I Love Cows

My 3 year old daughter is learning farm animals at school this week. The kids have been tasked with making a poster of their favorite farm animal. We chose cows of course. Check out our pop up poster :) Hopefully the love we have for cows will rub off a bit on others at the school.

8 years later but i'm back!

Wow I can’t believe that the last time I blogged was 8 YEARS AGO! My gosh, to me it seems just a few years since those happy days but time has certainly flown by and my life has completely changed! I so miss my care free single days…all that time… endless, endless time to think and introspect and to… frankly… do whatever the hell I liked!! Lol.

Anyway let me catch you up…

As always it has to do with a guy… I got to know my husband from about 2010…awesome guy! We got married in 2012, had our one and only child in 2014 and 3 years since here I am!

Well marriage is one thing… your life gets a little topsy-turvy but child bearing…another world altogether! Well in my case anyway. It took me a good few months almost a year to adjust to having this beautiful life in front of me for every minute of my time and being completely and utterly controlled by her. The biggest lesson I am learning is selflessness …I’ve gotta long way to go yet. But its getting easier perhaps it is because I am getting more time for introspection as appose to just tending from one need to another until exhaustions takes over! Shew! Being a mum is no joke but you do have a sense of wonder that how such an incredible being came from you. It’s a beautiful miracle.

Krishna is kind to me despite my consistent shortcomings I pray He brings me closer and closer to His lotus feet which are the only place where I will ever be truly and wholly happy. My life is His I just need to make my every thought and deed show that. 

Christmas weekend with the best spiritualists!

I couldn’t have had a merrier Christmas weekend then attending HH Giriraj Swami’s vyasapuja!

We arrived in Durban on Friday morning and after spending a whole afternoon deeply engrossed in maya (the hotels’s one-eyed guru) we quickly changed in to our devotional attire and sped of to the beautiful temple of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath.

Oh that temple is special and such an oasis of spiritual energy. This night was a kirtan night with HH BB Govinda Maharaja and the sweetest kirtanya I’ve come across …HG Madhava Prabhu! I got roped in to making garlands for the senior devotees for the vyasapuja the next day. Was so happy to see one the garlands I made on HH Giriraj Maharaja the next day…perhaps the perfection of my life? If only my devotional service was pure in heart! My Lord I beg for Your mercy…

What a kirtan!!! I love Krishna Consciousness! I’m so thankful for these amazing experiences that make you chant with sincerity even where no sincerity exists such is the power of chanting with the devotees of the Lord. Gazing at Radha Radhanatha my heart filled with a longing to attain pure, unmotivated service to Their gorgeous lotus feet. My Lord I beg for Your mercy…

The next day was the vyasapuja. Giriraj Maharaja is a special soul, even I who am covered so deeply in maya can recognise a bit of Maharaja’s splendour. The Japa retreat that I attended few weeks back (will blog on that shortly) was the first time I really got to listen to Maharaja speak. ..oh and sing…really heart rendering to hear Maharaja’s slow carefully articulated prayerful singing of Jaya Radha Madhava. How can my heart not change in such association? …Why does my heart change so slowly?!

Several senior devotees spoke in appreciation of Maharaja and the loving dealings Maharaja displays with all these devotees are really, really nice. He is truly an exemplary devotee…so much so that it brings tears to my eyes to find that there are such people in this world and how much I would like to be such a soul!

HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj gave Maharaja a specially made bead bag and HH Govinda Maharaja gave Maharaja a japa bead and some thread form a jacket of Madhava Pandits beads from the Gopinatha Temple in Jaipur! Wow! There is so much appreciation coming from these God brothers of Maharaja. I can not imagine how much love they have for Maharaja ...With just a few days association I am affected by Maharaja how much more must these pure souls be affected with all the association they have had.

Maharaja’s key note address was so enriching …one thing that stood out was that a study was done that you will like people that YOU are nice to. Normally we like people who are nice to us but actually if you are nice to people you will like them. Other points: Krishna consciousness is love disguised as philosophy. Have faith and be like the wise Chinese farmer. Maharaja spoke about so mane things ..Srila Prabhupada’s ever so merciful nature who always said TRY to do this or that always protecting his devotees because he know if he says you much do like this and we can not then it will not be good for us but if he says try then at least we can try and like that get the benefit for following the instruction. Srila Prabhupada you are so compassionate!

Attending Vyasapuja’s always reminds me more strongly of my own spiritual master who is also a soul like no other. Dearest Gurudev, My loving obeisances at your Lotus feet! Please don’t forsake your poor disciple. Please continue showering your mercy upon me and grunt me with the intelligence to accept it in the best possible way.

All glories all glories to the lotus-like devotees of the Lord!! Please may I be surrounded by such souls for all of eternity. Please may my heart be pure and surrendered that I may always value their sweet association. Please may my intelligence be purified that I may fully take advantage of their sublime associations. Dear Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the constant companion of beautiful Radharani, I submit these prayers at Your lotus feets. Please show mercy on this poor fool.

Jai Sri Krishna! Jai Sri Radhe!

Jai Srila Prabhupada!

Jai Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!

Some purification for you, Sitala devi dasi…

Lenasia Ratha Yatra is normally a blissful time spent engaging in uninterrupted service…this year it was a little different…my service changed and with it came difficult people to deal with. Who likes to be screamed at, confronted with such passionate energy! Not me…but that’s what I got. Actually it wasn’t so bad…I got a tough skin despite my quiet nature but still couldn’t help the down spirits and sombre mood.

I found my solace in friends, friends that I have been engaging in service with for so many years that I always took somewhat for grunted. Thank you spirit souls for allowing me shade in your calm easy going service. No service is like the service done with you all.

May I be blessed by kindness of friends and shelter of my spiritually amazing family always.

Please may Srila Prabhupada grunt this poor fool with guidance and more and more service on this sublime, ecstatic path.

Jaggannath Ratha Yatra ki jai!!!!!!!!!!!

Wake up, it’s time to wake up, come on now, wake up, wake up sleeping souls…

Nothing sweeter than kirtan and that’s what we got at this years KB Mela... sweet, sweet kirtan kirtan ... and more fabulous KRITAN! This the second annual KB Mela. The tradition started with the Krishna Balarama Youth Group bringing Gaura Vani as kindred spirits to SA. Last year we were introduced to Gauravani, Vrindarani, Ananta, Rasa Acarya, Jahnavi and Akincana. That was good. This year …oooh words fail me!

This year a 4 day Mela was held on which the first day had Lokanatha Maharaja in attendance. HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja and HH Bhakti Nrsinga Maharaja were also around for about half the retreat. The kirtanyas were from AKS: Ananta, Achutya Gopi, Jahnavi and Gaura Vani. From the Mayapuris: Visvambar, Vrinda and Krishna Kishore. And then oh my Gosh, oh my Gosh, oh my Gosh …the legendary Madhava Prabhu and his wife!! Plus Purushartha Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada.

Not only are these devotees incredible kirtan leaders and incredible dancers but they are incredible people too. So down to earth, so affectionate, so friendly, so game for anything and so full of energy!

Acutya Gopi, besides for a sensational voice, on kartels she could put away our best SA kartel players easy peasy. Ananta is the humblest big brother. Jahnavi is sweetness personified. Vishvambar has some amazing tunes and with so much love described the Holy Name as a deity and how it is dressed up with the different tunes and instruments and how some like to dress simply while other like fancy. Gauravani the man keeping things together. Kish funny guy and incredible flute and mrdanga player. Vrinda sho! Awesome dancer. Madhava Prabhu…wow he is just so humble and so in to what he is singing how can you not be drawn in closer and closer and closer to the holy name!!!how???? not possible! And Purushartha Prabhu..kind gentle soul with a lot of spunk on the guitar.

I wonder what next year’s festival is going to be like :o) bolo bhai.. GAURA NITAI!



My family enjoying morning in the sun before breakfast

HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj conducting a totally cool Srimad Bhagavatam class where he got a whole group of guys to perform the Denukasura pastime impromptu

nightly kirtans in the tent by the river Vaal...oh and don't forget our friendly mosquito guests!

Gaura Vani Prabhu!

Ananta Govinda Prabhu!

Madhava Prabhu!

Jahnavi!

Kirtan after the kirtan on the boat

kirtan on the boat

super cool mrdanga and dance performance by the mayapuries

awesome!

Riding through on a flatbed truck

Last weekend devotees from far off Newlands, Durban, arrived at our temple to hold a MAHA Food for Life. A mix of young and old… it was inspiring just to look at these devotees. Some of these devotees have been around for really, really long and have such attractive and humble personalities. On Saturday we heard the Srimad Bhagavatam class by Pundarik Vidyanidhi Prabhu…all about service and loyalty to guru. How nice! :o)

On Sunday mum, Sudevi and I joined the devotees in Putfontein for the distribution of the 6 huge pots of biryani that the devotees made early that morning. Putfontein is an African township, driving through bumpy dirt roads, with the help of Satyaki Prabhu we met up with the devotees.

The harinaam started down the road turning off in to an informal settlement with one flatbed truck for the kirtan party and another with the prasadam while the rest of the devotees followed on foot. Following on foot was quite an experience as we trudged through wet, muddy, slippery paths in our slippers!

We had the surprise presence of HH Bhakti Nrsinga Swami who led the kirtan. If there is one thing African people like its dancing! I don’t think devotees have ever been here before and the people were filled with deep appreciation for the prasadam being served. As we were going along different devotees were handing out small maha mantra cards and personally teaching people how to chant. So amazing!! All glories to these devotees!

Before long we were going deeper into the settlement which meant muddier paths and more intoxicated people..eek! :o) the devotees insisted that Sudevi and I get on to the truck for our safety. Looking at each other our thoughts were mirrored in each others faces – how are we going to get on to such a high truck?! Well that was quickly solved by one Prabhu simply lifting my up and putting me on while another assisted Sudevi up. Sitting on the prasadam truck (our saris completed soiled!) was really nice… young African kids got up on to the bus as well and we could hear them singing the maha mantra off the cards :o)

All glories to the Lords sweet Holy names! All glories to the assembled devotees! All glories to Krishna prasadam!

All glories all glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

How are we to meditate?

Jaya Jagannatha Jaya Jagganatha Jaya Syamasundar Jaya Jagannatha!
Jaya Baladeva Jaya Baladeva Jaya Rohininandan Jaya Baladev!
Jaya Subadra Jaya Subadra Jaya Yoga Maya Jaya Subadra!
Jaya Jagganatha Jaya Jagganatha Jaya Baladeva Jaya Subadra!

Lenasia Ratha Yatra is less than a month away and to inspire us in our service to the Lord of the universe HG Govardhan Prabhu gave the Sunday Program class. During the introductory kirtan Prabhu sang the above and it was reeeeally sweet! Jai Jagannatha!

Prabhu is an ocean of transcendental knowledge and gently rebuked us for not knowing so many important things. How are we to meditate on the Lord and His devotees if we don’t know these things? Knowledge truly is power if we listen, read and absorb carefully how much more potent will our sadhana and remembrance of the Lord will be.

Prabhu read a letter of an old class mate of Jayananda Prabhu who came to Durban South Africa at the same time that the Ratha Yatra took place. So much this person learnt of his old friend and how much inspiration the devotees got from meeting a friend of Jayananada Prabhu.

A truly inspiring class where I wish to go deeper in my Krishna Consciousness. I beg the Lord to kindly guide me in the process of Krishna consciousness…it is the only important thing in the world and everything else must compliment that. Please my dear Lord, I am blind and have no sense of what is wrong and what is right you please, please guide this poor fool in the proper direction. The pure service to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga is the core of my desires; please don’t let my material desires and circumstances take that away!

Jai Jagannath! Jai Baladev! Jai Subadra!