The 2017 Diwali celebrations were extraordinarily special, as the love of the Sweet Lord has manifested in the form of the magnificent and breathtaking Radha Krishna Temple this year. We were in incredible awe, experiencing Shree Krishna’s wondrous grace that brought us all together and grow closer to Him!
It was a Diwali that was celebrated with purity, perfection, and in divine consciousness!
The exhilarating evening was filled with spiritually uplifting performances by the Bal-Mukund children and the Radha Krishna temple youth, a captivating magic show, mouthwatering treats and dinner, special fireworks, exciting silent auction, fun-filled dandiya, and an exuberant blend of music and dance. The high point of the Diwali celebrations was the benevolent presence and the fascinating keynote address of His Holiness Swami Mukundananda ji, our divinely-inspired visionary.
The heart-warming festivities of the evening began by welcoming the guests with a gentle sprinkle of rose water and offering them the special Diwali dessert. Before taking their seats in front of the most festively decorated stage, the guests mingled with friends and family over the mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres, and viewed the interesting, silent auction items.
“What a treat! I arrived at the venue anticipating an exciting program on a beautiful evening; little did I know that the event would leave an indelible mark on me. While the inspiring music, dance, and all the cultural programs filled my heart with joy, the enlightening speech of Swamiji has become a milepost message on my spiritual journey,” remarked Surekha from Allen, marveling at how Swamiji reconciled the spiritual and the material sciences.
Culture is what uplifts the members of any community; a place of worship, especially a temple, provides the facility to engage in all forms of art in the spirit of divinity. The temple enables the young minds to imbibe the values. It nurtures and enriches the society now and for generations to come. While the material science answers the questions regarding physical well-being, the knowledge revealed by scriptures, sages, saints has the wisdom that nourishes our mind, and manifests the divinity within ourselves, enlightened H. H. Swami Mukundananda ji, emphasizing the importance of spiritual science. Besides lighting the lamps this Diwali, we need to ignite the lamp of love for God in our heart, and reach the state where we perform every act as a service to Him, by which every day will be Diwali, was his message for the evening. The audience rose to their feet applauding over and over again.
Swamiji presented the 2017 RKT Educational Scholarship to Shekhar, a high school student who comes from a financially-challenged, Hindu family. Shreya Bhat acknowledged the support of all the leaders and the representatives of our community partners.
Many volunteers worked tirelessly to make the event an unforgettable evening. Festive events such as these, or community service programs such as Little Hands Big Hearts, KAKE, etc., are possible due to the enthusiastic volunteers at the Radha Krishna Temple, observed Shreya Bhat, while thanking them for their commitment.
Acknowledging the deep level of commitment and services of Radha Krishna Temple, the Mayor of Allen has proclaimed 14th October 2017 as Radha Krishna Temple Day!
We always keep looking for activities that give us pure joy and fun. The Diwali celebrations at the Radha Krishna temple not only provided meaningful fun for the whole family, but also a chance to be a part of a noble cause, as the proceeds go into the ongoing construction of the temple. Everyone not only experienced Diwali in all its gaiety and celebration, but also had the opportunity to take Diwali’s deeper meaning to heart.