The Vrindavana Preservation Society (VPS) concluded its final cultural event for the year, a mammoth Deepavali and Goverdhan Puja celebration, on Saturday the 20th of November. The show was held at the Broad Meadows School in Quincy MA and featured a deluge of programs.

Deepavali, the festival of lights, is arguably the most widely celebrated of all festivals in the Indian subcontinent. It marks several great happening in Vedic history. In North India, Deepavali commemorates the return of King Rama, to His kingdom of Ayodhya after an exile of fourteen years. In Southern India, it is the celebration of Lord Krishna vanquishing the evil demon Narakasura. Goverdhan Puja celebrates the saving grace of Lord Krishna, who as a child of just seven, protected His devotees from the fury of Indra, the king of demigods.

Dynamic compeers, Jyotji Setti and Rajiv Ramaratnam opened the program to an enthusiastic audience. The first act featured melodious Bhajans from VPS members, Celia Markey, Jeff Forti, Kodi and Daru Krishna.

Following this, the Triveni School of Dance, a well-known dance school presented two Bharatnatyam dance performances. Bharatnatyam, a popular traditional dance, has its roots in Southern India. Young girls decked in fine jewelry and colorful costumes performed graceful movements to music in this segment of the program.

Next Geeta and Sanjeev Sharma, two dedicated VPS members conducted a costume contest. Several children of varying ages filled the stage. Each one sported a different costume and personified an individual from ancient India. It was a joyous sight that showcased the glorious past of Indian culture.

It was then time for the climax of the evening’s festivities. Ramayana is one of the world’s most well known epics. It is the story of king Rama who was unfairly banished to fourteen years of exile in the forest. After serving this term and saving his wife Sita from the clutches of Ravana, the demon king, Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana.

 The children of the Vaisnava Academy, a subsidiary of VPS, presented an abridged version of the Ramayana. The play featured outstanding performances from Radha Madav Shukla, Gracie Chadwick, Abay Shukla, Saurav Kumar, Sridhar Singh, Kanika Rajiv, Uma Sharma and numerous other children. It ended with a huge ovation from the audience.

The evening ended with a sumptuous meal from Sachi Matha’s kitchen followed by more devotional Bhajans and traditional Garba or stick dancing. It was a fitting finale to the VPS cultural agenda for 2004.  This was another glorious year for VPS that continues to present excellent Indian programs to the public, instill in its youth, the glorious Braj culture. To find out more about VPS, please visit us on the web at www.vps-international.org.

 

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