Gaura Purnima Festival at Bhaktivedanta Academy, the Hare Krishna School in Alachua, Florida.
Jaya Sri Radhe devi dasi: The students of the Krishna Sharanam classroom (7th-9th grade) at the Bhaktivedanta Academy recently put on a project to celebrate Gaura Purnima with their classroom Panca Tattva deities. Putting on a festival like Gaura Purnima helps the students build leadership and practical life skills. Each area of the project –decorations, jewelry, backdrops, and abisheka – had a student leader. The leader organized and prepared the necessary materials and engaged other students. They all collaborate together on the theme for the festival. This year’s theme was from the prayers by Queen Kunti, “As the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” The students also wanted to portray Mayapur Dhama village as well as the Ganges flowing to the sea. They had only a small budget so everything was made by hand. This year’s feature was handmade banana trees, and a miniature replica of Navadwip featuring Srivas Unga, Yoga Pitha, and Narasimha Palli. The day before the Festival, there was an abisheka where the school was invited to view the Deities. On the day of the Festival, the class finishes up their Holy Name marathon, and the school and parents and guests are invited to chant with them and take darshan.
Krishna Sharanam
This yearly celebration is a time when whole class gets together and works on a project centered around Krishna. The excitement builds as the students see to all the details involved in making the festival a success. Madhuri Fitch was the leader of creating the village scene, Ksina Valdez was in charge of the altar decorations, Janvi Shah was in charge of classroom decorations that included the Ganges design, Anasuya Rico painted the backdrops which featured tropical foliage and flowers, Nishtha Kowlessar designed and coordinated the jewelry making, Haridas Leslie was in charge of the abisheka, and many other students assisted such as hunting and gathering in the woods to get the raw materials to make the Navadwipa village, making garlands, etc. Everyone had a hand in it. For many students, it is the highlight of the year…they develop sincere closeness to Panca-tattva, and realize the rewards of becoming part of something bigger than themselves.