Jananivas Das, Braja Vilas Das and Sunanda Das with Lord Nityananda’s Padukas.

More inspiring news is flowing out of New Navadvip Dham in Rio Grand Valley south Texas which witnessed the arrival of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas. Jananivas Das, Braja Vilasa Das, and Sunanda Das accompanied the Padukas from Mayapur to bless New Navadvip. The expansive farm has also recently harvested more than 27 million pounds of watermelons, and rescued over 66 cows bound for the slaughterhouse.  

New Navadvip Dham is an expanding “Simple Living High Thinking” Vedic Vaishnava Community in south Texas. The community aims to blend farming with modern amenities and provide a self-sufficient, self-sustainable farm community as per the instructions of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON world wide movement. 

Jananivas Das glorified the coming of the Padukas by chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. He said, “In the name of Hari, we will be chanting in the spiritual New Navadvip. Let’s chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Mahaprabhu Paduka ki Jai!”

Braja Vilasa Das said, “We are here with Lord Nityananda Paduka, and we have come here to the New Navadvip Dham. Lord Nityananda from Mayapur has specifically come here on a tour. Sarvajaya Madhava and his team have tirelessly put in all their efforts to make this a spiritual oasis for everyone who is interested in this “Simple Living High Thinking” self-sustainable farm community model.  So I take this opportunity to welcome everyone here to New Navadvip Dham.”

Rio Grande Valley is a diverse region with humble souls that have a loving service attitude. New Navadvip Dham has a 40-foot high illuminated cross on the property. Srila Prabhupada glorified Jesus Christ as the Son of God many times and taught his disciples to honor him. In a 1974 lecture in Melbourne, Srila Prabhupada said, “We should respect Jesus Christ as we do, because He is representative of God, son of God, and we are also speaking of God. So we respect Him with our greatest respect.”

The lake is blessed with holy rivers, and the farm at New Navadvip harvested millions of pounds of watermelons this season which were offered to Lord Krishna and Lord Jesus. “We harvested 27 million pounds of watermelons this year,” said Jackson, a fourth-generation farming expert who leases over 2,300 acres at New Navadvip Dham, with 600 dedicated to growing watermelon. The harvest brings in hundreds of workers and the fruit is sold in large US chains, “They go to Walmart, Sam’s Club, HEB, Kroger, and various other stores in the USA and Canada,” Jackson explained.  

“Recently, the community also rescued 66 cows that were headed to the slaughterhouse,” said Sarvajaya Madhava Das, “They are now free to live out the rest of their lives on the lush acreage with the New Navadvip community.”

Sarvajaya Madhava Das with some of the rescued cows.

In a video interview during his visit, Braja Vilasa, anticipating the upcoming temple to be built there, said, “In very few years, there will be a beautiful temple there in New Navadvip Dham, and the remaining 50% of what Srila Prabhupada said Varnashrama Dharma can be fully established here. I request all to visit this sacred place, New Navadvip Dham, in the heart of Texas.”

Sunanda Das also invited all the devotees to come and visit New Navadvip Dham. He said, “This temple is going to manifest in the next few years, and it will be a sacred place in Texas. For all the devotees to visit, come and stay and participate in the glory of the Sankirtan moment of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Upcoming Event

The next big event is coming up in November during the Thanksgiving holidays (November 28th-December 1st) and the highlight of the event will be the first-ever Navadvip parikram in New Navadvip Dham followed by an amazing kirtan, camping, spiritual games, international sumptuous prasad, including pani puri and bhel puri, picnic, beach harinam sankirtan, horse riding, jumpers, swings, swimming, the popular hayrides, tour of the entire farm (7,500 acres), and the most important Sadhu Sanga (devotee association).

To learn more about the project, upcoming events, visit their website, email or call WhatsApp +1-407-252-7998. You can also connect on their social media channels like Facebook, and YouTube for more details.