Brahmananda Invites Devotees To New Vrindaban On Behalf of Srila Prabhupada – September 1968


New Vrindaban, 1968

New Vrindaban, 1968

Brahmananda Invites Devotees To New Vrindaban On Behalf of Srila Prabhupada – September 1968.

New York
7 September, 1968

ALL GLORIES TO SRI GURU AND GAURANGA
MEMO TO ALL DEVOTEES

RE: NEW VRINDABAN

I have just returned from a two days stay at our newest center New Vrindaban in Moundsville, West Virginia, near Wheeling. This New Vrindaban is under the direction of Sriman Hayagriva and Kirtanananda Maharaja and promises to be a great step forward for Krishna Consciousness in America.

It has a farmhouse and several other structures, well, streams, hills (govardhana, as named by Swamiji) pasture grounds (a cow will be acquired soon), ghat, pond, woodland, all situated on 138 acres.

Prabhupada has requested that 7 temples be established there. Its main activity will be cow protection and to show the world that simply by living with cows and land and chanting HARE KRISHNA a perfect society will prevail.

A great deal of work is required and Swamiji has requested at least four devotees to go there immediately. New Vrindaban lacks so-called necessities as hot running water and toilets, so that only stout and sturdy devotees are needed, especially those with carpentry experience and can do manual labor.

New Vrindaban will be especially attractive to householders who will want to raise their children in full K.C.

So, all devotees who are interested in living in New Vrindaban, either immediately or in the near future should please contact me. Those with carpentry experience should especially do so.

Approved . . .

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Approved . . .

Kirtanananda Swami

Signed . . .

Brahmananda das Brahmacari

Jagannath Kirtan dasa leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan – June 15th, 2013


Video of Jagannath Kirtan dasa leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan – June 15th, 2013.

Service Opportunity for Festivals Preparation in New Vrindaban


——Service Opportunity at ISKCON New Vrindaban——–

ISKCON New Vrindaban is looking for enthusiastic team members for our Festivals Dept.

We need friendly, co-operative, hard-working team players right away to come to New Vrindaban to help organize specifically for the well-known and inspiring Festival of Inspiration in May 2014 and the first of two fun Festival of Colors, in April 2014.

Great accommodations and sumptuous prasadam will, of course, be provided, along with honorarium.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Vrindavana Das at:

304 843 1600 ext 129  or  vrindavanadas@gmail.com

From

Vrindavana Das

ISKCON New Vrindaban, Home Of The Palace of Gold

3759 McCrearys Ridge Road, Moundsville, WV 26041

______________________________________________

Phone: 304-843-1600 Ext: 129

Mobile: 001 – 304 – 312 – 3665

vrindavana@newvrindaban.com

______________________________________________

www.festivalofcolors.us

www.palaceofgold.com

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 12/12/13


Throwback Thursday is a popular internet trend and weekly theme commemorating vintage moments.

Each week we share a photo and highlight a time from the early days of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Visit the New Vrindaban Facebook Page and take your best guess on the who, what, when & where by posting your responses in the comment section.

We post on Thursday and confirm the details on Sunday.

Let’s have some transcendental fun and see who knows their New Vrindaban history!

New Vrindaban’s Early Morning Classes This Week


The schedule for this week’s early morning Srimad Bhagavatam classes in the temple  is:

Wed Dec. 11 – HG Ananda Vidya Prabhu  – Will speak on glorification of the Bhagavad Gita and Book Distribution as preparation for Gita Jayanti and going out on harinama sankirtan, chanting in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Thursday.

Thurs Dec. 12 – Gita Jayanti –       HG Vrinadavan Prabhu –  Topic for his class will be the same as Wed’s class.     ** Let’s take advantage of the special day-Gita Jayanti, anniversary of the Advent of the Bhagavad Gita- and receive the extra mercy by distributing it and reciting the Bhagavad Gita.**

**Meet at the temple at 10 A.M. to go to Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park in Oakland until 3:00 P.M. Then back to the temple to recite Bhagavad Gita in the evening.**

Reading sacred scriptures in the forest with holy men.

Reading sacred scriptures in the forest with holy men.

Fri Dec. 13 – HG Rupanuga Prabhu

Sat Dec. 14 – HG Kripamaya Prabhu

Sun Dec. 15 – HG Sankirtan Prabhu

Mon Dec. 16 – HG Lalita Gopi Prabhu

Tues Dec. 17  – Srila Prabhupada recorded class

Srila Prabhupada on New Vrindaban: 7 Temples, Starting a Trust Fund & Earning Income from the Land


Srila Prabhupada reading at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1969.

Srila Prabhupada reading outside the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, Spring 1969.

A Letter From Srila Prabhupada About New Vrindaban: 7 Temples, Starting a Trust Fund & Earning Income from the Land.

October 27, 1972

My dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1972, and I have noted the contents with care.

Now we are in Radha-Damodara Temple staying, and the programme of speaking morning and evening in the courtyard is going on very nicely. It is the same peaceful atmosphere as your New Vrindaban, and just as in New Vrindaban everyone present is devotee. Actually, everywhere wherever Krishna is being glorified, that is Vrindaban.

Regarding your questions, try to  finish the temples in New Vrindaban as quickly as possible using whatever materials you have. Later on they can be improved more and more and eventually they will be the first-class opulent temples in the world.

So far starting a trust fund, yes, that is very good idea, so that the deities may never be neglected. The thing is, there must be continuous income, so if there is income from land that is all right. In Los Angeles we are getting income from rents from two apartment houses because there is always certain income.

As for bathing the deities in milk from time to time, that is not required. The smarta or caste brahmanas, they think if someone inattentively touches deity it becomes impure, so they bathe. But that is not needed by us, only when they are installed.

Regarding the cook-book, that is a nice proposal to divide into two parts. There is no harm if devotees have invented recipes, so long they are strictly vegetarian, no garlic, no onions, like that.

Upon your recommendation I am happy to accept Sudhakari dasi for second initiation. Now you hold a fire yagna, give her copy of gayatri mantra and teach her to count on the finger divisions. You may play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into her right ear. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/sda

New Vrindaban’s Semi-Annual Joint Boards’ Meeting Minutes – November 10, 2013


Board Members and New Vrindaban residents & well-wishers outside Srila Prabhupada’s Palace.

New Vrindaban board members, residents & well-wishers outside Srila Prabhupada’s Palace.

Minutes of the Semi Annual Joint Board Meeting Of New Vrindaban

November 10, 2013

Day 3 of 3

ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) Vision Statement: Founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada boldly envisions New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for Cow Protection, Self-Sufficiency, Holy Pilgrimage, Spiritual Education, and, above all, Loving Krishna.

ECO-Vrindaban Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

INV Board Members:  Dayavira, Chaitanya Mangala, Ranaka, Jaya Krsna, Gopisa, Tamohara

ECOV Board Members: Navin Shyam, Kripamaya, Madhava Gosh, Ranaka, Chaitanya Mangala, Anuttama

GBC: Malati, Tamohara, Anuttama

Recording Secretary: Laxmi Honest

Guests: Keval Patel, Bhima Walker

Chaitanya Mangala gave a report on the ECO-Vrindaban integrated auxiliary transformation.  An issue arose when ECOV realized that most of its income would soon come from gas royalties. Unless the organization obtained an integrated auxiliary status, similar to that of a church, the IRS would reclassify it as a private foundation and it would have to pay annual tax to the IRS on royalty and investment income.

The IRS will take approximately one year to process the application.  During that time, ECOV may act as though it is approved.  While this more accurately represents the relationship of the two entities for IRS purposes, it was also noted that it brings the two entities closer in service. By terms of integrated auxiliary status, INV has the authority to place one director on the ECOV board. That requirement could be met if either Ranaka or Chaitanya Mangala, who are currently on both boards, is officially chosen as the INV representative.

Devotees currently serving with ECOV are:

Anuttama – GBC

Kripamaya – President

Madhava Gosh – Vice President

Navin Shyam – Chairperson

Ranaka – Secretary-Treasurer & Lead Cowherd Man

Chaitanya Mangala – Board Member

Cow Protection Staff are:

Ray Kudurski,  Ananda Vidya, Lalita Gopi and Caitanya Bhagavat

Project Managers in 2013:

Nityodita – NV Protected Cow Dairy Initiative

Tapahpunja – Vegetable gardens

Rafael – Fruit trees and bushes, Deity flower garden

Chota Jay Krsna – “Green” Lodge remodeling

ECOV plans to submit its 2013 financial reports to the INV board during the March/April 2014 bi-annual meeting.

In the operations review it was reported that there are 48 cows and 6 are being milked. The milking cows provide cream, butter and ghee daily for the Deities.  Hay and potatoes were being grown and harvested all summer.  More fruit and nut trees and berries were planted.  Deity flowers were grown all summer.  Eco friendly housing was built near the Garden of Seven Gates, a greenhouse was renovated and a garden irrigation system was installed.

ECOV provides broad community support.

$70,000 to INV for multiple projects

$45,000 for Dham Seva projects through the purchase of a bulldozer

$15,000 for Small Farm Training Center garden related projects

$12,000 to Gopal’s Garden School

$6,000 to ISCOWP for hay and general farm assistance

A total of $148,000 has been invested in the NV community so far in 2013.

In 2014 ECOV plans to:

Expand the Deity flower garden

Further develop bulk grain storage

Hire a Project Coordinator

Continue building more eco-housing

Plan an eco-village

Plant more fruit and nut trees and berries

Continue to support other efforts that are in line with the ECOV mission.

A report was given regarding gas royalties. The Snyder gas well net mineral acreage footprint has been reduced by about 100 acres. Of the total acres, INV has approximately 23 and ECOV has approximately 257.

The initial royalty checks received for gas income were incorrect.  There were some errors in calculation and the amounts were smaller than anticipated. Gopisa has been talking to representatives at Chevron in this regard, but they have been unresponsive thus far.

Devotee care, counseling and spiritual enlivenment, encompassed the next topic.  It was suggested that the old clinic building could become a clinic again, with counseling available.  It could also service as a gathering place for new members.

Another suggestion was that some festivals should be developed specifically for the local devotees.  A question was raised that since New Vrindaban has primarily evolved as a place of pilgrimage and a tourist attraction what can we do to strengthen relationships within the community?  It was pointed out that Srila Prabhupada’s appearance and disappearance are festivals that are specific to devotees and could be good for this purpose.

Another suggestion was to figure out ways to get more community members involved in the other festivals.

Anuttama mentioned that in DC there is an annual appreciation dinner which has been very well received and could be incorporated in New Vrindaban.

The Palace Sangams with Srila Prabhupada at his Palace are going well with 20-30 devotees regularly in attendance, but there is still a sense that it is a place for tourists and not so much for the devotees. We have to continue to diligently work to change this mindset.

It was noted that 2016 is the 50th anniversary of ISKCON and 2018 is the 50th anniversary of New Vrindaban and the 20th anniversary of ECOV.

Planning for 2014, as well as the anniversary years, was discussed.  There is a long list of desires. It was suggested that we need a list of projects with costs to set priorities.  In view of the upcoming anniversaries, renovations at the Srila Prabhupada’s Palace are a top consideration.

Anuttama discussed world-wide plans for the ISKCON anniversary starting in 2015 in India when Srila Prabhupada departed for the US, then in Boston, Butler, New York etc.

This led to more discussion about Srila Prabhupada’s Palace as it should be in the best possible condition for the celebration.

Immediate projects were listed as:

Wrought iron work

Outside wall/windows

Four chatras

Front steps

Entry path railing

Gopisa will get costs and details on each of these specific areas and share these details with the Palace restoration subcommittee members.

Community Dialog

11/10/13

The program opened with kirtan led by Jaya Krsna who then welcomed the devotees and gave a presentation regarding Srila Prabhupada’s vision for New Vrindaban.  As part of the presentation he discussed the transformation of New Vrindaban as a spiritual community and noted that some stages are very difficult.  He explained that we are currently in one of those stages and we must keep our vision of developing a strong community and maintain our Brijabasi Spirit.

Jaya Krsna then introduced the GBC representatives Anuttama Prabhu, Malati Prabhu and Tamohara Prabhu who have volunteered their time and devotion to assist the boards.  This was followed by introductions of the board members and of Keval Patel and Bhima Walker as guests of the boards.

INV Department heads then gave presentations of their activities throughout the past year.  These were from the same slide presentations that were discussed in day one of the minutes.

Caitanya Mangala discussed the ECOV integrated Auxiliary plan for the benefit of the gathered devotees.  He highlighted the work ECOV does in and around the community.

Anuttama discussed the ISKCON 50th anniversary in 2016 and asked for suggestions on how New Vrindaban would like to celebrate. Nityodita Prabhu suggested creating a data base of people who were here in the early days and also putting together a slide presentation from the old days.  Oral histories could be recorded and a discussion of the importance of the movement begun.  Other projects suggested were: a book and a documentary of the history, of New Vrindaban, a traveling art exhibit, interface with colleges, and prasadam distribution.  As outreach the ideas were put forth of holding a type of cultural festival at Heritage Park or Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling.

It was suggested that we start something in 2015 to coincide with 50 years since Srila Prabhupada left India and traveled to America, which would make the focus more about Srila Prabhupada and then in 2016 it would be about his organization.

Madhavananda Prabhu expressed concerns about Tapahpunja. Jaya Krsna explained the arrangements between Tapahpunja and the INV management.

Jayasri Prabhu asked who would tend the gardens instead of Tapahpunja, and Jaya Krsna explained that going forward ECOV has agreed to manage the gardens.

Lalita Gopi Prabhu asked about Dham Seva and how that project is being served by INV. Jaya Krsna outlined the support that INV has given in the past year and assured her of continued commitment.

A proposal was made for the creation of an advisory committee made up of community members who are not board members. The idea is that this group would regularly meet with Jaya Krsna and discuss issues and concerns.  It was generally agreed that something of this nature would be helpful and the details can be worked out for consideration at the December board meetings.

New Vrindaban Takes Steps Towards Dairy Self-Sufficiency


Ananda Vidya milks Surabhi Gomata, summer, 2013.

Ananda Vidya milks Surabhi Gomata, summer, 2013.

by Madhava Smullen

With its new Protected Cow Dairy Initiative, ISKCON New Vrindaban is carefully taking one step at a time back towards dairy self-sufficiency.

Nityodita Das,who spearheaded the Initiative, fondly remembers the early days of New Vrindaban, when ISKCON Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada was still physically present.

“I remember living at the old Vrindaban farm in 1974 and occasionally milking the cows with Radhanath Swami, then a brahmachari,” he says. “At that time we didn’t buy milk or milk products, except maybe rarely for big festivals. We used to have these big barrels full of ghee, and the Deities were getting opulent offerings.”

Srila Prabhupada, of course, envisioned New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for five things: loving Krishna, spiritual education, holy pilgrimage, self-sufficiency and cow protection.

“Krishna by His practical example taught us to give all protection to the cows and that should be the main business of New Vrindaban,” Prabhupada wrote to his disciple Hayagriva in June 1968.

Over the years after Srila Prabhupada’s passing in 1977, New Vrindaban residents continued to drink milk from their own cows, but eventually reverted to buying butter and other dairy products from local stores.

Recently however, there has been a renewed focus on Srila Prabhupada’s vision for New Vrindaban. In the past two years, devotees have added eight new cows to the herd—four each year—as a major step towards becoming independent from store-bought milk products produced by cow-slaughtering commercial dairies.

In May 2013, the Protected Cow Dairy Initiative, supported by ISKCON New Vrindaban and sponsored by non-profit Eco-Vrindaban, was launched.

“The idea is to revive a program wherein all food offerings for the Deities are made with dairy products coming from cows cared for by New Vrindaban residents,” says ECOV board member Chaitanya Mangala Das.

New Vrindaban has a herd of 47 cows, with six milking cows. In contrast to the cows tortured and slaughtered at commercial dairies, they are all treated with love and care as family members by program overseer Ranaka Das and daily caretaker Chaitanya Bhagavat Das.

All the cows, of course, live out their natural lives. During the summer, they graze upon hundreds of acres of lush, green pastures. During the winter, hundreds of bales of hay are harvested for them to eat. They are protected from the cold in a cosy, clean and spacious barn. And the calves, like three-month old bull Pundarikaksa, are not separated from their mothers as in commercial dairies but are kept close.

“They are given time together throughout the day,” says Ananda-Vidya Das, who milks the cows along with his wife Lalita-Gopi Dasi and heads up production for the Dairy Initiative. “And twice a day, during milking times, we give the calves a quarter of the milk to drink from their mothers.”

Every morning at 7:00 am, Ananda-Vidya makes his way to the milking barn across the street from the temple. It takes him up to two hours to set up, milk Punya, Malati, Yamuna, Anjali, Shankari, and Surabhi, and clean up afterwards.

To develop a personal connection with each cow, Ananda-Vidya milks at least one or two of them by hand every day. As he does so, the others are milked with vacuum bucket milkers, the most subtle type of milking machine on the market today.

“The suction feels pretty much how a calf would,” he says, adding, “When I have help from other devotees, often we can milk them all by hand.”

After milking, Ananda-Vidya brings the milk to the temple. He then warms up the leftover milk from the previous day, brings it back to the barn, and runs it through a cream separator. This machine produces cream from one spout, and skimmed milk from another.

“I boil the cream, and add a culture to make it into yoghurt,” says Ananda-Vidya. “After the yoghurt process is started, I leave it until the next day. Then in the afternoon, I put the yoghurt from the previous day into an electric blender and churn it into butter. It makes around three or four pounds of butter — it comes out really nice.”

Finally, Ananda-Vidya milks the cows again for a second time at six o’clock in the evening, often with his wife Lalita-Gopi.

Guest milks Malati Gomata.

Guest milks Malati Gomata.

Ananda-Viyda’s service takes five or six hours a day, and yields fourteen to fifteen gallons of milk. This is used to make milk sweets, curd, ghee and other dairy products for New Vrindaban’s presiding Deities, Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra.

The Dairy Initiative recently successfully completed its five-month trial period. Now, it’s ready to gear up for a second, experimental phase.

During the quieter winter months, there will be a test-run expansion of the program so that meals served to devotees at the temple will also be made only with dairy from protected cows.

This will not involve an increase in milk production. Rather, kitchen staff, cow protection staff, and New Vrindaban management will work together to make sure that the available milk is used wisely.

 Ananda Vidya separates cream for the Deities.Ananda Vidya separates cream for the Deities.

There are different ways that this can be done. For example, cooking of excessively dairy-filled dishes can be regulated. And skimmed milk, rather than whole milk, can be used to create delicious curd or yogurt. Of course, whole milk will always be offered to the Deities and be honored later by devotees as maha-prasad.

To make this transition successfully, Nityodita Das notes that “there must be a raising of consciousness to understand that when we go out and buy milk products, we’re basically supporting the slaughter of cows.” The small amount of austerity required to change this, it follows, is worth it.

Of course, there are plans for some expansion of New Vrindaban’s herd and milk production in the future. But having learned from over-ambitious attempts that proved unmanageable in the past, this time devotees will expand in a very humble, careful and sustainable way.

There are plans to gradually grow the overall herd from 47 to approximately 70. And there is space in the current milking barn to expand the amount of milking cows to eight.

Beyond that, there are long range plans to build another barn on the pasture behind Srila Prabhupada’s Palace, which will be able to house up to ten milking cows. This will also be designed to function as a teaching farm, where guests can better observe and participate in the daily cow protection activities.

Behind all this is the cow care team, which meets regularly under Ranaka Das’s leadership to discuss overall improvements in cow care as well as required upgrades of the barn and pastures.

In the meantime, milking the cows at the temple barn in New Vrindaban, Ananda-Vidya Das doesn’t worry about any of this. Life is simple for him: it’s hard work, but serene, too.

“There’s some austerity,” he says. “You have to be regulated and on time. You have to lift heavy things and shovel manure. Sometimes it gets really cold, sitting there in an unheated building.”

“But it’s also meditative. Sunrise and sunset are peaceful times. There are not a lot of people around. You can listen to a lecture, or chant verses.”

Genuine fondness warms his tone. “And the cows are just really loveable creatures. They all have their unique characteristics and personalities. It’s nice being with them.”

“Most of all, it’s such a rewarding service,” he concludes, “Because it’s really at the heart of what Srila Prabhupada wants for New Vrindaban.”

New Vrindaban’s Semi-Annual Joint Boards’ Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2013


 

Board members and N.V. well-wishers return from hiking trail to original Vrindaban farmhouse.

Board members and N.V. well-wishers return from hiking the trail to the original Vrindaban farmhouse.

Minutes of the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Joint Boards Of New Vrindaban

November 9, 2013

Day 2 of 3

ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) Vision Statement: Founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada boldly envisions New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for Cow Protection, Self-Sufficiency, Holy Pilgrimage, Spiritual Education, and, above all, Loving Krishna.

ECO-Vrindaban Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

INV Board Members: Gopisa, Ranaka, Dayavira, Chaitanya Mangala, Jaya Krsna, Tamohara

ECOV Board Members: Chaitanya Mangala, Madhava Gosh, Ranaka, Navin Shyam, Anuttama, Kripamaya

GBC: Malati, Anuttama, Tamohara

Recording Secretary: Laxmi Honest

Guests: Bhima Walker, Keval Patel

The meeting began at 10:00 with a walking tour of Bahulaban, Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and Old Vrindaban.

Dayavira mentioned that he and Ranaka had toured the Valley Barn area. He was impressed with the neat appearance of the area and the silos ready for bulk grain.  Ranaka reported that they will be getting a grinder to make flour. The brick factory is in the process of being cleared and organized. It was agreed that we would add a visit to the Valley Barn to the next Community Tour in March/April 2014.

Chaitanya Mangala then introduced the guest candidates.

Bhima Walker lived in the community from 1980-1988.  He was an ashram student and has been a regular visitor since that time.  He spent 13 years full time in the military and is still a part time member of the Air National Guard.  He is studying for his PHD in electrical engineering at Dartmouth College and has done Kulimela related volunteer service projects here in NV, and in Los Angeles, Australia and New Zealand.  He is very interested in voluntarily serving as a board member in New Vrindaban where he thinks he can make a substantial contribution to the long-term progress of the community.

Keval Patel lived in the community from 1983-1996.  He was also an ashram student in the 1980’s.  He graduated from WVU in 2010 and is currently employed by JP Morgan Chase in Philadelphia.  His parents live in the community.  He feels that New Vrindaban is his home and it is important for him to give back to the community.

Both devotees are being considered as potential candidates for members of the board(s).

Chaitanya Mangala explained that qualities needed for board membership include strong personal character, deep roots in New Vrindaban and a clear history of volunteerism.  It was noted that a sense of humor is also vital.

Deconstruction of the Bahulaban barn was discussed. The plan to dismantle the building sometime in 2014 remains the same. It was reconfirmed that we will recycle or repurpose as much of the building materials as possible.

The disposition of the Bahulaban utility building still remains unanswered. It was decided to get a quote on temporary roof repairs and it was noted that ECOV had previously agreed to spend up to $5,000 on temporary repairs.

Jaya Krsna next made a presentation about an eco-village proposal for the Old Vrindaban property.  HH Bhakti Raghava Swami has suggested a model of a rural community be built there based on the principle of simple living and high thinking.  It was agreed that we do want an eco-village, and this is a good discussion, but more details are needed before making any firm decisions.

The next item was a report on Srila Prabhupada’s Palace restoration. Jaya Krsna stated that repairs to the front steps are in progress and the balance of funds from that project will be used to put a roof on the walls of the old ghee factory building. The original molds are being returned and we need a place to store them. He also reported that there are plans to hire a project manager. It was agreed that projects already funded and in progress will go on with or without a project manager.

Next there was a discussion about the future of the Garden of 7 Gates. Jaya Krsna requested that ECOV take responsibility for managing food production. It was generally agreed that ECOV will oversee the gardens and INV will purchase the produce. Jaya Krsna suggested that ECOV develop plans to discuss with INV.  It was agreed that this will go on the agenda for the next ECOV board meeting in December.

A plan was set for presentations at the Community Dialog, scheduled for the final day of the meetings. It was agreed Anuttama would lead and that department heads would review their reports of 2013 accomplishments, the settlement with Tapahpunja prabhu would be explained, Jaya Krsna would highlight the five primary instructions from Srila Prabhupada regarding New Vrindaban and Chaitanya Mangala would discuss the ECOV integrated auxiliary transformation. The Community Dialog would then be opened up for questions and discussion.

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 12/05/13


Throwback Thursday is a weekly theme commemorating vintage moments.

We thought to have a little transcendental fun with this internet trend.

Each week we will post a photo and highlight a time from the early days of New Vrindaban.

Visit ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Facebook Page and take your best guess on the who, what, when & where by posting your responses in the comment section.

Let’s see who knows their New Vrindaban history.

Extra credit for anyone who can correctly name the cows as well!

Back to Godhead - Volume 11, Number 01 - 1976

2cowsbylake.jpg

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"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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