New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban started the New Year with a colorful, lively, family-friendly Nityananda Trayodasi celebration on Sunday Feb. 1. Snow covered the ground all over New Vrindaban, but that didn’t stop many devotees from bundling up and carefully driving down to the temple for bhajans at 10:30 Sunday morning.

Bhakta Cold

The sweet sounds of Nityananda bhajans – “Boro sukher kabor gai” and “Akrodha paramananda nityananda raya” and others – filled the air, serenading the Deities and devotees. Then at 12 noon, the big, wooden Deity doors rumbled open to reveal Their Lordships, small Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, standing gracefully on a small podium, ready for Their abhishek. Everyone was amazed, watching the thick, syrupy honey poured luxuriously over Their Lordships’ forms, followed by yogurt, water, and other auspicious liquids infused with all sorts of sweet-smelling oils. It was a treat for the eyes and heart.

Lord Nityananda’s Abhishek

During the Lord’s arotik, a mellow kirtan was led by some of New Vrindaban’s most melodious singers.

Nityananda Bhajan Bliss

Then, the devotees listened with rapt attention to His Holiness Varsana Maharaj relating intimate pastimes of Lord Nityananda and His associates, narrated with great love, as Maharaj always does.

Varsana Maharaj gives Class

All of these festivities culminated in a well-attended and sumptuous feast in honor of Lord Nityananda, the one whose name means “eternally blissful”; the one who is the elder brother of Lord Caitanya; the one who is an avadhuta not bound by any social customs; and the one without whose mercy no-one can understand Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki jaya!