OUR VISIT TO THE GOLDEN TEMPLE IN VIRGINIA

Devotees of the Sanatan Dharma Mandir of New York took a bus trip to the Golden Temple - The New Vrindavan - in West Virginia in the second week-end of June. Long trip, tiring at times, but with plenty of beautiful sceneries on the way to re-invigorate the human spirit.

This spiritual retreat is located in the depth of huge mountains, covered with luscious trees and plants, far away from civilization as we know it.

Here's a contrast: while in regular communities, to a large extend, people live to satisfy all their material desires and wants, at the New Vrindavan community, the folks' lives are dedicated to serving the Supreme Consciousness, in the form of Lord Krishna.

Some observations: Devotees at the Golden Temple seems to eat, breathe, in essence, they live for Lord Krishna. They all have their jap malas and chant the Maha Mantra constantly, so their minds are focused on the Lord almost all the time. It's an amazing phenomenon.

They dress the Lord in beautiful, rich, elaborate clothing every day during lengthen ritual ceremonies, starting in the wee hours of the mornings, at 5:00 AM, behind the screens of the altars, (the public are not allowed to view this ritual and rightly so). Simultaneously, devotees who are present inside the mandir, are allowed to perform the Tulsi aarti with a Tulsi plant in the center of the mandir.

At the same time, other devotees of the temple (many of them are white Americans) started milking the cows, which is a special ritual. The cows at the temple are milked twice a day, in the mornings and at 6:00 PM in the afternoons.

Members also grow organic vegetables and herbs in two gardens on the compound, so, they are almost self-sufficient.

The New Vrindavan is a holy retreat where people can go and contemplate, meditate and relax, and at the same time, ponder on the true purpose of life, if they don't already understand it.

We had a marvelous time, with little sleep but hey, the upliftment of the human spirit is a priceless experience.

Some photos of our trip...

Beautiful Lord Krishna and Radha Rani on June 13th...

Breath-taking view from the Golden Temple.

The 'puran' leaves in a pond at the compound.

Radhe-Krishna, resplendant on June 12th...

Part of the group from Sanatan Dharma Mandir.

Beautiful swan floating with Radhe-Krishna in the night in the lake.

Some of the ladies, nicely dressed from the mandir



Perfect symmetry of reflection in water...

I sat on a memorial bench...