Vasanthotsav at Houston Namadwaar

A joyous spring festival was celebrated at Namadwaar for the Divine Couple – Sri Premika Varadan-Sri Madhuri Sakhi (Lord Krishna-Sri Radha) during the weekend of May 8-10.

The celebration began on Friday evening with a divine Deepotsavam. Namadwaar was beautifully lit and decorated with lots of lamps.
Sri Poornimaji then discoursed on the greatness of the Gopis,as a prelude to speaking over the next 2 days on the Venu Gitam (the song of the Gopis describing Sri Krishna playing the flute). This was followed by a divine kirtan session where everyone sang the praises of Bhagavan in a special ambience that was lit only by deepams (lamps).

The next morning Unjal (Jhoola) Utsav was celebrated with kirtans on Sri Krishna and Sri Radha, as They were seated in a beautifully decorated swing. Sri Poornimaji then elucidated on the Venu Gitam, the first song of the Gopis in Bhagavatam.

That afternoon, the celebrations moved to New Life Plaza. The evening began with the Gopa Kuteeram year-end program with children presenting slokas, songs and a hari katha, followed by an award ceremony. This event was followed by teh Teppotsavam (boat festival). The Divine Couple was carried on a palanquin, in a kirtan procession, to a pond. There They ascended a special boat made for the occasion. They enjoyed a beautiful boat ride as devotees sang Their praises constantly. The weather was simply perfect; the wind god offered his obeisances with a gentle caressing breeze, while the clouds shed tears of joy now and then, offering their pranams in the form of an occasional light drizzle. The evening was a most memorable one for all the fortunate devotees who were present.

The next morning was the grand finale of Vasanthotsavam with Radha Kalyanam, the divine wedding of the Divine Couple. Sri Poornimaji first discoursed on Venu Gitam, completing her exposition of the wonderful song.
Then the wedding ceremonies began with Janavasam where the Groom and Bride were taken in separate palanquins and a sort of competition ensued between the Bride’s entourage and the Groom’s about who was better – songs were sung glorifying Sri Krishna and His Name, while Sri Radha Devi’s devotees praised Her and Her Name as being greater than the Lord’s. Finally both sides reconciled and conceded that Krishna was everyone’s Father and Radha their Mother!
Then the Divine Wedding was performed outdoors in perfect weather, under the beautiful trees of Namadwaar. The Radha Kalyanam was performed in the traditional bhajana sampradaya format including singing of Sri Jayadeva Ashtapadis.
The wonderful 3-day utsav then came to a conclusion with the singing of prayer kirtans and kirtans on Sri Hanumanji.

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