Gaura Purnima 2011

Happy Gaura Purnima and Happy Holi, all of you!

Gaura Purnima marks the birthday and appearance of our dear Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. There was a nice celebration here today for Gaura Purnima. I stepped into the Sindhi Hall and I could hear some verses being chanted. I climbed the stairs to get to the second floor. The chanting was getting louder and clearer. As I climbed the stairs, I realized that the glorious Bramha Samhita was being chanted. Oh, my heart longed to go closer and closer! I found my pace quicken as I climbed the stairs.

Janmashtami 2009

Vaishnavas all over the world eagerly waited for the appearance day of their dear Kanha which fell on August 14th 2009. It's 2 days past now but I have still not gotten over the beauty of the Janmashtami festival.

For a quick overview on Janmashtami Today, it is the festival where people climb on top of one another, making a human pyramid to break the "dahi-handi" or "pot of yogurt" which is hung on a string tied to and from building tops. This is one of Krishna's pastimes enacted on the day of his birth. His birth too is a great story. Devaki and Vasudeva were locked in a prison cell because Devaki's cousin brother, Kamsa, was destined to be killed by Devaki's 8th son. So he ordered that all her children be killed upon birth. But when Kanha was born of divine birth, Vasudeva was instructed to