Dear Devotees:
Hare Krsna! Please accept my most respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.All glories to your services.
What an AMAZING festival! Its not me who is saying, this statement is coming from the heavens :) The demigods are showering flowers at all of you for puting together such a wonderful festival for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Kujabhiari ji!
We wanted to put our observation about the festival in few words for the pleasure of all the devotees and express our heartfelt appreciation for all the services rendered.
When we arrived Saturday morning, we couldn't wait to see all the devotees. When we arrived at Swapnil Prabhu and Shephali Mataji's house we saw every one engrossed in their respective service. Shephali Mataji and Dipti Mataji were busy cooking the dinner prasadam for the devotees. Swapnil Prabhu and Sanjay Prabhu busy working on the CDs. Shankararanya Prabhu and his team of devotees working on the alter. What a sight to behold, everyone working together for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. Shankararanya Prabhu told me how the devotees have worked so hard to put the alter together and that one Tanvi Mataji, Shephali Matajis friends had helped a lot in putting together the alter and inspite of her pregnancy, how Tejasvini Mataji had worked so hard in making all the arrangments for the alter. What a dedication!. Shephali Mataji and Dipti Mataji prepared some nice Bhel Puri for everyone. We just felt so much at home. Bloomington is our second home anyways :) Then we were eager to move on to the next destination the abode of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura Hari where Vrindapati Prabhu his wife and others were busy making preparations for the Prasadam. When we arrived there, we saw Vrindarani Mataji as usual enthusiatically performing her services with the help of other matajis. Vrindapati Prabhu servered us some nice hot Pav Bhaji Prasadam, We just ate and ate and ate. Vrindapati Prabhu very lovingly engaged me in some menial services, although I was trying my best to escape it a conditional soul like me is always trying to run away from Krsna's services, but devotees are so kind that they bring us back to our original service. Service to Krsna! We then left that place and came back to where the devotees where working on alter. Although it was so late I didn't see any sort of tiredness or anyone not wanting to do any services. Everyone was blissfully engaged in their respective service. I was then on to my service of putting Gaurangi to sleep in the process I also fell asleep :) When I woke up, it was morning.
The first anxiety for many devotees on the festival day is to get their chanting of 16 rounds done as there will not be time during the day as everyone will be engaged in so many services. So many devotees stayed in their respective homes and finished their rounds in the morning and then I was onto Vrindapati Prabhu's place to work with him on the final preparation. While we were discussing my phone rang and to my surprise it was a call from HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj from New York. I felt like a dejavu, as last year something similar happened when I was discussing the details about Janmasatami with one devotee, Maharaj had called. Maharaj gave us his profuse blessings for the success of this event and he was remembering each and every devotee he knows. Then shortly there after Shankararanya Prabhu arrived and we continued our discussion about the event and then as usual Krsna has his ways to put devotees in anxiety, there was some confusion about the sound system not working properly so Shankaranaya Prahbu had to leave and get that sorted out, we found out later that things are in control. I was busy working on my talk for the evening, while I was doing that I could hear the matajis in the kitchen who were cooking prasadam for the evening event, singing the Hare Krsna Maha mantra while they were doing their cooking service. It was very pleasing to here them sing. We had lunch prasadam at Vrindapati Prabhu's place which was very nicely prepared by Shephali Mataji. Then everyone rushed to the load the Uhual van for transporation. All the prabhus were gathered there. Our Baba Prabhu has this service every year to rent the van and take full responsibilites of transporation and he does this so WELL. We all hurried to the Center so we could arrange everything on time. When I arrived there devotees were already busy decorating and arranging everything. Pani Prabhu and his wife had the service of bringing the deities Sri Sri Radha Kunjabhiri from Chicago, they had already arrived. When the alter was ready for them to reside, we brought the deities inside the hall. Shankararanya Prabhu led some nice kirtan for their pleasure. Devotees were so much in the mood of service, I remember so many devotees coming to me asking for more service, especially Arvind Prabhu, he was so full of energy willing to do anything asked of him.
The event opened with singing of the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra by Vrindarani Mataji, then Shephali Mataji led and then Vrindapati Prabhu led the Nrshima Prayers to remove any obstacles on our path for the success of the event. Vrindapati Prabhu did a fine Job of making the guests comfortable he made the initial announcements and explained everyone about the schdeule. He garlended Sunil Madhava Prabhu our special guest, the Ex- Temple President of our Chicago temple. He spoke few words of appreciation and about the event. Guests were slowly coming to the event and the hall was getting filled up. The best part of the event was our Drama so wonderfully directed by Shankararanya Prabhu, we decided to do this when the house is full. So we switched the play to the end and the lecture before the play. The Drama was the highlight of the event, each and everyone did a fantastic job, Vikas-Devotee,Prakash- Kali, Baba-Greed, Anubhava-Madness (Yippe), Shrikant- Fascination, Sharad- Envy, Seenu-Anger and the lethal weapon Lust(is must) - Girish. Shanakararanya Prabhu you really put out a great show in the form of this play. The moment the play was over all the actors had to rush to perform the seva of Prasadam distribution. I personally witnessed some amazing enthusiasiam from all the devotees thruout the festival. Arvind Prabhu in the end approached me and mentioned as to how happy and blissful he was doing the menial services asked of him.
We personally want to thank each and everyone for doing everything you have done to put out a great show.
Unlimited Gratitude and thanks to Vrindapati Prabhu and his wife Vrindarani Mataji for managing the overall cordination of the festival and prasadam.Special Thanks and gratitude to Shankararanaya Prabhu and Dipti Mataji for inspiring everyone to work on the alter and the drama and putting together the childrens programs
Our sincere and unlimited gratitude and thanks to Vikas Prabhu and Krishna Mataji for their extra ordinary services that they have rendered year after year, festival after festival. They are a storehouse of energy.Swapnil Prabhu and Shephali Mataji, Thanks for working on the CDs and preparing prasdam for devotees and yes, thanks to Anaya for keeping everyone entertained :)Dhananjay Prabhu and Tejasvini Mataji our special gratitude and thanks for doing everything you have done on the alter front and many other services that you have performed during the festival, especially opening the doors of our home so we could mess it :)Sharad Prabhu and Swati Mataji, Special Gratitude for your sacrifice that you did inspite of your sick daughter. You will always be remembered for this, as without you the crowd would have missed out on this most deadly enemy within (ENVY).Prakash Prabhu, Seenu Prabhu, Shrikant Thank you very much for everything you all have done. Very soon we will have a new addition to our yatra, keep guessing, or ask Prakash Prabhu.Randhir Prabhu, Dulari Mataji as always no matter what these 2 devotees are always there for any service asked of them. Our unlimted gratitude to both of you for everything you have done.Anubhava Prabhu and his wife Thanks for everything
Sunil Prabhu, Thank you very much for all your hardwork.Arvind Prabhu and Sindhu Mataji - Gratitude and heartfelt thanks for your helping with cooking prasadam and the services you rendered at the hall.Tarun Prabhu and his wife - Gratitude and special thanks for your enthusiasm in rendering various services.Girish Prabhu and Shweta Mataji - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!Sachin Prabhu and his wife - Haribol Prabhu, Thank you for everything. We will miss you next year.
Sanjay Kundu and his family Thanks for your wonderful services.
Special Thanks to Rajeev Makhija Prabhu, Vrindapati Prabhu mentioned how he has so enthusiastically come forward and done many many services for the event.
Lastly, Special Thanks to Vinod Prabhu for managing the sound system and providing the collar mikes for the drama.
I am sure I might have missed many in the list, but our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all those heros who did a lot of service in the background.
Finally we our offer our Unlimited Gratitude to our Spiritual Master H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaj who has saved us and kept us engaged in his service and Unlimited Gratitude to the saviour of the whole world Srila Prabhupada for engaging all of us in these services so we can get a drop of attraction to the most beautiful divine couple Sri Sri Radha Gopinathji and perfect our lives.
Let us all examine our hearts and see deep within "Have I developed some attraction for the lord and his devotees after this festival". The real success of this festival is when we have developed some faith and attraction to hear and sing the glories of Sri Sri Radha and Gopinathji! Haribol!
Please forgive us for such a Loooooooooooong email and bore you.
All glories to all the devotees of Madhuban Bhakta Vrinda!
Your most insignificant servantsBalarama dasKishori Lila devi dasiGaurangi & Nityananda
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