ISKCON New Vrindaban recently hosted a 10-day Deity Worship Course facilitated by Nṛsiṁha Kavaca Dāsa of the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry (IDWM). He was joined by a skilled teaching team consisting of Murali Manohar from England, Vraj Mohan Das, Rasa Devī Dāsī, and Nāmaruci Das. This year’s participation exceeded expectations, with 37 students registering—nearly double the ministry’s preferred class size. The IDWM typically aims for 26–30 participants, with a minimum of 20, to allow for persona
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Devotees are invited to participate in a rare and transformative opportunity this fall: the Career Dharma Workshop led by Urmila Devi Dasi (Dr. Edith Best), a senior disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, respected educator, and author of Career Dharma: The Natural Art of Work. The introductory course will be held on November 14-16, 2025, at New Vrindaban, West Virginia, USA.
What Is Career Dharma?
Career Dharma refers to the alignment of one’s inner nature (dharma) with one’s outer service (kriyā). Rat
By Shyama Rasika Devi Dasi
Three years ago, the dedicated organizers at Senior Connection of Montgomery County— a non‑profit offering volunteer‑based, escorted transportation to seniors over 55 in Montgomery County —welcomed an innovative suggestion by Shyama Rasika Devi Dasi and Nikunkja Ras Das (disciples of Radhanath Swami and members of ISKCON of DC): what if a chartered coach trip could take our Montgomery County seniors to New Vrindaban in West Virginia?
The organizer welcomed the idea ent
is set to host a transformative 10-Day ISKCON Deity Worship Training, a program that has already elevated worship standards in temples around the world. The initiative aims to strengthen and inspire Deity worship practices across North America by making world-class training accessible to as many devotees as possible.
To encourage broad participation, New Vrindaban is offering free accommodations and three prasadam meals daily to all registered participants. The only expense for attendees is t
On the sacred occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, New Vrindaban became the stage for an unforgettable evening of kirtan, remembrance, and deep gratitude. The event gathered Srila Prabhupada’s disciples from across New Vrindaban, celebrating not only their enduring connection to their spiritual master but also the extraordinary offering of Srila Prabhupada murtis.
This offering was no ordinary gift. Coins from Sankirtan devotees across the world—those tireless souls distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books
Over the past decade, New Vrindaban has grown rapidly, with a 36% increase in residents each year. To meet this demand, the community has built 10 new apartments and 5 cabins, bringing the temple’s total to 48 apartments. Additionally, 50 plots of land are being developed for devotees to buy and build homes. The growing number of young families in the community has created a need for enhanced support in fostering a Krishna-conscious lifestyle for children and parents.
Recently, ISKCON News inter
By MAN-Tra Team
Mark your calendar, tell your friends, and prepare for a memorable weekend this September 20-22, 2024, for the Annual MAN-tra Men’s Retreat in New Vrindaban, West Virginia. The popular annual event promises to be a spiritually uplifting gathering for all devotee men. But don’t wait too long, as early bird registration ends on July 31st.
What can you expect at this year’s retreat? Special guest presentations and workshops by Sri Prahlada Das, Prasannatma Das, Yadunatha Das, and B
ISKCON New Vrindaban in West Virginia is offering devotee families two exciting summer camps for children this June – the Bhakti Arts Summer Camp and the Little Devi Summer Camp.
Bhakti Arts Summer Camp
The first event is the Bhakti Arts Summer Camp, to be held Jun 17 – 21st, 2024, 9am-4pm daily, for boys and girls aged 4-10 years old. The Bhakti Arts Summer Camp is a wonderful way for your children to experience the spiritual culture and beauty of our Bhakti path. Each day begins with yoga and
Few prasadam stories from New Vrindaban’s history are as legendary as those of the late Amburish Dasa’s sweet rice and Pitambar Dasi’s ice cream.
Straight from the cow barn and prepared by the cowherd couple with deep love and devotion, they were much-craved treats in the austere lives of New Vrindaban’s early devotees.
Neither Amburish nor Pitambar had any cooking or cow-care experience before becoming devotees. Amburis
The semi-annual joint board meetings with ECO-Vrindaban, ISKCON New Vrindaban, and the Village Council took place recently in New Vrindaban, where members met in multiple sessions to discuss the achievements of 2023 and explored ongoing and future projects for 2024. We will look at some of the highlights from the meetings.
Following a joint board gathering on Friday night, the community meetings on Saturday included reports from the boards and other groups formed in the Spring to address specif
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
ISKCON New Vrindaban hosted a three-day Women’s Retreat on October 12-15 with the theme “Trust Your Intuition.” The event aimed to infuse joy, rejuvenation, and relaxation into the weekend, featuring an array of workshops, guided meditations, daily yoga sessions, self-care activities, and engaging experiences such as a scavenger hunt, dance lessons, and a distinctive food and drink encounter.
Welcoming over 50 women from across the US and Canada, the diverse a
The 6th annual MAN-tra Men’s Retreat will be returning to the Holy Dham of New Vrindaban, West Virginia, USA, Friday, September 29th thru Sunday, October 1st.
With an aim to empower devotee men to integrate Krishna consciousness into all aspects of their lives, the MAN-tra Retreat was conceived by H.H. Bhaktimarga Swami and H.G. Anuttama Prabhu in 2018. Every year the retreat features a variety of special guest speakers covering topics relevant to devotee men, as well as dramas, ecstatic kirtan
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Their Lordships Sri Sri Kisora-Kisori
My wife and I were living in Madison Wisconsin in the early 1970s. I had gone there to join an experimental theater group. In 1973 we decided to move to the Evanston temple. I arrived early, just a few days before the June installation of the Deities, Their Lordships Sri Sri Kisora-Kisori.
Actually my wife and I visited Chicago several times to see the devotees.
First in 1971 when Bahulasva and several brahmaca
Nearly 100 fresh-faced devotees in their late teens and twenties flocked to New Vrindaban on Mother’s Day weekend for the Vaishnava Arts Festival on May 12-14. The largely Western-raised crowd enthusiastically attended mangala arati, performed kitchen and cleaning seva, and participated in the inspiring sessions seamlessly – although most had been practicing Krishna consciousness for less than five years, and some only a few months.
These bhaktas and bhaktins had something special in common: t
By Thomas Haribol
Fifteen members of the New Vrindaban community recently participated in an intensive four-day Devotee Care Education and Training Course led by Jai Nitai Dasa and his wife, Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi. Previous to their Devotee Care service, the presenters served in the ISKCON London temple for 25 years. Fourteen of those years, Jai Nita served as Temple President.
The course is a ministry of Devotee Care International, an initiative of the GBC. Its goal is to “embed the culture o
By Thomas Haribol
Springtime in New Vrindaban is like stepping into a colorfully painted landscape, and Mother’s Day weekend will unite its beauty with some of our movement’s most talented artists, musicians, writers, and creators in the second annual Vaishnava Arts Festival, May 12-14th, 2023.
Fittingly, the idea for the event came through the creative collaboration of HG Kalakantha Prabhu and HG Anuradha Dasi. “Coming from a background of Waldorf School’s pedagogy, I’m always looking for w
New Vrindaban’s outdoor Gaura Nitai deities are being carefully restored thanks to our generous donors
Restoration of the prominent and iconic Gaura Nitai deities began at New Vrindaban in the spring of 2022, led by Balaramshakti das and others. In October, Rukmavati devi dasi took over the project, starting with a surgical pressure washing to clean their surfaces and continue the painstaking process of removing old paint.
The giant deities were designed and created by a team of devotees, inclu
Tropically settled on the southern coast of the Sunshine State, Delray Beach is a welcome home to many- especially those looking to catch some waves or connect body, mind, and spirit! A month before the Bhakti Lifestyle Retreat, five New Vrindaban devotees had scoped out the area during a short fall vacation earlier. At the time, they didn’t realize Krishna would soon place them back in Delray Beach to gift a spiritual revolution to the salty-haired yogis they had crossed paths with- but they w
Board members and residents visit Vrindaville, a new development of 1-4 acre land plots that devotees can purchase for building homes.
The semi-annual joint board meetings with ECO-Vrindaban, ISKCON New Vrindaban, and the Village Council took place on October 21-23rd. Members met in multiple sessions to discuss the achievements of 2022 and speak about initial plans for 2023. “The combined board meeting this year was a very positive experience. New Vrindaban is unique in that it’s managed by thr
Written By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications
Archival Research by Chaitanya Mangala Dasa
ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada visited New Vrindaban four times, giving the devotees there his association and dispensing practical advice for simple living that remains invaluable not only to New Vrindaban, but to all ISKCON rural farm communities to this day.
During his first visit, running for over a month from May 20th to June 23rd 1969, Srila Prabhupada encouraged the sma