Nirjala Ekadasi Darshan

Is been a while since I've posted anything so I thought I'd share some pictures of my deities dressed in pink on Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi, click here for more pictures. Hopefully more posts will be ready soon, but this is a busy time of the year with Ratha-Yatra planning in full swing! To learn about Toronto's 37th annual Ratha-Yatra (July 18 & 19) visit http://www.feedyoursoul.to/! Also visit http://www.torontotunnel.com/ for a unique kirtan experience!

Candana Yatra

Govindaji and his new friend Balarama on Akshaya Tritiya

Candana Yatra starts on Akshaya Tritiya, the third lunar day of the waxing moon of Vaisakha month and continues for twenty days. Lord Jagannatha gave direct instructions to King Indradyumna to perform this festival at this time. Smearing the body of the Lord with ointments is an act of devotion, and the best of ointments is sandalwood paste. Since the month of Vaisakha is very hot in India, the cooling effect of the sandalwood is very pleasing to the body of the Lord. Source:http://www.salagram.net/parishad67.htm

Krishna Balarama in Vrindavan with their foreheads covered in Candana; and Jagannatha, Baladeva & Subhadra in Mayapur covered in Candana more pics from Mayapur here

DIY Deity Jewellery: Necklaces- Part 4

Modifying Ready-Made Jewellery

This year for Gaura Purnima I wanted to try something different than the typical beaded jewellery I always make. I like buying ready-made jewellery and it them apart for the beads and other pieces. This is really versatile for small deities as most of the ready-made jewellery available will not fit properly.

In this case, I used two necklaces purchased from a local Indian clothing store. The necklaces are basically made of jeweled pieces that have a hole on each end separated by beads on two strands of wire. I simply snipped the wires and removed the beads and jeweled pieces. I like to use these pieces individually as earrings for Radha Govindaji or nose rings Jagannatha and Baladeva.

The basic technique for Radharani's and Gaura Nitia's necklaces are the same as the Multi-Stranded Necklaces with two needles being used. The two holes in the jeweled pieces were used to weave the seed beads being around the jeweled pieces. Govindaji's necklace was simply made with a single needle and just beading around the single jeweled piece creating a pendant. Radharani's crown was also made using a similar jeweled piece along with wire and seed beads, detailed instructions for these crowns will be posted shortly.

More pictures of my deities from Gaura Purnima can be found here.

Sri Sri Radha Manohara

I was fortunate to be able to visit ISKCON Montreal and have darshan of Sri Sri Radha Manohara. These life sized deities are stunning, I believe they are the largest Radha Krishna deities in North America. View the gallery below of lordships Sri Sri Radha Monahara, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra, as well as Sri Sri Gaura Nitai from ISKCON Ottawa.

Nityananda Trayodasi Darshans

Their Lordships Shri Shri Gaura Nitia and Shri Shri Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinatha looking stunning on the Appearance Day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Darshan of my deities from the festival can be found in my gallery.

DIY Deity Jewellery: Necklaces- Part 3

Multi-tier Necklaces

These necklaces are easy to make and the technique can be modified to add or subtract tiers. This style creates the look of multiple necklaces but because it is a single piece you don’t need to worry about different necklaces getting tangled, making dressing really simple.

Supplies:

1. Polyester Sewing Thread
2. Extra Fine Beading Needle
3. Seed Beads
4. Decorative Beads (5 crystal bi-cones and 6 glass beads)
5. Scissors
   Step 1: Begin by double stringing a generous length of the sewing thread on to your needle and tying a stop bead (simply tie a knot around a seed bead) towards the end, leaving a 3-4 inch tail.
   
   Step 2: String on 8-10 seed beads followed by a crystal bi-cone, then string on more seed beads to the desired length of the first necklace.
   
   Step 3: Next, string on one glass bead, a crystal bi-cone and three seed beads. To create the pendant, pass the needle back through the crystal bi-cone and pull the thread all the way through.
   
   Step 4: Complete the second side of the necklace with the glass bead, seed beads, crystal bi-cone and the seed beads. Then securely tie the ends of the string together.
   
   Step 5: Now to create the second tier pass the needle back through the seed beads and crystal bi-cone. Then you can begin stringing on your seed beads adding a few more than you did for the first tier to ensure this necklace will sit below the first one. Continue with the pattern as you did for the first necklace and securely tying off the thread.
   
   Step 6: At this point you could finish your necklace with two tiers, or you can repeat step five with more seed beads to create a third tier.

Some examples of these Multi-tier necklaces: Laddu Gopal’s and Radharani’s three tier necklaces were made using different patterns and beads for each tier. I really like these simple two tier necklaces as they make dressing my Gaura Nitai really easy.

Sri Krsna Pushya Abhisheka!

Shri Govinda after his ghee and flower petal abhisheka on

Sri Krsna Pushya Abhisheka!

The Hari Bhakti Vilasa says that on this day one should rub ghee on the deity of Sri Krishna. Pusya of course means nourishing, and this act of devotion, with ghee, which is very nourishing is equivalent to the results of an asvamedha sacrifice. Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival in the following way: "Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him. Pushya Abhiseka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths. After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears."

Source: http://www.salagram.net/parishad100.htm