Simple Living, High Thinking
Daily Temple Schedule:
5:20 am–Mangala Arati
8:00 am–Morning class
1:00 pm–Arati
1:30 pm–Community Lunch Prasad
6:00 pm–Evening Class
7:00 pm–Evening Arati
Come for noon arati to perform kirtan and honor prasad with the local devotees! We are so appreciative of our head pujari and cook, Jaya Govinda das, and the temple manager, Govinda Priya Devi Dasi, for all their service.
New Braj Gurukula
Srila Gurudeva started the New Braj Gurukula in 1997 when he instructed our dear Brajendrananda Prabhu and his wife, Gopanandini didi, to open a school here. The New Braj Gurukula, he ordered, should be ideal: it will be a “light for the world,” a place where children from all over would learn the principles of Vaisnava etiquette, bhakti culture, sastra, and receive a strong academic education. The first Gurukula students have gone on to become renowned preachers and kirtaniyas, become temple managers, earned academic degrees, are successful in business, and most of all, maintain a life-long appreciation for the teachings and moods of Srila Gurudeva. Now, two of its original alumni teach the newest generation. Our youngest New Braj residents keep busy with their academics and love learning spiritual verses, serving Thakurji, and riding their bikes all over the temple property.
Community Gardening
Our gardens and orchards produce wonderful fruits, vegetables, and flowers for Thakurji year-round. Head gardener Gaura Hari das loving serves Srila Gurudeva, Sri Radha Govinda, and all the devotees. Find him in the garden and join him in planting, weeding, and harvesting all kinds of wonderful offerings. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-Gita, “If one offers Me, with love and devotion, fruits, flowers, leaves, or water, I will accept it.”
Cow Seva
We are blessed to serve and protect our cows, headed by the beautiful Subhadra, whom we worship every Govardhan Puja! Special thanks to Dharpaha Prabhu for always taking such nice care of the cows.
Our New Braj sevakas are always busy improving and New Braj Dhama. Right now, we are preparing to add a mosaic tile walkway around Srila Gurudeva’s Puspa Samadhi, which will be ready for next year’s Harikatha festival! Along with this, we are creating and improving rental facilities for devotees, and working towards building cabins, a bathhouse, and a future temple that is large enough to host our continually growing programs. We are so excited to continue serving Srila Gurudeva’s mission here in this way.
New Braj is located in the scenic Sierra Nevada mountains and right next to Kings Canyon and Sequioa National Park. Every summer, we head out to the national parks for community campouts and cool off on river excursions to the Kings River. Whether your favorite activity is hiking to waterfalls or stunning views, feasting under the stars, campfire kirtans and roasting marshmallows, jumping into the river, or sipping hot tea in the early morning, the community campouts are not something to miss! Of course, the volleyball court is open and occupied all through the summer. The occasional game night also brings everyone together. And thank goodness for the pool keeping us cool during the hot summers!