Celebrating Krishna Janm at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin

AUSTIN: On the eigth day of Krishna Paksh in the month of Bhadrapad (August-September) as dark clouds enveloped the sky, the stillness in the air conveyed that something very spectacular was about to happen.  At midnight, while everyone was fast asleep, Lord Krishna chose to descend in a prison house, making his own arrangements for a seemingly fortuitous escape with his father Vasudev to Nandbaba’s home in Gokul.   Unlike all previous Avatars of Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna’s descension is perhaps the most intriguing affair of all, and maybe that is why it is celebrated with so much joy and devotional exuberance.

In Austin, Radha Madhav Dham bustled with joyous activities and the temple grounds echoed with the sounds of melodious chants, as over 3,000 people came to celebrate the festival of Krishna Janmashtami.

People, poured into the temple premises, with little babies and young children dressed up in Krishna and Radha costumes, in great excitement to participate in the Janmashtmi program and rejoice in Krishna’s birthday celebrations.

After partaking the Mahaprasad, people rushed to the temple hall to join the session of beautiful kirtans and listen to Sushree Gopeshwari Devi who gave an enthralling discourse, revealing how Lord Krishna during his pastimes in Vrindavan, subsided his almightiness and succumbed to the power of unconditional love of the Gopis and Gwalbals of Braj.

Outdoors, children and parents listened to stories about baby Krishna, and later, over 90 kids, standing in a long line with their parents, made their way boldly onto the stage to show off their costumes and take part in the contest for best-dressed Krishna.  It was a wonderful sight to see so many  beautifully dressed Baby Krishna’s and Radha’s. It filled everyone’s hearts with joy and got the crowd into the festive mood of Janmashtmi.

The highlight of the occasion for many was darshan and abhishek of baby Krishna and a chance to push the flower decorated swing where Ladoo Gopal was so adoringly seated.

 This was followed by a beautiful cultural performance starting with the Janm scene where Baby Krishna is delighting the hearts of Maiya Yashoda and Nandbaba.  Candies and toys were hurled from the stage onto the delighted audience, as the Janm leela of Lord Krishna culiminated, followed immediately by a sequence of devotional dances bringing to life the love of Yashoda Maiya, the teasings of the gopis to naughty Lala, and showcasing the pastimes of Krishna such as the Govardhan and Kaaliya Daman leelas, by a group of youth from Nrutyashakti Dance School of Dallas.

 The program concluded with a leela enactment performed by Radha Madhav Dham devotees showing the heart-warming friendship between Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama and sharing the importance of loving God selflessly.  Teaching us the lesson that God’s causeless Grace showers only on those devotees who wish to simply love him, selflessly, desiring nothing in return but his love.

After the cultural program, a traditional prasad of makhan mishri and panjeeri was handed out.  Devotees then streamed towards the food court outside where delicacies like dosa, bhel puri, samosa, chai and mango lassi were being served.  Inside, chanting continued until midnight.  The prayer hall reverberated with dhol and chants of ‘Jai Kanhaiyya lal ki’ until its midnight climax, celebrating the auspicious arrival of Baby Krishna.

The devotionally charged celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami at Radha Madhav Dham is an experience not to be missed.

Check out the videos and photos of the event at www.radhamadhavdham.org or on the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RadhaMadhavDham.