Here are a few pictures and a small report from yesterdays festivities at Bhaktivedanta Ashram (Govardhan Palace) situated at the lotus feet of Govardhan.

Gopiparanadhana Prabhu giving the morning Bhagavatam Class, while devotees listen attentively.

After Bhagavatam Class Bhurijana Prabhu did a dramatic reading of the Govardhan pastime from Ananda Vrindavan Campu by Srila Kavi Karnapura. You can see Govardhan in the Background, as well as the temple of Dhani Raya.

Here at Govardhan you get to bath the Giriraj directly.

Asit Krishna Prabhu, the manager of the Bhaktivedanta Ashram, directs the abhisekha. He is a very special devotee. When he was only 7 years old he announced to his family that he would leave home to worship Krishna. When he was a child he used to have dreams with Krishna, one time Krishna took him to a special place and told him to sit down there and chant japa, and Krishna left and told the Asit Krishna that He would return in a minute, but Krishna did not return, and then Asit Krishna started to experience intense anxiety due to separation from not seeing Krishna return, so much so that he could not breath, and then he woke up. Eventually he joined ISKCON, and moved here to Govardhan to serve Srila Tamala Krishna Maharaj, when he first arrived he went accros the street to pay his obeisances to Govardhan and when he looked up to his amazement he saw the exact spot that he had seen in his dream with Krishna so many years earlier.

After the abhisekha Govardhan is offered candan and Garlands and fed sumptously.

The Srimad Bhagavata Vidyampitham crew, headed by Nityananda and Damodara Gopal, holding down the kirtan.

Vaisesika Prabhu dancing in the kirtan. He is always enthusiastic and ecstatic to be around.

Some of the locals enjoying the festivities, and enjoying having their picture taken on a digital camera.

The day was really wonderful, it began with a Govardhan parikram, well half punchari side, then over to the Bhaktivedanta Ashram for lots of kirtan and katha, afterwards we went over to the hill and bathed Giriraj and did lots more kirtan, then we served all the vaishnava's prasada. By the time lunch was over I just stayed at the ashram, did a bit japa and joined Vaisesika Prabhu for his evening reading program from 5-7 (He does it everyday but this was the first day that I was able to attend, it was wonderful to have his association). After offering a lamp at the Ashram I went back to the school, and for one last dose of nectar read Bhagavatam with the Sarartha Dashini Commentary of Srila Visvanatha Charakravarti Thakkur, and then crashed out.

Giriraj Maharaj Ki Jaya!
Nija nikata nivasa dehi Govardhan tvam!

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