Here are some pictures of the Gurukula run by HH Bhakti-Vidhya Purna Swami Maharaj in Mayapur. Its a very amazing place. I went during the cooking class course. They cook in traditional style with cow dung patties, in copper vessels. They cooked a tasty feast that was simple but really nice. It was served in a traditional bengali way--bitter first and ending with sweet; no breads just rice to accompany the moist subji (veggie dish) and dal. Subjis were served separate so one can taste each prep along with plain rice. Such nice energy about the place, austere in many ways but the boys there love it. They are not forced to stay, they appreciate the environment and fellowship of the devotees.
Maharaja's training is first class. He gives Bhagavatam (scripture) class most every Sunday at the temple and it is packed. He really has some shakti (powerful energy), his classes are really deep and the way he answers questions is penetrating--he cuts through an individuals network of misconception, as if seeing the root of the consciousness.
The school is about 80% self-sufficient, they are working to get more and more self sufficient. Maharaja teaches from the scriptures and other devotees teach other subjects. It is a school based on brahminical culture. More emphasis is put on brahminical training than worldly academic training, however this is provided also. Deity worship, yajna (fire sacrifice), samskaras, scripture, traditional bengali cooking are some of the main activities taught. I am by no means an expert on what goes on there, just what I gathered thus far from being here and visiting once.
The students clean after themselves, cook for themselves (in a group, they have some main cooks but all students help in cleaning or chopping veggies....), do all there own laundry, wake at 2 or 3 am to perform spiritual activities, they learn slokas (verses from scripture, you heard them on the elephant procession video) that are chanted for different functions like yajna or abhishek (bathing ceremony) of the Lord. Every night they perform yajnas and a big one on Saturday mornings that anyone can come for. Really an amazing place. When you come to Mayapur, you should visit them.
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| Staris going up is a drain network. The little thatched roofs are the prasadam honoring area, the bigger one with the little one on top is the cooking area. |
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| prep area....cutting veggies.... |
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| entrance to a lecture sitting area and the asrama/offices |
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| "Hanuman Gym" this is the place they practice kung fu and other exercise activities |
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| one of my class mates, Raghunath Priya prabhu, this is the angle of walking onto campus. We walked from where the car is down on the center left...previous pictures have been from the grass area near the prabhu us the distance. |
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| HH Suhotra Swami (not sure the spelling is correct on his name) was very much involved in the Gurukula before he left his body. This is his samadhi, the place where is body rests, in this case I believe his ashes, although not usual for a sannyasi to be cremated. |
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| The next 8 pics are from and around the sitting area |
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| next 7 are Tulasi devi's garden |
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| Tulasi garden |
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| video of Tulasi's garden. the pond has fish from the lotus pond that was demolished for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP). |
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| next 5 are the students "locker room" the place where there possessions are.....one side there locker, other side there towels and other drying cloths |
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| the little square is where the oil lamps go at night |
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| the oil lamps |
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| this is the well that is designated for Deities paraphernalia |
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| to the left is where the boys bathe and wash their cloths |
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| next 4 pics are of a memorial for HH Suhotra Maharaja, build before his samadhi was constructed |
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| up to the main hall, where all classes are held and the temple room |
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| Sri Sri Pancatattva! Srila Prabhupada! |
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| Sri Nrsimhadeva! |
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| a deity Sri Nrsimhadeva braking our of the pillar, along with many Nrsimha salagram silas |
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| Nrsimhadev deity |
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| Laxmi Nrsimha ki Jaya! |
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| If I remember correctly there are 62 or 64 salarama silas on there altar. Radha Krishna are on the right of the altar, more pictures below after prasadam..... |
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| below is the cooking area |
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| the stove top... :) |
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| dung patties just put in to light the fire |
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| the following 2 are pics of the menu that we had. best halava i have ever tasted |
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| the sukta experts |
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| getting ready to honor prasadam |
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| we honored prasadam.... ate.... on fresh banana leaf plates. 2 boys walked around us serving each prep. first the bitter, till we were satisfied with that taste, then the other 2 subjis with the dal and then the halava at the end. some one also brought the raja bhoga, lunch offering to the main Deities at the temple Radha Madhava, Nrisimhadev and Panca-tattva. it was a nice feast |
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| prep area |
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| looking down on the prep area from the temple |
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| yajna kund in the main temple hall |
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| Sri Sri Radha-Krishna |
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| the road leaving |
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| this is the entrance to the gurukula campus |
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| the road going back to the temple, or coming to the gurukula, depending on which way you are walking |
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| the TOVP from the road from the gurukula with Srila Prabhupada's samadhi in the back round on the left. to give you an idea of the size of the TOVP the middle round portion that is in the center, from left to right is 300 feet! it is gigantic! |
