Festivals & Food
Throughout the year, New Vrindavan hosts thousands of pilgrims, many
from the Hindu population in the USA and Hindus visiting from
India.
Often they come to participate in Janmastami, the advent of
Lord Krishna celebration, which is the holiest day of the year. The
various festivals at New Vrindavan include chanting,
ceremonies,
a swan boat event, and dramatic storytelling and
performances. The highlight of the festivals is the feast when
hundreds of guests are served prasadam (sanctified foods) 
.
As in traditional India, community activities and festivals center around
the worship of their lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Other major
festivals include Gaura-Purnima, Appearance of Lord Rama, Ratha-yatra,
the birthday of Srila Prabhupada, Diwali, and Govardhana-puja. 
New
Vrindavan also has special events on Memorial Day, Forth Of July and
Labor Day weekends since those times are extended weekends and give
people an opportunity to travel.
Devotees and guests alike relish prasadam. The foodstuffs are prepared
daily in the kitchen 
- Kitchen circa 1978 without ever being taste tested in the process of cooking. Then the
foods are placed on special plates and offered on the alter. Offerings of
food are made at several regulated times during the day. There is dal,
rice, sabji, pakora, samosas, puri, chutney and chapatti 
that
might make up the main part of the offering. The sweets and deserts
include halava, laddu, sandesh, burfi, sweet rice, and lassi. Upon being
offered to God (Krishna) the foodstuffs become prasadam - the remnants or
the mercy, of the Lord. Devotees only eat foods that are first offered to
the Lord. Families usually have alters in their own homes where
offerings are made and then taken as meals.
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