Vrindavan Festivals

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus, Maharajas and Vaishnavis

 

Please accept our Humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupad

All Glories to Sri Vrindavan Dham.

 

Please find this details of Vrindavan Festival details to all of you by our

Dina Bandhu Prabhuji.

 

February marks the Fourth Anniversary of the opening of the Vrinda Kunda

Temple

in Nandagram. To celebrate we will be having a special program of parikramas

to

the Holy Places of Radha and Krishna's divine pastimes from Feb 5 - 15. The

main event will be what has become an unforgettable experience for all who

have

participated, the Kalash Yatra. On Sunday Feb. 11, we will have a Sankirtan

Procession around Nandagram with all the ladies carrying waterpots with

coconuts on top out to Vrinda Kunda.

 

Vrinda Kunda has fast become a favorite place of pilgrimage for all

devotees,

situated off in the quiet fields near Nandagram, the place where Krishna and

Balaram lived with Nanda Baba and Yashoda Maiya. Everyone is always

impressed

with the beauty of the carved sandstone temple, the exquisite deity of

Vrinda

Devi, and the wonderful trees and flowers growing there. Especially notable

is

the peaceful hassle-free atmosphere. Many devotees have told us that they

only

visit Vrinda Kunda when they come to Nandagram to avoid being harrassed by

the

agressive pandas in the temple. Many devotees have been very pleasantly

surprised by the warm hospitality of our Pujari, Bhagway Prasad and his

wife,

often enjoying a delicious lunch at Vrinda Kunda, with practically no

advance

notice.

 

Almost every day from Krishna Balaram Mandir, we will lead parikramas to

different pastime places of Vraja. There will be lively narrations of the

different pastimes that happened in each place. Then we will return in time

for

prasadam at 2pm in the temple. And on all bus parikramas, Sannyasis and

Prabhupada Disciples and their families will go free of charge.

 

Then on Sunday Feb. 11, we will go to Pavan Sarovara where we will be joined

by

many Brijbasi ladies for the ecstatic Kalash Yatra. The ladies will take

water

from Pavana Sarovara in waterpots with colored cloth and coconuts placed on

top. The Brijbasi women will train our visting devotee women how to do this.

Of

course, we cheat a little, we don't fill the pots full till we get to Vrinda

Kunda. Then with all the ladies in the front we will have a Sankirtan

Procession around Nandagram, up to the temple to take darshan and rest a

minute. Then we will continue out to Vrinda Kunda. Everyone who has taken

part

in this festival has really enjoyed it like anything. My wonderful

godsister,

Kaulini, told me this experience changed her whole life!

 

After arriving at Vrinda Kunda, there will be Krishna Katha, butter churning

festival, artika and then feast for one and all. Then everyone can help feed

all the Nandagram Brijbasis. That day all transportation and prasad will be

free for all who come.

 

Please come and take advantage of the wondeful spring weather at this time

of

year, better than Kartika. This is also a wonderful opportunity for those

who

are visiting Kumbha Mela before going to Mayapur Festival which starts on

Feb.

16. Also those going to the Tirupati opening on the 31st January can come

here

for this festival before going on to Mayapur. And of course we see every

year

there are a lot of devotees who like to visit Vrindavan first on there way

to

Mayapur Festival, so this is very convenient for them also.

 

These days you can also book your train reservations on line at

<http://www.indianrail.gov.in/index.html>

 

Otherwise you can contact our Information Center at

<ISKCON.Vrindavan (AT) pamho (DOT) net> or <parsada.gkg (AT) pamho (DOT) net> for your travel

needs

as well as booking accommodation in outside guesthouses. The phone contact

is

Sanjay at ++91 565 2540343. They can also arrange a taxi to pick you up from

the airport or train station. For booking in the Krishna Balaram Guesthouse,

you can contact <ganapati.gkg (AT) pamho (DOT) net> or ++91 565 2540021. For MVT

<MVT (AT) pamho (DOT) net> or ++91 564 3207578.

 

So make your plans now and come relish the association of Vaisnavas in the

Holy

Dhama!

 

In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,

Deena Bandhu dasa

 

 

 

Your Servant

 

Srestha Das

Co- President