Bakari Gopala
With COVID restrictions in our rearview mirror, 2022 was a year marked by growth and expansion. This year saw a record number of visitors to New Vrindaban, with over 35,000 pilgrims and western guests and over 12,000 staying at the Lodge or cabins (33% more than the previous year). Our festivals were packed, and our retreats and events were well attended. In addition, we welcomed 22 new residents who have brought their gifts and devotion to a broad range of services for Radha Vrindaban Chandra.
Western Outreach
The introduction of our Winter Retreats in January-March kicked off some new western outreach initiatives. These retreats are a gentle introduction to the bhakti lifestyle, introducing kirtan, mantra meditation, offering your food to the Lord, philosophy classes, and more.
An additional Bhakti Lifestyle Retreat in October followed the same model for 15 spiritual seekers. Our retreat leaders continue to nourish the original attendees with weekly follow up Zoom calls and WhatsApp sharing. Additionally, three of our residents also lead weekly online sangas with seekers from all over the world who have been introduced to Bhakti through the popular Wisdom of the Sages podcast.
Following the Winter Retreats, we met the beauty of spring with our Sunday Brunch outreach to westerners held at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold. Hundreds of western guests joined us in the summer for tours of the Palace, delicious prasadam, and lovely music while nestled in the gorgeous setting of the Palace Rose Gardens.
#Vrindaban #Year #Review
