Recently in September Category

Glimpses of a recent visit to a devotee's house by Swami Nikhilanand, a spiritual teacher of Radha Madhav Dham. The program included singing of beautiful kirtan revealed by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.

RAYS youth convention includes trip to Radha Madhav Dham

Rajasthanis Abroad Youth Samaj (RAYS) hosted a very successful youth convention in Austin, Texas this past Labor Day weekend. At 32 attendees, the turnout was great! The group was well engaged throughout the weekend, as could be seen by the substantial participation in all of the weekend's organized events. The scope of these activities ranged from a fun excursion to Zilker Park, where the group enjoyed a cool dip in a nearby river, to a fruitful discussion on the grounds of Radha Madhav Dham.

The weekend culminated in a Sunday afternoon trip to Radha Madhav Dham. The group engaged in a fun and highly competitive game of India-themed Jeopardy while snacking on delicious samosas and donuts. The "Final Jeopardy" question was "What does it mean to be Marwari".

Though quiet, September at Radha Madhav Dham ashram began with the most precious celebration of the year - Shree Radha's appearance day, Radhashtmi. The celebration included chanting the pad kirtan, "Kirti Ghar, Prakatin Kirti-Kumari" - meaning, Kirti-kumari Radhey has appeared in the house of mother Kirti...

Radhashtmi Celebration
Sunday, Sept 4th

Even the littlest got the chance rock Her cradle...

Manjula Andukari and Priya Mehta from Natalaya School of Dance depict a touching leela ....

....where Krishn delights the Gopis, giving them more attention (on the outside) than to His soul beloved Radha.

Bal Radha Arti

Vrishbhanu and Kirti Ma Swing the Paalan of little Lali Radhey ju (Priyanka and Jayanth Cherukuri)

Drumming from our amazing young talent...
From top to bottom: Gourab, Shekkar, Siddhant, Rohit, Toshaan and Shaili.

Related post: JKP Radha Madhav Dham at the Sixth Annual Hindu Mandir Executives' Conference

Swami Nikhilanand of JKP Radha Madhav Dham speaking at the Hindu Mandir Executive Conference, 2011, in Ohio.

Swami Nikhilanand pointed out in his parting thoughts that, "Sanatan Dharm is eternal and survives even pralaya. It doesn't need us, we need it. Sanatan Dharm is going to survive no matter what. Our involvement will just benefit us"

Hinduism today has done a wonderful writeup on this historical event. Read it here.

Above: Swami Nikhilanand with Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami and Sannyasin Senthilnathaswami of Kauai's Hindu Monestary.

Swami Nikhilanand is currently representing JKP Radha Madhav Dham at the Sixth Annual Hindu Mandir Executives' Conference (HMEC) in Columbus, Ohio. This year, about 250 people are attending, representing Hindu organizations of all kinds from around North America.

HMEC is a platform for Hindu Mandir Executives to share, create and collaborate on strategies for sustenance and growth of Hindu Dharma in North America. HMEC 2011, the 6th Hindu Mandir Executives' Conference is being held in Columbus, Ohio, September 23 - 25, 2011 at Hyatt Regency Hotel, 350 North High Street, Columbus OH 43215.

Swami Nikhilanand's inaugural address from last year's conference is published in Hinduism Today Magazine.

Eight Important Questions about Hinduism
Discourse & Kirtan by Swami Nikhilanand
of JKP Radha Madhav Dham, the US ashram of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj

Dates & Times:
September 4-11, 2011
Sun, Sept 4 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Mon-Fri, Sept 5-10 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Sun, Sept 11 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Presented by:
Hindu Center of New York
4552 Kissena Blvd, Flushing,
New York 11355
(718) 358-6726
www.HinduCenterNYC.org
[MAP]
More info:
Rohit Sharma (516) 582-1113

Topics:
Sept 4: What is more important: religion or science?
Sept 5:Can science prove the existence of God?
Sept 6:Are all religions the same?
Sept 7:What is our most valuable poseession?
Sept 8:What is the aim of human life?
Sept 9:Why are there so many paths to God?
Sept 10:How can we attain the goal of our life?
Sept 11:What are the secrets of doing bhakti?

3 Important Questions Answered by our Hindu Scriptures

You are all warmly invited to attend a special 3 day discourse and kirtan with Swami Nikhilanand, a pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, and a representative of JKP Barsana Dham:

"3 Important Questions Answered by our Hindu Scriptures"

Attending this unique and spiritually uplifting event will help deepen your understanding of three important questions from the scriptures:
1. Why is the human form of life the most important?
2. What is the goal of human life?
3. How can I attain that goal?

The program is presented by JKP Barsana Dham and Shri Ram Mandir, Plano, Texas.

For more information, please call Mahima Bhasin at (972) 310 - 0475

Experience of Krishn Janmashtmi 2010 at JKP Barsana Dham

(An account by a devotee guest who attended the Janmashtmi Festivities at JKP Barsana Dham, the US Ashram of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj)

What a Janmashtmi we just had at Barsana Dham?! It was the first time I had celebrated Janmashtmi at Barsana Dham in a long time and I can honestly say it was one of the greatest Janmashtmi celebrations I have ever experienced.

We began with a sumptuous dinner prasad in the dining hall. And later, Sushree Prabhakari Devi, vice-president of JKP Barsana Dham gave a thought provoking and moving speech on the real meaning of Janmashtmi. Perhaps the part of the speech which most struck a chord with me was when she was speaking of making Krishn Janmashmi 'your own'. Prabhakari Devi spoke about the magnificent Janmashtmi celebrations she celebrated in India long ago, which in her mind, define what Janmashtmi is and she encouraged all of us to have a Janmashtmi of our own which we can always have as something to remember. And I can truly say that Janmashtmi 2010 is one which I will always remember.

At the beginning of the evening program in the temple prayer, Barsana Dham's special guest the Honorable Sanjiv Arora, council general of India spoke some words of wisdom to the huge crowds. This was followed by some Indian dances and a special Vrindaban mandali, "Makaan Chori" was performed by the Shri Natraj School of Dance. The highlight of the cultural program was the Janmashtmi leela performed by the devotees of Barsana Dham. It was a short and sweet depiction of baby Krishn's appearance leela. At the climax of the leela, Mother Yashoda and Nand Baba said that it is now time to show our baby to the whole world, and with that, all the brajwasis began to cheer and celebrate by throwing sweets and gifts in every direction throughout the prayer hall, to everyone there. By the end, everyone was dancing and singing and cheering in unreserved devotion and joy at being part of what felt like the real Janmashtmi celebration of 5000 years ago.

When I went outside I heard lots of guests talking to each other, and to friends and family on their cellphones. The reactions were truly amazing. One man was on his cellphone, and was saying something about that even at temples he had visited in various parts of India, he had never seen anything like what he had seen at this temple. Another man, who it seemed was his first time visiting Barsana Dham, was just standing on the temple steps with friends, and said he was just so glad he came.

The best part of the evening was towards the end of the night when the 3000 strong crowd subsided a little, and we all just sat in the prayer hall quietly and reflectively singing Janmashtmi pad revealed by our Spiritual Master Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. After some time, the tempo began to increase slowly but surely, and towards the end of the day (nearly at mid night) we reached the climax of the whole day's festivities as one or two people began dancing, as if by spontaneous inspiration. After a minute or so, no one was seated. Conches were calling and drums of various tones and sizes were beating in charming rhythms. Some of the people had their eyes closed, some open, some had tears in their eyes, some were sweetly smiling in joy, but everyone was clapping or dancing in some way or another. By the end, at midnight, we all did arti to baby Krishn and to our supreme master Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, with whose grace made this whole day a day to remember, and whose Barsana Dham ashram is the guiding light, and true solace of all spiritual seekers and lovers of God in the western world.

Now at Barsana Dham, all the devotees are getting ready for the equally grand and joyous occasion of Radha Ashtmi on Sunday, Sept. 19th 2010. If you would like to learn more about it, and attend, please visit http://www.barsanadham.org/festivals-radhaashtmi.html

Check back soon, and I will try to post some photos of the amazing event!