By Deena Bandhu dasa
Seven years ago on Varaha Dwadasi, we opened the Vrinda Kunda Temple. To celebrate we had a special program of parikramas to the Holy Places of Radha and Krishna’s divine pastimes. One of the main events was the Kalash Yatra, an unforgettable experience for all who participated. We had a Sankirtan Procession around Nandagram with all the ladies carrying waterpots with colorful cloth and coconuts on top out to Vrinda Kunda. Again we have arranged a wonderful program of parikramas and festivals from 27th Jan. to 14 Feb. That leave plenty of time to get to Navadwipa Parikram that starts on 17th Feb.
Since then, 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 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.
For this year’s festival almost every morning we will leave from Krishna Balaram Mandir, to go on 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 3pm in the temple. And on all bus parikramas, Sannyasis and Prabhupada Disciples and their families will go free of charge.
Then on Sunday 14th Feb., we will be having the super ecstatic Kalash Yatra and sankirtan procession around Nandagrama. Kalash means water pot. All the ladies will carry water pots of water from the sacred Pavana Sarovara with colorful cloth and coconuts on top. We’ll have 108 pots and the Brijbasi ladies will train our foreign lady devotees how to carry them. Even some of the our own ladies who go every year will train them! The Brijbasinis even dance with no hands with their pots on their heads! All the ladies who have participated told me it was the highlight of their Vrindavan experience.
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.
So start planning now to come relish wonderful Vaisnava association in the Holy Dhama. Especially for those who are going to the Anniversary Festivals at Tirupati, Ujjain, and Aravade on Nityananda Trayodasi and are wondering what to do till Mayapur Festival starts, most of our parikramas will take place after Nityananda Trayodasi. We’ll publish the schedule soon, so watch for it.
For those who want to make arrangements to go from Vrindavan to Mayapur, these days you can book your train reservations on line at