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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Thanks and Devotion Draws Devotees to Festival in New Navadvip Dham
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, ISKCON News Staff Writer   |  Dec 22, 2024
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Devotees gathered at the Harinam Gratitude Festival at New Navadvip Dham.

From November 28-December 1, 2024, the New Navadvip Dham in Mcallen, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, hosted the Harinam Gratitude Festival, which brought together over 180 devotees in a celebration that served as a heartfelt expression of gratitude, aligning beautifully with the spirit of Thanksgiving, a holiday widely celebrated in the United States.

The first day of the festival began with a Lord Narasimhadev yajna fire sacrifice conducted by Dhruv Das, honoring the Gita Jayanti where devotees chanted 700 verses from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The evening concluded with an inspiring kirtan led by the dynamic youth team, followed by the second day featuring the first-ever New Navadvip Parikrama, where devotees went on a hayride, Atvs, and motor vehicles across the farm, re-creating the spirit of traditional parikramas with chanting and kirtan. In the afternoon, devotees in spite of the cold weather, visited the South Padre Beach and offered Harinam on the beach. The evening continued with a campfire kirtan, where children delighted in making s’mores, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. The night culminated in an enchanting late-night kirtan led by Abhay Das, which left participants spiritually elevated and connected.

The third day brought engagements of devotees in various activities such as farm tours, fruit picking, horse rides, and cow cuddling followed by an outdoor kirtan led by Vatsal Das. The evening closed with a vibrant fireworks display, accompanied by warm fellowship and delicious prasadam, leaving everyone in high spirits. The final day was marked by devotee panel discussions, where participants reflected on their festival experiences and shared inspirations for future spiritual endeavors. With breakfast prasadam and takeaway meals for the journey home, the festival ended on a note of gratitude and renewed enthusiasm.

Each day began with the Mangala Aarti, Darshan Aarti, and kirtans, followed by the Srimad Bhagavatam class. Adding to the joy was the wonderful cooking by devotees, who lovingly prepared plenty of prasadam daily. The sumptuous meals nourished not just the body but also the spirit, fostering an atmosphere of gratitude and community. Devotees of all ages enjoyed the rides throughout the program, and around  300 plus Bhagavad-gitas were distributed to various hotels/motels.

One of the devotees, Kaylee, who attended the festival shared, “I was not well and I prayed. One of the devotees told me that I should go to this retreat. I felt a call to come here. This is a very special place. I have never been to Vrindavan or India, but I feel like it is Krishna’s mercy that we are experiencing it here. I love to see the kids play with the cows. It is really amazing.”

A significant highlight of the festival was the establishment of an interim farm temple, paving the way for regular local programs and future preaching initiatives. This achievement marks a step forward in realizing Srila Prabhupada’s vision of a “Simple Living, High Thinking” community. Sarvajaya Madhava Das shared how the New Navadvip Dham team is fully committed to bringing this vision to reality and establishing one of the largest communities of devotees in the USA, on a 7,500 acre Gauranga Dream Ranch farm in McAllen/Edinburg, Texas, which is in close proximity to all the city facilities.

The mayors of Edinburg and McAllen expressed their support for New Navadvip, highlighting its potential and promising impact on the region. Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza stated, “This is going to bring a lot of new opportunities for our city and our area. I don’t think there is a property like this that has a natural habitat and is connected to the neighboring city, McAllen. We look forward to working with them as this project develops.” McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos added, “This is an amazing place that has a lot of potential for the future. This is going to be the place of the future here in the Rio Grande Valley.”

The chief guest at the Harinam Gratitude Festival at New Navadvip Dham, Alonso Cantu, a successful community leader and philanthropist, was deeply inspired by the vibrant gathering of wonderful people visiting the farm. He was accompanied by Dr. Manish, the CEO of DHR Hospital, who graciously extended an invitation for devotees to move to the Rio Grande Valley, emphasizing that it is a truly wonderful place to live.

If you feel inspired to learn more about the New Navadvip Dham project, please share your interest here. For more information, visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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