This is me.
I am a second generation Hare Krishna, living out the gold-edged days of my early twenties. I was born and brought up in the Bhaktivedanta Manor community and Gurukula (school) near London, England.
I write this blog to reflect. I write to remember. I write because I love to.
I live to sing and dance; to imagine and create; to laugh, to listen and to learn and most of all, to serve Lord Krishna.
I graduated from Middlesex University this year with a BA English Language and Creative Writing, and ever since I’ve been travelling all over the world with As Kindred Spirits, playing violin, singing and dancing – all as an expression of my love for kirtan.
Other places you can find me:
- www.flickr.com/photos/jahnavi
- Under a tree somewhere.
15 Comments
June 26, 2007 at 10:42 am
Career advice
Learn dance and music, teach it to others. Use your competency of language to write books and articles about things that you learnt. Or you can become a cultural reporter (probably for BBC), documenting about various cultures.
December 4, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I was just looking through some of your postings, very nice, you are a very good writer.
February 12, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Very pretty webpage by a very talented devotee.
March 3, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Kudos
March 13, 2008 at 1:49 pm
i wanted to use an image “changing bodies” in my book “Our God Our earth” being published for a non profit orgnization. I needed your permission. I will appreciated your help.
Shastri
May 21, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Your writings are impressive and so are your choice of photos.
I welcome you to write on http://www.spiritualnectar.com also and use your creativity to advise us on making the website better.
All the best in life.
Hare Krishna
P.S. One more thing – if possible popularise this free ISKCON Matrimonials on http://grihasta.ning.com
June 24, 2008 at 4:44 am
Haribol,
Nice talking to you with my fuzzy post kirtan mind. Here is gadadhara’s phone # gabrielfoley@gmail.com 510 593 4741.
Once I get your email I will send you a reminder again to pick up the DVDs for Gopal.
Thanks.
Nitai dasa
September 22, 2008 at 12:42 am
Haribol Jhanavi,
This is Saahithya writing from New Jersery. Quick question : I faintly remember reading a blog by you (lonnnng time ago) on a Simpsons cartoon having something related to our Vaishnava principles… I was wondering if you could send me that link that you had originally posted in that blog post. We were trying to use it in one of our presentations…
Thank you very much!
your servant,
saahithya
December 22, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Haribol,
I’ve written a response to Krishnakant’s “The Final Order”.
It can be found at:
http://www.youcanreadebooks.com/Response.html
Hare Krishna,
Thomas
January 19, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Hi – someone drew my attention to your recent posting about your birthright trip. You write beautifully and I hope you had a great time in Israel. I just wanted to point something out to you, since you appear to be devout in your commitment to hare krihnaism (if there is such a word:)) but you do not appear to have connected with any Jews who are devout in their commitment to authentic Judaism. Unfortunately, as you yourself mentioned in your blog, your trip to Israel seemed to put you in contact with Jews who are generally very disconnected from the observance of the Jewish religion (or Torah observance). Bear in mind that the majority of the soldiers in the IDF are raised in completely secular environments (they know about Jewish holidays because they are school holidays, that’s pretty much about it) and have no idea of the richness of spirituality within Judaism. I urge you to investigate more (on a spiritual and possibly logistical level) why you were born to a Jewish mother and what it means that you are Jewish under Torah law. What does it mean to be a Jew? Presently, Judaism is often viewed as a hereditary culture of sorts, but at the root there is Torah and all that comes with it, definitely worth checking into. There are some great articles on http://www.aish.com for your perusal (see, for example, http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/jewishsociety/Why_TIME_is_Right7._and_Wrong.asp). What interested me is that you describe yourself as a second gen hare krishna – I would love to know how many generations before you were practicing Jews on your mother’s side – may be impossible to find out at this point. (For example, are you certain that your mother was Jewish under Jewish law? (She would have to had have a Jewish maternal grandmother.))
Please note that I am not trying to “convert” you or patronise you, but I do believe you are part of my family and therefore I care about you without knowing you. I encourage you to delve more and not to let your Jewish experience be limited to your deep conversations with non-observant Jews, however poignant they were.
May you strive for truth in good health.
January 20, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Hi Lisa, thankyou so much for your sincere and interesting comments. I am touched that you took the time to write – most people that read this site are those that already know me or are also Hare Krishnas.
I appreciate what you said about Judaism. I greatly value and respect the Jewish faith, as I do all religions, and I feel that there is a special connection between all that try and follow a life of devotion to God, whatever name they call him. As such, I’m always interested to speak to other like minded people, as well as those who have less faith in God or religion. In fact, I was hoping that the Birthright experience would give me more opportunities to speak to more observant Jews – but I suppose it was the wrong experience for that.
My mother’s family is thoroughly Jewish as far as I’m aware. However, of her entire family (including extended family) she’s probably the most religious. She was, even before she began searching for answers beyond those given in the Torah. As for me, you’re right, I do feel very satisfied with my faith, but that doesn’t mean I am uninterested in the beliefs and practices of others. In my own small experience, there is more to find in common than to disagree on, and even that which we do differently can teach us something.
Again, I really appreciate your comments and I don’t feel patronised or preached to at all. I hope you find something interesting in my writing and that you will keep coming back!
All the best on your spiritual journey also…
January 23, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Dear Jahnavi,
Haribol,
May the sound of your conch be heard far and wide. Good Luck in your endevors- material and spiritual.
April 14, 2009 at 11:45 am
Hi Jahnavi
I find your site very interesting.
As a person, who has just started his journey towards Krishna, its refreshing to read such a very down to earth view point.
Im not sure, but i think i saw you at the Watford Temple, when his Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj gave a lecture.
I look forward to reading many more blogs from you.
May krishna bless you always
Hari Bol
April 16, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Hi There,
I was just going through the random blogs and found this one. After reading couple of posts, I must say that you are gifted. And you got such a beutiful name.
Last year I visited UK for the first time and I liked London very much.
take care and keep writing..
Thanks
May 25, 2009 at 8:34 am
wow.
realllly cool blog – stumbled on your blog after looking for more specific vedic painters. cool work, great insights.
neophyte devotee here – learning so much and just wanted to reach out and say hello and keep on keeping on.
cheers and be well.
jaya prabhupada,
j