Vrindavan 2016.09.21 (Deen Bandhu Das): Kartika is glorified in the Puranas as very special for making spiritual advancement and the best place to be in Kartika is Sri Braja Dham. In fact this month is known as Damodar, since in the middle of this month, the Lord performed His very enchanting Damodar Lila. Kartika month also represents Radharani, and devotees perform special austerities to gain Her favor.
With great happiness in our hearts, we invite everyone to join in the auspicious Kartika Festival in Vrindavan from the 16th of October to! 4th of November. ISKCON is arranging a wonderful variety of parikramas to the Holy Places of Krishna’s pastimes in Braja for all of you.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Sri Vraja Mandala Parikrama by foot organized by HH Lokanatha Swami. Deena Bandhu and senior devotees will be taking out bus parikramas to the lila-sthalis of Vraja! HH Indradyumna Maharaja will also be hosting bus parikramas. Various ISKCON Temples in India, will also be bringing their congregation devotees for bus parikramas of Braja Bhumi.
Sri Vraja Mandala Parikrama will take around 2,000 devotees on foot down the dusty paths of Vraja and camp out at various places for one full month. HH Lokanatha Swami, HH Radharaman Swami, and various other senior devotees will be giving katha in the various destinations. Everyone who has participated finds that it is one of the most rewarding experiences in their life. For those not
so hardy to walk or camp out, they also have a shuttle service to take devotees to the various destinations and return to Vrindavan in the evening. For more information and to signup: http://www.vrajamandalaparikrama.com
Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Karttika Parikramas going by bus will be lead by Deena Bandhu dasa and other senior Vaishnavas. Leaving early in the morning, the devotees will travel by bus to different Holy Places. Then by foot they will visit the different lila places, taking breakfast along the way. Deena
Bandhu dasa’s lively narration have become world famous for bringing Radha Krishna’s pastimes to life. The buses will return for lunch to Vrindavan. For more information one can approach the Welcome Center at ISKCON Vrindavan: +918126698702 (Laksmipriya dd) or <wc.vrindavan@gmail.com>. The schedule of parikramas can be found at: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31491
The Kartika Parikrama of Indradyumna Maharaja and HG Badahari dasa usually go to one place each and have extensive kirtan and katha and then returning in the evening. They will also have a trip to Jaipur for few days in between the Vraja Parikramas. For more information and registration: http://www.kartikparikrama.com/#top
For those living in major ISKCON Temples in India, you may contact your respective temples to know information about their Vraja Parikrama programs.
With straw in our teeth and humbly falling at your feet, we beg all of those organizing parikramas to please, please, please refrain from using plastic plates and cups! It is heart breaking to see this ugly pollution of our Holy Dhama. Leaf plates (pattal), leaf cups(dona), and paper cups are readily available in Vrindavan!
Just after Diwali, 4th of November is the 39th Annual Disappearance Day Festival of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We extend a warm invitation to all to come and commemorate this sacred occassion with us in Sri Vrindavan, where His Divine Grace is sitting in Samadhi. Leading up to this day, every evening, senior disciples will be relating their memories of Srila Prabhupada. One day
before on 3rd November, we will take Srila Prabhupada in the very same palanquin from 1977 for a grand Sankirtan Procession past all the Goswami temples in Vrindavan.
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