New Vrindaban Bahulaban Utility Building – 2014.
Utility Building roof replacement – 2014.
Ya, I know, it doesn’t look like much now…but it has “Great Potential.”
Great Potential @ New Vrindaban
by Vyasasan das
In some of my previous posts entitled Ox Barn Project and the Eco-Village I have been chronicling some of the positive changes that are beginning to happen here at the New Vrindaban Farm Community in West Virginia. Although there is so much that needs to be done, some of the improvements that are taking place, are beginning to change the atmosphere, and enliven some of its residents and the locals as well. For too long, New Vrindaban was caught in some kind of ‘time warp’ where things were simply neglected and had fallen into a state of disrepair and abandonment. Roofs were leaking, floors were caving in, post and beams were beginning to rot, and the elements of Nature were reclaiming the land once again.
Which was sad to witness, because New Vrindaban has so much history, and so much infrastructure, which was mostly a product of bhakti (devotional service) that it was sad to see it fall into ruin. But as it is in nature after a storm, the sky again clears, and the sun reappears, so it is with New Vrindaban, that there were dark days and the hope is beginning to return, a glimmer at a time. This I attribute to a small circle of devotees who remembered that two of the main purposes of New Vrindaban is agriculture and protecting the cows. And as one famous devotee here pointed out “that cows come in two sexes” and thus the Oxen Project was re-born.
“Agriculture and protecting cows, this is the main business of the residents of Vrindaban, and above all simply loving Krishna.”…..Srila Prabhupada, July 1973.
Young bulls in New Vrindaban.
The second of New Vrindaban’s purposes is to create an ideal village, a Vedic or Eco Village. This topic has been openly discussed and greeted with enthusiasm by some of the residents and outside supporters of the plain living concept. The Eco Village is a hot topic at the moment.
“It may be an ideal village where the residents will have plain living and high thinking.” – Srila Prabhupada, June 1968.
Example of Eco-Village type housing.
I have maintained since the beginning of these discussions, that it is of topmost importance to establish “Cottage Industry” (i.e. small business’s such as a woodworking shop, blacksmith, pottery, candle/soap making, agricultural products etc., just to name a few) to support such a communal ideal.
This is where the Utility Building at New Vrindaban can come into play. It is a monumental building, that at one time housed devotee businesses and many devotee residences. It is well built and surprisingly, it is in very good shape structurally! It has Great Potential!
Some time back I was asked to give an estimate on a new roof as ISKCON New Vrindaban was in a position to put a new roof on half of the building to stop the water damage. It was decided we would ask some local Amish workers to do the roof repair, and they put on a new metal roof on the one half of building.
Utility Building new roof installation – 2014.
New roof on the Utility Building!
This was a great decision on behalf of the current administration, because it saved the building. Without immediate attention, the building was sure to decline rapidly as the following pictures will testify. The water damage was becoming so severe that a whole section of floor caved in, and this was sure to lead to more damage if it was not addressed.
Example of internal damage.
Close up of more damage.
With the new roof, in essence saving the building from further decline, it opened up the possibility of reclaiming the building again, for use by members of the community.
The second floor has a woodworking shop, some office type rooms, and 19 residence type rooms down main hallway, plus an area for bathrooms and shower facility. I personally see that it has great potential for either guest housing (retreats, festivals, etc.) or devotee housing.
*Now of course this is just my vision, and ISKCON New Vrindaban Management will have their own ideas on what should be done and where, but for me, I believe that renovation and remodeling old buildings is a better use of the resources, than tearing down structures and building new building from scratch. I like to save buildings and resources…maybe this is my understanding of “reuse reduce recycle.” Or maybe it is just a good practice. Hare Krishna!
Prabhupada’s Vision for New Vrindaban: Protected Dairy
Amburish, Sarva Saksi, Cirantana & Ganendra hand milking cows in the Bahulaban barn, New Vrindaban – 1975.
“I am always thinking of your New Vrindaban. The milk which we are taking here is not at all comparable with New Vrindaban milk.” – Srila Prabhupada, 1969.
Click here to read the rest of the letter at the Vanipedia website.
New Vrindaban’s Srimad Bhagavatam Class Speakers 2/28-3/6/2015
Here are the 8:00 A.M. Srimad Bhagavatam Class Speakers –week of Feb. 28- March 6, 2015
Sat 28th – HG Kripamaya Prabhu
Sun 1st- ?
Mon 2nd – HG Gopal Hari Prabhu, visiting from Boise
Tu 3rd– HDG Srila Prabhupada
Wed 4th – HG Malati Prabhu?
Th 5th– Gaura Purnima: HG Nityodita Prabhu
Fri 6th – HG Ananda Vidya Prabhu ?
Open Invitation to Weekend Activities in New Vrindaban: March 14 & 15, 2015
Dear Brijabasis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
As we do twice a year, the board members of ISKCON New Vrindaban and ECO-Vrindaban are organizing a weekend of open presentations, discussions and tours.
We humbly invite all New Vrindaban residents and well-wishers to participate.
Weekend schedule:
Saturday, March 14th.
9:45 am to 1:30 pm: Department Head Presentations for 2015 (under the Lodge)
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm: Lunch Prasadam (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm: Community Dialog (under the Lodge)
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm: Srila Prabhupada Sangam (at his Palace)
Sunday, March 15th.
10:00 am to 1:00 pm: New Vrindaban Parikram Tour (various locations around the Community)
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Sunday Program & Feast (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Community Service Appreciations (under the Lodge)
We would be honored if you join us throughout the weekend and look forward to seeing you then.
Hare Krishna!
Your servant,
Jaya Krsna das
ISKCON New Vrindaban Community President
Gaura Purnima Celebration in New Vrindaban March 5, 2015
Everyone is invited to GAURA PURNIMA FESTIVAL in New Vrindaban.
Thursday March 5, 2015
5:00 AM MANGAL ARATI
5:30 AM NRSIMHA PRAYERS
5:45 AM TULASI PRAYERS
6:00 AM JAPA
7:30 AM GURU PUJA
8:00 AM GREETING THE DEITIES
8:20 AM SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM CLASS
11:00 AM GOVARDHAN PARIKRAMA ( weather permitting)
1:00 PM ARATI
1:30 PM CLASS
2:15 PM *Lunch Prasadam (for those who are not fasting)*
2:30 PM GAURANGA BHAJANS
4:00 PM Special Presentation by Sankirtan das:How & Why the Hare Krsna Mantra Came West
5:00 PM ABHISHEKA ON THE ALTAR
6:00 PM LECTURE BY HIS HOLINESS VARSANA SWAMI
7:00 PM ARATI
7:40 PM MAHA KIRTAN
8:00 PM PRASADAM FEAST
Your preparations for the Lord are welcome. Please bring them by 5:45 PM. Thank you!
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Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
"May cows stay in front of me; may cows stay behind me; may cows stay on both sides of me. May I always reside in the midst of cows."
Hari Bhakti-vilas 16.252
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