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Different stages of children's development are celebrated and worshiped as part of their devotion to Lord Krishna. Here the crowned child is celebrating her first grain ceremony, celebrating her first taste of grain at 6 months. |
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A statue of New Vrindaban founder, His Devine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is worshipped by the devotees. Flowers are offered to their spiritual guru who last visited the community in 1976, before his death. |
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The high priest blesses each devotee on the forehead before he or she departs at the end of the service. |
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Like in other religions, these devotees listen to a priest give a Sunday morning sermon. The priest reads scripture from the Bhagavad-Gita, the religion's most sacred book. |
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President Narada Muni teaches the beliefs of Krishna to students inside the temple. |
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A father holds his daughter at the early morning service in the temple at New Vrindaban. |
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Lotus holds "chandan," sacred clay from the Ganges that is used to mark the body as a temple of God. The marking on their forehead is called a tilak which takes the shape of the Tulsi leaf. Each morning devotees mark their bodies in 13 places to cleanse and purify the body with the different names of God. |
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Vegetarian meals, referred to as prasadam, are served three times a day to the members and guests of New Vrindaban. Prasadam is blessed and offered up to God before it is eaten. |
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Lotus meditates on Lord Krishna under the warm sun of the community's organic garden. One devotee described Krishna as the sun and each devotee as a ray of sun--not Krishna but a part of him. |
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New Vrindaban is a vegetarian community. Local farmers grow organic gardens to help feed the community and deities as a service to Lord Krishna. |
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A holy animal to the Hare Krishnas, the cow, which is believed to be one of their "seven mothers," is treated with the utmost respect. The manure of the cow is used in many resourceful ways including (but not limited to) fertilization and insulation. |
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To show pure devotion to Lord Krishna, one must respect all living creatures. No meat is eaten in the community. Devotees have developed an "Adopt a Cow" program in which cows are saved from butchering and allowed to live peacefully on the farm. |
