Radha Madhava preschool rathayatra

[Guest guest]

As the preparations for the Rathyatra hiked up at Mayapur, Sri Sri Radha-

Madhava preschoolis were not to be left out.

A beautiful sunny day before Ulta Rath for our children from Radha Madhava

preschool to held their annual Ratha Yatra.

 

Within our Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir campus, inside the beautiful

Iskcon housing complex surrounded by lush green fields, we could see some

bubbly mothers gathered at a distance. Some Prabhus with mrdangas and some

others with kartals and digital cameras.

 

Our children were very excited and came early to school to decorate the Rath

and dress Lord Jagannath in new clothes.It took some time but they gave

their best.

 

We came out with nicely decorated multicoloured sturdy wooden three feet

chariot. Surrounded on all sides and nicely lined up in front were our

children, aged two and up. They were beautifuly dreesed up as gopies and

gopas and colorful gopi dots and exquisite dresses which were specially made

for such occassions. One by one different children carried the presiding

deites of the preschool - Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra and Srila Prabhupada

to the Rath, where They were placed nicely by our teachers. As the Chariot

proceeded gradually on the pathway surrounding the big green playground

meant for the community children, it was a wonderful sight - colourful

flags, sweet kirtan - a rathyatra conducted by the little ones. Fully

engaged in serving Lord Jagannatha, they looked like radiant little gopas

and gopis of Gupta Vrndavan. Obviously their parents were in ecstasy to see

their children blissful in Krsna consciousness.

 

Some mothers including our Sri Sri Radha-Madhava's old baker nanny made some

sweet prasadam and one of the beautiful gopi child was entrusted to

distribute them to any one who appeared on the scene. Amazing thing was that

little Radhika dutifully performed this service till the very end. At a

certain interval, the chariot would stop and one of the little children

would perform an arati to Their Lordships with incense, flower and fan.

Radha Raman (one of our childen from Australia) constantly fanned the Lord

for the whole time, totally fixed up with determination. Halfway, the

children threw the banana mahaprasad to the onlookers. As the procession

came to an end, another set of children carried the deities back to the

school cheered by loud sounds of 'Haribol' by all the assembled devotees.

 

Behind the closed door the children had their special offering to Their

Lordships.It was a joyful day for them and they left the school with

blissful "jagannath" smile on their faces.

 

Your servant

Nirgata devi dasi

Sri Sri Radha- Madhava Pre school is situated at the HP3 building within the

housing complex of Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. At the present there are 12

students from different countries which includes a few local children who

are sponsored by different devotees around the world. This school is

functioning since 1994. The children here are trained up to recognise their

inclination and Lord gifted talents through a healthy Krsna conscious

educational program.They learn alphabet, numbers, about their enviroment and

through different games they develop their fine and gross motorskills.

Variety of songs, rhymes and dramas are used which are the best means of

learning for the children of that age. The dedication of the teachers is the

principle ingredient behind the running of the school whose only interest is

to implant the seed of Krsna consciousness within the hearts of these

fortunate souls at a very young age through a pleasant learning environment.