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Author Archive for Braja Mohini Devi Dasi
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Whole Earth Festival at UC Davis
May 10-12
Bhakti Yoga Information Booth and Kirtan
Dear Friends and Devotees,
My dandavat pranams to you all! All glories to Srila Gurudeva and His Glorious Worldwide Mission and devotees!
The weekend after next (May 10-12) will be our 2nd year at the Davis Whole Earth Mother’s Day Weekend Festival (on the Campus of UC Davis near Sacramento). We are very excited to be going again this year! By the grace and encouragement of our dear Divyashakti didi, who let us know about this event and encouraged us for so long, finally motivating us to make it up there last year for the first time, we give an appreciative shout out! Jaya Divyashakti didi!
Last year we were all so happily surprised and amazed at the nice location and the open-minded and friendly people at the event. The mood of the people in general was very sweet and friendly. The location is a nice park with trees all around and big grassy area in the middle. There are arts and crafts, music, educational areas, and all the food served there is vegetarian. We passed out lots of invitations and books, and spoke with so many who stopped at our book table to look, listen and ask questions.
This year our service has increased to include some time in the educational/presentation areas, and we will have spots on Saturday and Sunday. Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj has enthusiastically agreed to speak and lead us in kirtan in the Sacred Space Dome on Saturday. The time is tentatively set for 4-6 pm. Please see if you can join us up there for at least one day, or longer! We need as many devotees to be around as possible to help with the arrangements with Maharaj, setting up (Friday afternoon) and taking down the booth (Sunday-late afternoon), passing out flyers and invites, kirtan, cooking for the devotees, being at the book table, and giving your good association!
Davis is not so far (about 2 1/2 hours from Santa Cruz), and if you would like to spend the night, we have a camping spot at the KOA (with hot showers!) in West Sacramento (just up the road from Davis) for Friday and Saturday nights. Please bring your own camping supplies, and if you plan on camping, give me a heads up ahead of time, if possible.
The Festival starts Friday afternoon, goes late Friday and Saturday nights, and ends Sunday around 6 pm.
Looking forward to seeing you there! Any questions, please contact me or Bilvamangal Prabhu. If you need a ride, let us know and we can coordinate carpools. Mini-road trip, yay!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Your servant,
Brajamohini devi dasi
brajamohinidevidasi@sevaashram.com
Check out pictures from our booth at last year’s festival here.
View the official Whole Earth Festival website here.
The weekend-long festival last month in Salt Lake City was wonderful. Here are some more pictures. On Friday there was a very nice public program in the park near the temple. Although the park was not so full of people, several guests came and were very much inspired and enlivened to hear from Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj and Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj, and to honor prasadam with all the devotees. Saturday morning a large group gathered in the mountains for an invigorating hike. It was a great way to connect with old and new friends alike. Here are some pictures from those two outings. Part 2 of my photo gallery will be posted next weekend.
Photos by Braja Mohini Devi Dasi
Text by Sushila Devi Dasi
Srila Janardan Maharaj chants Hare Krishna as the he walks through the park
Along with Srila Ashram Maharaj and many devotees
Sripad Sudarshan Prabhu leads the way
Srila Janardan Maharaj
Brian, Sushila Devi Dasi, Divya Shakti Devi Dasi, little Sita and Kumaris Syama Mohini and Anuradha in the background
Kumari Nanda Priya and her sister Becca carried festive flags
The group made it's way back to the stage after passing out invitations
The famous kirtaniyas of Salt Lake City wrapped up the kirtan in the covered "pandal" area by the stage
Only to sit down and chant some more
Keshavananda Prabhu, Nitai Prabhu, and Bimal Krishna Prabhu
Sripad Parvat Maharaj, Srila Ashram Maharaj, and Srila Janardan Maharaj sat together on the stage
They led several vaishnava kirtans and then spoke about devotional service to Krishna
The next day a large group went for a hike in the mountains
Sushila Devi Dasi and Divya Shakti Devi Dasi
Jaya Sri Devi Dasi, Laksmipriya Devi Dasi, and Narayani Devi Dasi
That leads into the mountains
But the group turned out to be much more ambitious
Kumaris Anjana, Syama Mohini, Vinodini, and Sripd B.C. Parvat Maharaj
Jambavan Prabhu and Jananivas Prabhu
There were at least thirty people on this hike including many children and babies
Almost everyone walked all the way to a lake at the top of a steep hill
Led by Srila Ashram Maharaj and Srila Janardan Maharaj, who just kept going and going
Along the way we stopped several times
To give everyone a chance to catch up
Srila Janardan Maharaj pushes onward
Syama Sundar Prabhu, Ashram Maharaj, and Kishori Devi Dasi
Srila Janardan Maharaj
Srila Bhakti Kusum Ashram Maharaj
Brian and Ramananda Prabhu
Rai Kishori Devi Dasi exhibiting her great energy and enthusiasm
A look at the beautiful scenery
Kumaris Anuradha, Syama Mohini, Anjana, and Sita
Everyone poses for a group picture
All glories to the all the devotees!
Now everyone enjoys slices of fresh watermelon courtesy of Bimal Krishna Prabhu, Ista Devika Devi Dasi and her mother Linda Rae
Braja Mohini Devi Dasi and her daughter Syama Mohini
Braja Mohini Devi Dasi and Laksmipriya Devi Dasi
Sri Lekha Devi Dasi strolls happily down the path
Ramai Prabhu Archana Niketan tastes the watermelon
What a wonderful outing!
- Cover of the Golden Volcano of Divine Love by Srila Sridhar Maharaj
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
By the grace of Srila Gurudeva and after a long wait we have at last been able to inaugurate a regular kids class in Soquel and San Jose. Following the success of our 2011 summer camp, the affectionate push to begin a regular kids class came by the desire of Rasangi Didi, mother of Murali Mohan Prabhu, and grandmother of Anjali and Gopal. Because of her concern and hopes for her grand kids and their friends to have a greater opportunity to hear the teachings of Srila Gurudeva and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we are now seeing this beautiful kids program begin to bloom.
The first class was given by Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj and the temple room was full of kids. He began by reading and discussing The Golden Volcano of Divine Love. Subsequent classes have been given by Jairam Prabhu, father of Lavanika and Nabh, and by Murali Mohan Prabhu. These classes have been going on twice a month now since October, alternating every two weeks between Soquel and San Jose.
Beginning in April, weather permitting, we are looking forward to offering the kids class every Sunday concurrent with the temple program, beginning after arotik. It will be held outside in front of Srila Gurudeva’s Pushpa Samadhi Mandir, under the trees.
Srila Gurudeva has always shown us His love and affection for all the children, and he often expressed His hopes for them to grow happily in Krishna Consciousness. We pray to offer these activities to His Lotus Feet, that He may be pleased, and that we may always remember Him and be instruments for His Divine Service.
Jaya Gurudeva!
Scroll to the bottom of the photos to view or download a pdf of The Golden Volcano of Divine Love by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj.
You may appreciate the following recording of Sripad Janardan Maharaj reading to the kids from Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita at last year’s summer camp:
110724 Jarikanda Forest Kids Camp.mp3 (43 minutes, 29.2 MB)
Kids occupy the temple room
Janardan Maharaj leads the class
Anjali and Shyama Mohini honor special "kids menu" prasadam together...
with Madhura Priya and Para Didis, Nabh, Radhadasi, and Anjana
Lavanika, Sita, Sage, Devon, and Preston
beautiful Sita
Shivani with excellent tilak
Preston loves to serve prasadam every time he comes to the temple
Jairam Prabhu leading a kids class at Braja Mohini Didi's house in San Jose
Jairam manages to involve all the children by rewarding them for answering questions
The kids are learning about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu...
and have been overheard discussing the Lord's pastimes among themselves even while they play
Everyone happily honors prasadam...
with their friends and family
Jairam has captured everyone's interest...
as he reads from The Golden Volcano of Divine Love by Srila Sridhar Maharaj
Abha and Vimala Didis
Devaki Didi and her nephew Ajita Krishna
Shayma Mohini
Gopal
Brajalalana, Anuradha, and Sita
This time the class is at the temple again
Murali Mohan Prabhu is the teacher
Jananivas
Brajalalana
Sita
A happy, dancing kirtan is the perfect way to end class
Rasangi Didi is happy to join in
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