I felt so happy walking out of my morning lecture today. Believe me, that’s something to write about. Normally it’s two Powerpoint filled hours on a cold Friday morning I could do without (were it not a requirement to pass my degree of course). But today, something was special. For one thing, the overhead projector [...]
Entries from October 2008
October 29, 2008
Snow-vardhana
Today was covered in snow, frozen hard overnight into stiff clumps on lawns and windscreens, but at the temple, the warmth of Vrindavan permeated the air as we gathered to celebrate Govardhan Puja. I often wonder whether I should explain what these festivals are on this blog. Most of the time, I conclude not, since [...]
October 28, 2008
Swagatam Dear Rama…
Tonight we welcome home Lord Rama from his years of exile in the forest. As the inhabitants of Ayodhya did thousands of years ago, small lamps are placed on the ledges and rooves of every house to light his way home.
Last year on Diwali, I was lucky to be in Vrindavan. The night was truly [...]
October 28, 2008
Taka Dhimi Ta
Totally exhausted – Tulasi and me at midnight on Saturday.
At last, after weeks of rehearsals, culminating in a week of three hours every evening, until 10.30 at night – we performed our annual school dance show. It was long – a three hour show that finished with a dance drama of the Dasavatara. It went [...]
October 26, 2008
Global Kartik Kirtan: Live from London!
Attending the 24 hour kirtan this year in New Vrindavan was an amazing experience, and I was really excited therefore, when I heard that another 24 hour kirtan event on an even grander scale was being planned to take place during this holy time of Kartik.
The ‘Global Kartik Kirtan’ has been masterminded by Krishna Devata, [...]
October 23, 2008
Simplicity – The Ultimate Sophistication
I wrote this piece a few weeks ago for the Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter and thought I’d post it here for posterity’s sake. It’s always hard to write articles that are intended to instruct without coming across as preachy. I feel it’s even harder for me, as I’m definitely in no position to instruct – in [...]
October 16, 2008
Capturing the Vision
Crisp and bright
Each new evening presents itself
Earlier than the last
Tonight, a rare, ripe moon
Looming full above the trees, as if through binoculars.
This month, life is syncopated in a different way-
Days no longer filtered through the frenetic mesh of Facebook and mindless TV,
but loud with leaves of lemon yellow and windblown light.
In the chilled darkness of [...]
October 9, 2008
Testing, testing (in honour of Lord Rama).
I’m trying to figure out the best way of sharing audio on this blog. I just signed up to a website that hosts free media content, but I can’t upload much. Oh well. The search continues. For now, here’s an old recording of the bhajan ‘Sri Rama’. I’m playing it on our piano in the [...]
October 9, 2008
Ravana Meets His Match
The deities looked so beautiful this morning. The sun streamed in from the skylight, glinting off the golden domes and Lord Rama’s bow and arrow. A packed temple room listened with rapt attention for almost two hours as Radhanath Swami narrated the story of how Rama came to be in battle with Ravana, and of [...]
October 5, 2008
Sacred Vibration
I came upon this plaque on the floor of the upper terminal of St Pancras International Train Station. It was completely renovated a couple of years ago when the Eurostar moved, and they designed the inside beautifully to harmonise with the Victorian Gothic architecture of the rest of the original station. This line of poetry, [...]
