Sri Krsna Janmastami 2008: Pictures and Pictures

… and more coming!  More than 2000 devotees, guests and pilgrims thronged to Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir to take part in the Sri Krsna Janmastami Festival.  Special thanks to all of the volunteers, donors and performers who helped make this festival, one of the best in recent history. 

Pictures: http://flickr.com/photos/radhagovinda/

Celebrate Sri Krsna Janmastami!

Hare Krishna! Please accept our greetings from Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir!

 

Sunday August 24, 2008 is a very special and auspicious day in the year. It is the day of the divine appearance of Lord Sri Krishna!

On this day the practicing Vaishnavas observe fast (even from water) till 12 midnight.

At Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, this festival will be celebrated starting at 4:30 AM with Mangala Arati. At 7:30 AM Sri Sri Radha Govinda’s darshan will be unveiled in a brand new stunning dress, handcrafted in Sri Vrindavana Dhama, coordinated with the finest fresh flowers – roses, jasmine, gardenia, orchids and more! The morning program will be followed by a special Srimad Bhagavatam Class discussing the topics of Lord Krishna’s appearance. The darshans of Their Lordships will be open for the whole day until 3:30pm, accompanied with melodious kirtans & bhajans by the devotees.

 

At 6:00pm Sri Sri Radha Govindaji will be unveiled in an even more stunning flower dress, designed and created by the NY temple devotees made of the finest flowers, many of the imported from different parts of the world.  This year, to accomodate the enthusiasm of the devotees, the evening schedule is as follows:

6:00pm – Greeting of the deities (Sringar Darshan) of Sri Sri Radha Govinda in their flower dress
6:15pm – Drama by the New Vaikuntha Players:  THE KIDNAPPING OF RUKMINI

7:00pm – Sandhya Arati + Kirtan and Jhulan yatra of Sri Sri Radha Krishna

8:30pm – Special Slide Show Presentation on Krsna’s Pastimes by HH Romapada Swami

9:15pm – Krishna-lila Dance Performances
10:00pm – Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kalash Maha-abhiseka
11:30pm – Transcendental auction of Sri Sri Radha Govinda’s Mahaprasad

12:00am – Midnight Arati and Kirtan and Darshan of Sri Sri Radha Govinda in a new dress

12:30am – Mahaprasad Feast (anukalpa)

All evening long, prasad will be served out, with a special anukalpa (ekadasi-style) feast served at 12:30am.

 

—*——- IMPORTANT NOTICE: ——-*—

 

On Sundays, street parking is free at all meters and most streets.  We humbley request all devotees who plan to visit the temple with their vehicle to plan enough time to find legal parking on the streets.  We request that devotees try to abstain from double parking on any street. The NYC Police Dept are very quick to arrive at the scene and will tow your car away if they choose to, or you will be set with a $150 ticket.

For those who cannot find street parking, the temple recommends devotees to park at a valet parking lot on the ground floor of a new condominium complex adjacent to the NYC Department of Labor building located at the Southeast corner of Bond and Schermerhorn Streets. For a nominal fee of $7.00 you will be able to park your car till 1:00am.   If you choose to park there, you can present your ticket stub to the prasadam coordinators to get prasad after 12:05am in order to retrieve your car on time.

If you choose to visit the temple via Public transportation, Please plan your trip to allow for sufficient time for the return journey. The temple has extremely limited accommodation if you are considering to possibly spend the night. To avail yourself of this facility, please contact the Temple ASAP.  

 

—*—— UPCOMING FESTIVALS ——*—

 

Monday August 25, 2008

Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-Puja celebration

11am – 2pm

Please join us for special festivities to celebrate the 112th appearance day of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

 

 

Sunday September 7 2008

Sri Radhastami

5-9pm

Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir

 

We humbly invite you to take part all of these festivals by rendering some service (prasadam, flower garlands, cleaning, kirtans, readings) to the Lord. There are many service opportunities available, please contact the temple for more information. If you would like to sponsor any part of these upcoming festivals, please contact the temple.

 

Your servants,

 

NY ISKCON

(718) 875-6127
www.radhagovinda.net

Upcoming Speaker: HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu

Dear friends,

This Sunday, we are very grateful to host His Grace Deena-Bandhu prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who has been living in Vrindavan for the last 25 years and serving at ISKCON’s project @ Vrinda Kunda.

Please join us as he shares with us his insight into Krsna Consciousness.

Sunday august 10 2008
6:00pm – Gaura Arati Kirtan
7:00pm – Lecture by HG Deena Bandhu prabhu
8:00pm – Prasadam Feast

Summer Festivals @ Radha Govinda Mandir

Mark your calendars, here are the dates for the upcoming festivals @ the Temple:

Aug 12 – 16: Sri Sri Radha Govinda Jhulan Yatra (Swing Festival of Sri Sri Radha Krishna)
Aug 16 – Balaram Jayanti (Appearance of Lord Balarama)
Aug 24 – Sri Krishna Janmastami (Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krsna)
Aug 25 – Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja (Appearance Day of Srila Prabhupada)
Sep 07 – Sri Radhastami Mahotsava (Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani)

Details to follow shortly.  For all festivals, we are eager to have your association, especially while doing devotional service.  If you would like to volunteer for any part of these festivals, please contact the temple @ (718) 875-6127.

Your servants,
NY ISKCON

Vaisnava Family Picnic @ Central Park

Please join the devotees of Radha Govinda Temple’s congregation for their second annual Vaisnava Family Picnic @ Central Park.  The afternoon of kirtan, elaborate prasadam and satsanga will begin @ 11am and will continue till 5pm.   The devotees will be setting up the picnic tables @ the 5th avenue and 63rd street entrance to the park.

Join them on Saturday August 9 2008 – 11am

Enter the park at 5th avenue and 63rd street.   If at all possible, try to use public transportation.

Your servants,
NY ISKCON

HH Navayogendra Swami back @ Radha Govinda Mandir

Please join us on Wednesday August 6 2008 for another lecture/kirtan program w/ HH Navayogendra Swami.  The program will begin, as usual, at 7:00pm with Gaura Arati, and then lecture by the Swami.
Prasadam will follow.
Your servants,

NY ISKCON