The Hare Krishna Children Camp 2014

July 11 – 18, Simhachalam, Germany.

   "Hare Krishna Hare Rama little nice souls, welcome to the camp for little vaishnavas."
With this traditional camp anthem began already the 13th year of the Hare Krishna Children Camp at the German Simhachalam farm. This year record-breaking 80 Czech, Slovak, German and Irish children and their parents have attended.

   Every day there was multifarious spiritual-entertaining program for children, which contained creative activities, telling and reading the stories, theater, songs singing, swimming in the nearby natural aquapark, a trip "The Trees Crowns Path" in Bavarian Forest National Park, the Ratha-yatra Festival, combat expedition… There was also a camp fire with guitar playing and paneer toasting :-) All this was enhanced by the spiritual mood of the Temple schedule and blessed by the mercy of "the Bavarian lion" – Lord Nrsimhadeva.

   There was a nice event – meeting with a new selected Jandelsbrunn's Mayor who visited the farm for the first time and who appreciated our collaborative working with children in his speech. He also wishes that this kind of actions would continue in the future. He likes this peaceful meeting and cooperation of people of different ages, nationalities and religions.
   During the camp, 16 years old Jayanti, daughter of bhaktin Eva, celebrated her birthday. During the year Jayanti lives in India, Mayapur, where she attends a gurukul for girls. Another girl celebrating her birthday was 10 years old Rukmini, daughter of bhaktin Šárka and Gaura Nataraj Prabhu. Both girls got a big birthday cake, gifts and a lots of favour and blessings from all vaishnavas around.

   In the morning lectures from Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10th canto, chapter "The Meeting of Nanda Maharaja and Vasudeva", many interesting themes were discussed related to the beauty and wealth of Vedic culture, cow protection, education and parenting…Gadadhar Prabhu, in his lecture, was talking about the newest information from the International Scientific Conference he organised last year. The information was related to study of consciousness and Near death experiences (NDE).

   At the end of the camp, Dhira Nitai Prabhu, who is living at Simhachalam with his family and who is the Guest House keeper, expressed acknowledgement to all the parents and children for big attendance by the name of the farm leaders. This big involvement proves that parents are more and more aware of the importance and responsibility of leading and educating children in Krishna consciousness. The Hare Krishna Children Camp is very unique in this way and is incomparable in all Europe. All devotees living at the Simhachalam farm agree with each other that this event is the sweetest of all festivals during the year. And that it takes place in the presence of the deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva is definitely not a coincidence because Lord Nrsimhadeva is the embodiment of the mood of paternity (vatsalya-rasa).

   A big acknowledgement to all the devotees who assisted the organization of this event. Especially we would like to thank Prahlad Nrsimha Prabhu who, despite his age, for so many years organises the camp, provides buying food, helps with cooking, makes breads etc. and oversees a smooth running of the camp. Next, we would like to thank the cooks: Narahari Devi Dasi, Yogeshvar Prabhu and Vaibhavi Devi Dasi, for their devoted service in the kitchen and ensuring delicious prasadam during the camp. Great thanks goes to Lila-shakti dd., Prema-mayi Radha dd., Kalakanta dd., Lalita Gopi dd., bhaktin Catherine, Nagendra Kanya dd., bhakta Sebastian and others for organisation of programs for children. Great thanks also goes to Govardhan Milkshop (bhakta Frantisek and Varshana dd.), which delivers milk and dairy products to the camp. Thank you very much! 

   For the next year we are planning to add musical workshops for parents and children, add more thematical lectures about home-schooling and educating children in Krishna consciousness.
  Thanks to all the devotees and friends for their blessings to successfully continue and develop this children camp in next years. Hare Krishna!

written by: Priya-kirti Dasa.
photos by Pundarika Devi Dasi, devotees from Simhachalam.