Sri Radha's Festival Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the feast-day of Srimati Radharani. We hope you'll be able to join us.

Traditionally on this day, Radha-Madhava wear an outfit made entirely of fresh flowers. This is a delight to behold and on no account should be missed! Syama and her team of merry maidens will be working late into the night to make it, with flowers kindly given by a local florist.

The evening celebrations for Sri Radhastami are as follows:

5.00 p.m. - Songs, and *Kirtan,
6.00 p.m. - Talk
6.30 p.m. - Temple ceremony and *Kirtan
7.00 p.m. - Gifts and Feast

*Kirtan - Musical chanting of sacred mantras.

Please scroll down to find out more about Srimati Radharani.

Jaya Radhe!

In the streets of Vrindavan - Krishna's birthplace - people commonly greet each other "Jaya Radhe! Jaya Radhe!" - Glory be to Sri Radha! They know Radharani as their dearest friend!

Srimati Radharani represents the feminine principle of God; together She and Krishna comprise the Absolute Truth. Radhika is Krishna's eternal consort. Her special qualification is that She is His best devotee and Her only pleasure is to give Him pleasure. Krishna therefore loves Her the most. On Her festival day, we especially ask Her to re-awaken our dormant love for Krishna, and to show us how to serve Him.

In our chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra - we call on Radharani in the word "Hare". Hara is another name for Sri Radha and Hare means "Oh, Radha! O energy of the Lord!" We chant Her name first in the mantra, as She is so dear to Krishna that this is an easy way to get His attention!

"Radharani is a tenderhearted, feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krishna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee's admittance into His association".—Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavatam 2.3.23

Painting by Jadurani devi dasi. Her website is here: http://www.bhaktiart.net/?page=index&action=products&ctg_id=14

Final Janmastami Picture!

Before we move on to other topics - one last picture of the Divine Couple, from Janmastami 2006. And a verse to accompany it, from Srila Bilvamangala Thakura.

"The transcendental body of Krishna is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter. But His soft smile, which has the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still!"

Who, that knows Krishna, could disagree!

This photo was taken by Padma-malini, who has recently qualified as a teacher and begins her first job as an art-teacher, this term. We wish her all success in her new career!

Radha-Madhava Take Their Bath

Bengali pujari Shyam-vigraha attends Radha-Madhava in Their bathing ceremony. Their Lordships are actually bathed everyday, but not for public viewing and usually only with water.

Interesting Note: Why was Krishna born into this world, five-thousand years ago? He is described in the scriptures as aja -unborn, as He is the First Cause, from which both spiritual and material worlds emanate. But He kindly descends to earth when religious principles are in decline, and the world is troubled by impious people. He then reestablishes the path of spiritual life, so that those who are interested can follow it and return to our spiritual home. (Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 4. Verses 7 & 8). But even while here on earth, His body is entirely spiritual and not made of matter, like ours.

Krishna's Birthday Bath

One of the highlights of Janmastami is Krishna's bathing ceremony (abhisheka). For the only time in the year, Madhava leaves His altar with Sri Radha, to be bathed with milk and honey. All the while, His devotees keep up melodious singing of devotional songs and chanting of His holy names; the more enthusiastically they sing, the more beautiful the Lord appears, as drops of rose-scented water sparkle over His golden form.

Here Sri Madhava is pictured before His bath, wearing garlands of dates, figs and dried apricots. These are distributed to the audience afterwards, and are highly coveted!

Janmastami 2006, Belfast.

A picture of Radha-Madhava on Janmastami Day. The new silken outfit was designed and made by Shyama, with help from Kate.

Artistically dressed and decorated by Padma-malini.
Flower-garlands by Sandra.

Janmastami

It seems a good idea to start these Chronicles with the recent festival of Janmastami. This is the biggest festival of the year in the Gaudiya-Vaishnava calendar - sort of equivalent to Christmas for the Christians, as it celebrates Krishna's birth in our world, some five-thousand years ago.

We observe this festival by fasting until midnight; although we hardly notice this, as we're so fully engaged all day - from 4.00.a.m. - chanting, dancing, reading about Krishna's astonishing pastimes, cooking dainty dishes for His pleasure, cleaning and decorating the temple with festoons and flowers, and receiving the many guests who arrive to join the celebrations. At midnight there is a jubilant Kirtan (chanting-session with musical instruments) before the Deities of Radha-Madhava, and then everyone partakes of the various cooked offerings which were made throughout the day - a big feast!

Note of Interest: Janmastami is a Sanskrit word, composed of two smaller words - janma meaning 'birth' and astami meaning 'eight'. Krishna was born on the eighth day of the lunar month. This means that His feast-day falls on a different day every year in our Georgian calendar; this year it fell on 16th August.

Hare Krishna