It's November 6: day three of the annual Vaishnava Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) Japa Retreat at Varshana.

ISKCON devotees from five continents join each other in buses to go from Neroli to Vilasa Gar (roughly: pastime hill). Bhurijana Prabhu reveals that Vilasa Gar is accepted as a incarnation of Lord Visnu. Still we are allowed to walk there. In fact we spend the day on the peaceful slopes hearing from our japa guides, chanting together in kirtan or in japa, or taking shelter of the quiet bushland to chant alone.

As the sun moves across the sky warming everything in its path, the atmosphere of Vilasa Garh is punctuated only by wind in the trees and by birdsong.

Occasionally the echoes of kirtanas or of vehicles can be heard, their sounds rising the villages and fields below us.

At one point a tiny Vrajabasi boy herds his flock of goats through the trees...how young and tender Sri Krishna must be as He herds the calves with His brother and friends.

Here's a slideshow.


# Posted by Rasanandini at 16/11/09; 12:03:46 PM to the Vrndavana dept.
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Japa Retreat day 3: Vilasa Garh