Once upon a time, in a land far, far away . . . where everything is made of chintamani – touchstone – and all the trees are desire trees, one very special Blue Boy appeared. His lotus-like eyes and charming smile capture the hearts of all who meet him. He is Lord Krishna, the Cause of all Causes, and we – the youth of Houston – decided to create an exhibition specifically meant to transport the viewer to that time when He appeared. Welcome to Discover Vrindavan, an expose of the major temple’s of Vrindavan Dhama that opened on Janmasthami Day, 2010, as our offering to Him. Inspired by a similar exhibit done by the Alachua youth, Jiv Jago came together with a similar dream of bringing a little bit more of the Holy Dhama to Houston. Showcasing the twelve major temples of Vrindavan, all hand-made by the Pillai family, along with live kirtan and interactive sessions for the kids, Vrindavan manifested within the hearts of all those that attended. That particular Janmashtami was one of the most inspiring, enlivening and heartwarming festivals that the majority of us youth had ever participated in.
Starting from early planning stages, where all of us got together to gather the information, to the actual construction of the Dhama, the whole community came together in support of our efforts. HG Radhakrishna Prabhu, our Youth Mentor and temple bramachari, HG Shyamasundar Prabhu, our Temple President, HG Mother Kalasudha, HG Gopinath Prabhu, and many more Vaishnavas all came to help in the painting and decorating of the temples. This great show of support from the senior members of the community really inspired us as youth, showing us that no matter what position, no matter what role one plays in this world, one should always give time to help others in service. Their mood of service is something that we can only hope to imbibe in our practice as devotees; their utter dedication to help nurture the fragile bhakti-lata- bija, the seed of devotion in our hearts, in the mood of complete surrender, continues to inspire us. Their love towards us could easily be seen in this instance and it really reinforced the standard of devotion that they want us to reach, and it helped us to realize just how fortunate we are to have such wonderful devotees as our guides, teachers, and mentors.
As time carries on, it will come down to us as youth to carry on Srila Prabhupada’s legacy. To know that such wonderful devotees are there to protect and guide us along the way is a great blessing. In everyone’s face we could see a special glow, an inner happiness that is only present in those who truly feel connected to their inner selves, in those who have “come home.” Amid the ecstatic kirtan and the general electrifying atmosphere, many new comers were able to Discover Vrindavan. Starting with the Gopishvara Mahadev Mandir, showcasing a specially made Kaliya Ghat, and going all the way to Krishna Balaram Mandir in Raman Reti, the ‘Spiritual Tourists’ were able relish a bite of the fruits of devotional life. In the temple room, especially at the Midnight Darshan of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Nila-Madhava, amid the rambunctious “Nanda Bayo” Kirtan lead by HG Dwarakanath Prabhu, the devotee’s were given a chance to really enter into the mood of Janmashtami.
Great eagerness and desire to see the Lord manifested in the hearts of all those assembled. Once the curtains opened, it blossomed, most beautifully. With devotees rushing to get their Lordships’ Darshan, eagerly shoving and jumping, standing on their tip-toes, and parents holding their children on their shoulders to see their eternal Mother and Father, it was obvious that the seed of devotion had been firmly planted. And as the Houston community grows and flourishes, so shall this seed continue to be nurtured and we as Jiv Jago hope that, through the projects like these, we can help Caitanya Mahaprabhu water this seed.
-Swathi Murali
