September October 2020 - Radhadesh ENGLISH newsletter

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Radhadesh E-Newsletter

September - October 2020

DEAR READER, I hope you’ve all had some good holidays. It wasn’t a summer like we’d hoped, but still we, at Radhadesh, tried to make the best of it.

From the moment we reopened to the public, we were able to welcome a constant stream of tourists. Subject to a number of adjustments, such as the distribution of hand gel, wearing the mouth mask, and working with pre-registrations, we managed to give them all a good time.

All departments turned, and are still turning, at full speed so we can recover some of the lost income during the compulsory closure in the spring. Thank you to all those who care about Radhadesh!

In this newsletter we would like to give you an idea of how we experienced the summer at Radhadesh, as well as give you a glimpse of some new projects and workshops such as blockprinting, garland making and cooking.

See you soon!

We keep you updated via social media and mailouts On behalf of the Radhadesh community, your servant, Kim (ROSE-department)

LOOKING BACK AT THE SUMMER

FAMILY FUN WEEKEND

JANMASHTAMI

PRABHUPADA

Lecture on Radhastami, Montreal, August 30, 1968 So Rādhā, so Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer and He wants to enjoy. So He’s the Supreme Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything, ātmarāma, He can enjoy it in Himself.

Therefore Rādhārāṇī is the expansion of His pleasure potency. Kṛṣṇa hasn’t got to seek external things for His pleasure. No. He is in Himself full, ātmarāma. So Rādhārāṇī is expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the energetic, and Rādhārāṇī is the energy. Just like energy and energetic, you cannot separate. Fire and the heat you cannot separate. Wherever there is fire there is heat, and wherever there is heat there is fire. Similarly, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa there is Rādhā. And wherever there is Rādhāthere is Kṛṣṇa. They are inseparable.

But He is enjoying.

Now there is a very nice song. I shall sing if you can play on the harmonium. Yes. This is a Rūpa Gosvāmī’s song. (sings) rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite gokula-taruṇī-maṇḍala-mahite dāmodara-rati-vardhana-veśe hari-niṣkuta-vṛndā-vipineśe vṛṣabhānudadhi-nava-śaśi-lekhe lalitā-sakhī guṇa-ramita-viśākhe karuṇāṁ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-carite rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite This song was sung by Rūpa Gosvāmī. He is the real person, actual person, to understand Rādhāand Kṛṣṇa. So he says, “All glories to Rādhārāṇī.” Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite.

“She’s so dear to Kṛṣṇa.” Kṛṣṇa, everyone is trying to love Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is trying to love somebody. Now how great She is. Just try to understand. Everyone, the whole world, the whole universe, all living entities, they are trying to love Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema. Lord Caitanya describes, prema-pumārtho mahān. And Rūpa Gosvāmī described that “You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema.”

So kṛṣṇa-prema is so valuable, but Kṛṣṇa is after Rādhārāṇī. Just see how Rādhārāṇī is great.

Just try to understand the greatness of Rādhārāṇī. Therefore She is so great, and we have to offer our respect. Rādhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. How She is? Gokula-taruṇī-maṇḍalamahite. Taruṇī, taruṇī means young girls. You’ll see the pictures, they are all young girls.

But of all the young girls, She is the most beautiful. She is enchanting to the young girls also. She is so beautiful. Gokula-taruṇī-maṇḍala-mahite. Dāmodara-rati-vardhana-veśe.

And She always dresses Her so nicely that Dāmodara, Kṛṣṇa, becomes attracted by Her beauty. Hari-niṣkuta-vṛndā-vipineśe. And She is the only lovable object of Kṛṣṇa, and She is the queen of Vṛndāvana.

This queen of Vṛndāvana... You’ll find in Vṛndāvana, if you go to Vṛndāvana, everyone is worshiping Rādhārāṇī. Rāṇī means queen. They are always speaking, “Jaya Rādhe!”

Rādhārāṇī. All the devotees in Vṛndāvana, they are worshiper of Rādhārāṇī. Hari-niṣkutavṛndā-vipineśe. Vṛṣabhānudadhi-nava-śaśi-lekhe. And She appeared as the daughter of

King Vṛṣabhānu, and Her companion, Lalitā-sakhī and Viśākha-sakhī, and the devotees...

So on behalf of the pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa, Rūpa Gosvāmī is praying, karuṇāṁ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite. “Oh, my worshipable Rādhārāṇī, You are full of mercy. So I am begging of Your mercy because You are so merciful, very easily You offer, bestow Your mercy. So I am begging Your mercy.” Karuṇāṁ kurumayi karuṇā-bharite, sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-carite. Now somebody may say, “Oh, you are so great, learned scholar, you are so great saintly person, and you are begging mercy from an ordinary girl? How is that?” Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, “Oh, this is not ordinary girl.”

Sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-carite. “This girl’s description is possible to be made by great saintly persons like Sanaka-Sanātana. She is not ordinary.”

So the lesson is that we should not treat Rādhārāṇī as ordinary girl, or Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the dealings of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. And Rādhā’s the expansion of all the gopīs, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord.

Get to know us...

Madan Mohan Mohini devi dasi My name is Madana-mohana Mohini dasi and my primary service in Radhadesh is working at the Boutique. I came to Radhadesh over 10 years ago and ever since then, I was a pujari. Some three years ago I became engaged in our Temple shop. Ever since, I enjoy serving devotees and all our guests this way. When I was a very young bhaktin, I visited Krsna Balaram Mandir for the first time and saw the Temple shop there, I thought that it must be such a great way to serve! On one side there is a practical engagement, on another, one can see the Deities every day. Now, after many years, I think that’s how Krsna answered my prayer to Him. Radhadesh Boutique is one of the main departments in the Temple. Over the years, it developed immensely thanks to the incredible hard work of

many devotees. From a simple temple shop, opened on demand only and small in size, it runs now 7/7 with enlarged space for goods. It regularly engages few devotees and many volunteers. Most busy periods are summer holidays and many festivals that are organised regularly.

Our main customers are tourists visiting Ardens, local inhabitants as well as devotees. Our offer constantly improves due to growing demands, popular trends and fashion, all at the same time linked to the spiritual and cultural heritage of India.

We are never short of best quality of incense, perfumes, Deities and accessoires for puja, fabrics for house deco, books in few languages, fashionable clothes for women, men and children, silver jewellery, spices, souvenirs of all kinds, musical instruments, tibetan bowls, art pieces, toys, malas and much more! Our clients appreciate a lot of constantly growing bio foodstuff and cosmetic offers.

Our main source of products is of course India, although some things are coming from Europe or are made locally. Around winter time we go to Vrindavan to order best selling items again and to look for new proposals.

It is always very hard work, as in a few days only we have to purchase enough for the whole year! Then, around late spring, the new collection of a vast variety of products, is waiting for you!

For all news and updates you can follow us on social media or through Radhadesh website. And if you look there, you will discover our newly opened online boutique. It is still in developing stages but soon you can enjoy the best selection of our products, delivered at your doorstep.

SHRIMATI RADHARANI The Puranas relate a story concerning the divine appearance of Shrimati Radharani as follows. One day, Vrishabhanu Maharaja went to the bank of Yamuna at around noon to take a midday bath. At that moment he saw a golden lotus flower floating on the water and shining brightly like a thousand suns. Vrishabhanu immediately waded into the river and when he came near to the golden lotus flower, he beheld the most beautiful and radiant form of baby girl lying within the petals of the lotus.

At that same moment, Lord Brahma suddenly appeared there and speaking in a grave voice, informed Vrishabhanu that in his previous life, Vrishabhanu and his wife Kirtida had performed great austerities in order to get the consort of Lord Vishnu as their daughter. Lord Brahma told Vrishabhanu that this girl was the origin of the goddess Lakshmi and that he should take great care of Her. Lord Brahma then placed the baby girl in the arms of Vrishabhanu who became overjoyed, and after taking permission from Lord Brahma, returned to his home. Seeing the beautiful baby girl shining like millions of autumnal moons, mother Kirtida was overcome with joy and immediately arranged for all kinds of religious rites to be performed and donated thousands of cows to the brahmanas. At that time baby Radhika was placed in a gem-studded cradle and gently rocked back and forth by all the little girls of the village. Day by day Her luster increased just like the digits of the moon.

Within a short while it was observed that the baby girl made no noise and had not yet opened Her eyes. Vrishabhanu and his wife feared that their baby

girl was perhaps blind from birth and also dumb. At that time, Shrila Narada Muni visited the home of Vrishabhanu and informed him that regardless of the girl’s apparent blindness, they should continue with the birth celebrations.

Vrishabhanu therefore made elaborate arrangements for a lavish birth celebration and sent out invitations to all the residents of Ravala and Gokula and especially to his dear friend Nanda Maharaja and his family.

On the appointed day, the guests had assembled and the birth celebrations were going on in great jubilation. Nanda Maharaja and Yashoda Mayi had arrived with Rohini and also brought their small children Krishna and Balarama.

Kirtida met with Yashoda and told her that she was very happy to have such a beautiful daughter, but was feeling rather distraught because her child was both dumb and blind. Krishna had just passed His first birthday and was happily crawling around the courtyard on His hands and knees. Arriving at the cot in which Radhika was lying, Krishna held on to the sides and managed to lift himself up, He then peered into the cot where His gaze fell upon the beautiful moon-like face of baby Radhika. As soon as baby Radhika smelt the exotic fragrance of Krishna’s transcendental body, She immediately opened Her eyes for the very first time, and looked directly at Krishna, who was the first person that She had ever seen. As Krishna gazed lovingly at baby Radhika, He began smiling ecstatically. Radhika then suddenly began to cry and for the very first time she made a sound. Vrishabhanu and Kirtida, along with all the assembled Vrajavasis, were overjoyed to find out that their beloved daughter Radhika, was not blind nor dumb after all.

In the Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi it says. “So powerful is the glancing of Her eyes, that the flute slips from Krishna’s hands, His peacock crown starts to slip, and His yellow shawl becomes displaced as He swoons and falls to the ground.

Saying “alas, will I ever get the chance to serve with love and devotion such a person as Radharani.” [ An excerpt from “Vraja Mandala Parikrama And The Twelve Sacred Forests Of Vrindavana” by Rajeshekhar Dasa Brahmacari ]

TOUR PLUS PROGRAM To give visitors an even more enjoyable time at Radhadesh’s domain, we have been offering a tour plus program since July. This includes a guided tour, lunch at the restaurant (daily menu), and an extra activity. There is a choice of a yoga session, an art workshop, and a forest bath (a way to reconnect with nature).

This program is available on request, and we offer it for groups of 3 to 15 people.

An ideal way to spend time with friends, colleagues or family members!

More info can be found on the website (https://radhadesh.com/guided-tours/) or you can send an email to kim@radhadesh.com.

What is a forest bath?

Shinrin-yoku was developed in Japan in the eighties. Although people had been walking in the country’s forests for centuries, new studies showed that such activity could lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, and improve concentration and memory. A chemical released from trees and plants called phytoncides was found to strengthen the immune system. When more research revealed the benefits of shinrin-yoku, the Japanese government included it in the country’s health program.

“Bathing in the forest is an opportunity for people to take time, slow down and connect with nature. We think it can be part of the mix of activities for social prescription,” Stuart Dainton of the Woodland Trust told the observer. “Evidence of its benefits is building up.”

This is an ideal activity to reconnect with nature, to learn more about the plants and trees nature gives us, to slow down and improve your health.

TREASURE HUNT AT RADHADESH For those who’ve always wanted to learn more about the hidden secrets of the castle, this treasure hunt is an activity not to be missed on your next visit to Radhadesh!

Explore through a series of questions, find the right answers, and get a nice souvenir in return! The treasure hunt is available in 3 languages at the castle reception.

RADHADESH SOUVENIRS To complete the picture, we offer you the opportunity to go home with a beautiful tangible memory of Radhadesh. And there is something for everyone, big and small.

• Radhadesh A5 notebook made from 100% recycled material • Radhadesh castle puzzle (80 pieces) • Radhadesh cow puzzle (80 pieces) • Radhadesh mandala art therapy set • Radhadesh maha tea range

RADHA RED PLUM CHUTNEY

By Kurma dasa This delightful ISKCON urban myth has been a favourite on Radhastami Feast menus ever since the late 60’s when an alliteration-loving cook somewhere made up the name. Could have been the same chef who told us that Eggplant Balaram was Lord Baladeva’s favourite vegetable, and that Lord Gauranga loves his spuds.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but this cute-named chutney is delicious.

SERVES: 150 (Or keep it in your fridge for a week, for every day usage)

INGREDIENTS:

• butter, 500g • ground coriander, whole seeds finely ground fresh, 1/4 cup • freshly ground powdered cardamom seeds, 2 teaspoons • shredded fresh coconut, 2 cups • ripe red plums, or any variety, 10kg (before pitting) • sugar, 3 litres • raw authentic edible camphor crystals, 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

METHOD:

1. Pit the plums and chop 2. Heat the butter over low heat in a heavy 20 litre saucepan until it froths.

Add the coriander, cardamom and coconut. Sauté for one minute then add the plums. Raise the heat and bring the chutney to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until the plums lose their shape.

3. Add the sugar and continue to simmer uncovered for another 45 minutes or until the chutney is fairly thick and glazed, stirring occasionally. Add the camphor crystals and mix well.

4. Offer to Srimati Radharani with love and serve at room temperature

EXCITING NEW WORKSHOPS PLANNED IN RADHADESH! We have some exciting new workshops planned in Radhadesh!

To end this unusual year we are facilitating different workshops for you to enjoy a wonderful day full with activities in Radhadesh again.

From cooking to crafting, we have very unique courses planned for you and your friends. Make sure to reserve your place as soon as possible. We have limited spaces available.

Garland making workshop SUNDAY, 13 September 2020 11:00-13:30

Block printing workshop SATURDAY, 31 October 2020 15:00-19:00

Saree Draping Masterclass SUNDAY, 22 November 2020 11:00-15:00 Don’t miss out!

These are once in lifetime opportunities to learn new skills to be more creative.

Want to reserve a place?

RSVP through email ! kim@radhadesh.com