Under the guidance and leadership of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana
Gosvami Maharaja, the Bhaktivedanta Trust International and their
well wishers are attempting to restore, renovate and beautify many
of the Holy Places in Vraja Mandala, these places are in disrepair
and will undoubtedly be lost to us.
The Following projects are aimed at helping to preserve the heritage
of Vraja for future generations.
1) The first project was to rebuild the holy ashram of Sri Durvasa
Muni, situated on the bank of the river Yamuna, opposite to Mathura
City. Fully restored, this is a magnificent temple and ashram with
guest facilities. With it is a goshalla and agricultural land, and
thus this temple is supplying most of the daily needs of all of its
residents.
2) On the Vrindavana parikrama path, just after Imlitala, the construction
of a large compound in traditional Vrindaban ghat style has been active
for a period of 6 years. This magnificent structure must be seen to
be fully appreciated. It was conceived of as an ashram and is now
named Gopinath Bhavan. Before the construction began there was only
a dilapidated mansion and temple. Hidden inside was the old deteriorated
temple of Ganga Devi that has now been restored along with the puja.
The same standard of stone carving for the new building was maintained
and the original Chhatris will be completely restored. This is a present
day reminder of how Vrindaban used to be. Many devotees from all over
the world reside here. It is an idealistic environment for doing bhajan,
especially during the last stage of life.
3) Two kundas are now being restored: Sri Brahma Kunda situated at
the base of Sri Govardhana, below the temple of Hari Deva, beside
Manasa Devi Mandir near the pond of Manasi Ganga. Brahma Kunda is
a very ancient and holy tirtha that has been glorified by Srila Vyasadeva
in the Puranas. It commemorates the Brahma vimohan lila where Lord
Brahma and other demi-gods performed Abhiseka of Sri Krsna. At that
moment in time, they recited all the appropriate mantras from the
Sama Veda to Him. From the water of the Abhiseka, this kunda was manifest.
Anyone performing pious acts here will receive imperishable results.
4) Uddhava Kyari, known also as Kadamba Kyari or Visakha Kunda is
situated a short distance, south-east from Nandishwara Hill at the
village of Nanda Grama. Here Visakha Devi used to arrange the meeting
of Radha-Krsna for the performance of Rasa lila. Radha and Krsna enjoyed
many playful pastimes in the clear and fragrant waters of Visakha
Kunda. At that place Uddhavaji met the gopis to deliver Krsna’s
message to them as described in the 10th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
This pastime place is filled with the rasa of meeting with Krsna,
as well as with the rasa of the highest degree of separation from
Him. The life of a sadhaka becomes successful by taking darshan of
and by just touching sacred place.
5) The holy place of Bandiravana where the pastime of Radha and Krsna
enjoying the play pastime of the Gandharva Marriage. This has also
been restored and beautified.
6) Two years ago, the project of saving the kundas around Sri Govardhana
Hill was launched at Radha Kunda with the participation of the village
committee. This project was possible thanks to the collaboration of
the German company Plocher Energy System who donated the Plocher apparatus.
This System acts as a natural catalyst regenerating the water by stimulation
of the innate purification capacity of the water itself. In the last
decade there has been a growing awareness of the existence of energy
forms other than the commercially advertised ones of electricity,
magnetism, radioactivity and chemical and thermal energy. It is one
of the those alternative forms of energies that are utilized in this
Energy System. It appears omnipresent in nature. It belongs in the
faculty of theoretical physics or philosophy rather than in the exact
sciences. The energy itself is assumed to have a minute wavelength
that can not be measured by instruments currently available. However
the results derived from its practical application can be measured,
quantified and replicated. The System works like a photocopier or
a laser print where this fine energy is concentrated by an apparatus
and used to copy or imprint the attributes of one or more substances.
It acts as an accumulator and emitter of the concentrated energy and
a transferor of information. This system has been used successfully
in numerous lakes and ponds in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.
Two years ago when we started the program, the water of Radha and
Syama-Kundas were considered dead water. The symptom is that green
particles of algae were all pervading. Only a few dedicated souls
were still doing ‘acamana’. We immersed two machines and
spread quartz powder, containing the information for oxygen, in the
kundas every week for two months. After six months, the water of the
kundas became re-energised and the green particles disappeared. Brijabasis
were happy to do acamana again. Unfortunately similar problems still
exist since every year millions of pilgrims are worshipping these
kundas with many different substances, like milk, yogurt, flowers,
etc, and are bathing in the holy kundas while using oils, toxic detergents
and commercial soaps…
7) The spiritual and material restoration of the Yavat temple was
completed by the time of the Holi festival in March 2003. The Deities
of Sri Sri Radha Krsna were reinstalled on their altar (instead of
Durga devi). The courtyard can now accommodate hundreds of devotees
and there are other new facilities for the sevaites.
8) We also installed purification devices in the holy waters of Manasi
Ganga in October 2003, and we installed two similar ones in Govinda
Kunda in spring 2004. But unfortunately we are still encountering
the same set backs we faced in Radha Kunda.
9) Accordingly, we decided to operate and concentrate our seva in
Govinda Kunda. We had a meeting with the residents there and in order
to stop them from using the holy kunda as a washing tank, we will
build a water tank so the local villagers can get water in their houses
for washing. This is the first step in the Education Process. We are
hopeful that we can, at that point, convince them not to desecrate
these sacred waters.
10) The restoration and renovation of Surabhi Kunda will be completed
in the near future. Devotees have already begun to appreciate the
beautiful architecture and the holy waters surrounded by green scenery.
11) We also plan to install huge billboards every mile around Govardhana
Hill to remind the pilgrims of their responsibilities and duties as
sevakas, to stop using plastics and other chemical substances within
the proximity of Vraja.
12) In the near future, we hope to contribute something substantial,
in direct co-operation with the Plocher Company in the purification
and renovation of the vast number of kundas in Vraja (perhaps 1000).
In order to achieve this lofty objective, the entire ecological system
surrounding these areas must be taken into consideration, thereby
achieving a balanced condition. We are very interested to collaborate
with members of the different groups already existing (like within
the W.V.A.) who exhibit the same purpose, direction and objectives.
These objectives are to save the ecological surrounding, the historical
places and the spiritual precepts of Vraja Mandala.
You can visit us on our Website www.bhakti projects.com (Vraja Kunds
Water Purfication Projects. Please, be so kind and contribute to this
important service.
PLEASE CONTACT:
Prema Rasa Dasa at Srinath Ashram, Radha Kunda or by Phone #9897470312
Premarasa at purebhakti.com
Uddhava Dasa at Gopinath Bhavan in Vrindaban, or by Phone # 565
309 2315
(uddhava at purebhakti.com)
Harernamananda Dasa & Silparini Dasi, at Gopinath Bhavan in
Vrindaban
(hdalldorf at t-online.de)
