This summer festival is celebrated for 21 days from May 15th to June 4th in this auspicious Vaishak month. Chandan or sandalwood paste is a very cooling substance so it is applied on the Deities during the summer season for Their pleasure.
This festival will transport us to the magical world of Krishna’s adventures! Every day for 21 days you will get free access to Krishna’s wonderful adventures along with a sloka or a rhyme, fun facts as well as a creative activity in relation to the story.
By the end of this Chandan Yatra for Kids program, you will have your own unique, handmade pop-up book with Krishna’s adventures.
Day 1 - Natabara - The Best Dancer
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will find out why Krishna is called Natabara, the best of dancers. Do you remember how one day Krishna’s friends drank water from a laguna that was poisoned because the serpent Kaliya was living there? Would you like to find out who Kaliya was before and how Krishna showed His dancing skills on top of the heads of this terrible snake? Read all about this Lila and try to make the dancing Krishna craft!”
Day 2 - Krishna Janma - Birth of Krishna
Hare Krishna dear children!
Did you know that Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord, took birth in a prison cell? How did He escape from Kamsa’s jail in Mathura? How did He end up in Mother Yashoda’s and Nanda Maharaja’s home? Today we will enter the wonderful, transcendental pastime of our beloved Krishna’s appearance!
We will also make a fun craft to show the birth of Krishna for our book.
Day 3 - Raj Adiraj – King of Kings
Hare Krishna dear children!
Do you know what happened after Krishna put down Govardhan Hill? How did Indra come to seek forgiveness from Krishna? How was little Krishna crowned as King of all kings by all the demigods and sages? Read all about it in today’s story.
Try making Krishna’s crown pop up for the next page of the Chandan Yatra adventure book.
Day 4 - Vanabihari – Frolicking in the Forest
Hare Krishna dear children!
Sri Vrindavan dham is Krishna’s perfect playground with many forests, rivers, mountains and meadows. Every day Krishna goes to the forest and plays many fun games with His cowherd boy friends and even with the animals! Let’s read all about Krishna’s forest adventures, sing a rhyme and create a peacock pop-up for our book!
Day 5 - Vastra Haran – Stealing the Gopi’s Clothes
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will find out why and how the gopis performed severe austerities in Tapovan. Did they reach the desired goal of their tapasya?
It’s a very beautiful and charming pastime where we see the deep love and complete surrender of Krishna’s greatest devotees, the Vraja gopis.
Don’t forget to make another page of your Chandan Yatra pop-up book!
Day 6 - Gomati – Mother Cow
Hare Krishna dear children!
Did you know that Krishna has many pets such as a monkey, swan, deer, peacocks, parrots and of course cows! Krishna loves His cows very much and every day, with his gopa friends, He takes them to the forest. Did you know that in the spiritual world there are yellow, red, black and white colored cows? This sweet pastime shows us how much He loves and cares for all His cows and in the end we will create our own surabhi cow!
Day 7 - Khatdoli – Swing Pastimes
Hare Krishna dear children!
During the rainy season, it becomes very hot in India, so swinging in the monsoon breeze is very pleasurable. There are a few ancient jhulan places around Vrindavan which have their enchanting stories of Radha and Krishna’s swinging pastimes. Unveil them in today’s story and activity pack.
Try to swing Their Lordships by constructing their jhulan inside your pop-up book.
Day 8 - Chakra Narayana – Lord of the Universe
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will explore the pastime of how Krishna assumed His four-armed Narayana form to conceal Himself from the gopis. We will also get a glimpse of Srimati Radharani’s superior position and how powerful Her love for Krishna is!
Day 9 - Rasamandala
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will enter a most confidential pastime of Krishna dancing with the gopis in the moonlit forest of Vrindavan, a dance called the Rasa dance.
We will find out how Krishna called the gopis with His flute, how He jokingly sent them back home and then reciprocated with their pure love for Him.
Try out making the paper chain dolls of Krishna and the gopis dancing.
Day 10 - Kandarpa Rath (Chariot of Cupid)
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will read one of many pastimes of how Cupid conquered the hearts of Srimati Radharani and Krishna. We will learn the meaning of the names Madan-mohana and Madan-mohan-mohini, hear about the beauty of Krishna’s form, learn a verse from the Brahma-samhita and create a spiral heart pop-up that shows how Radha and Krishna’s hearts are one.
Day 11 - Narasimhadeva
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will explore the appearance of Lord Narasimha, the half-lion half-man incarnation of Krishna, who came to protect his dear devotee Prahlada. How did Hiranyakashipu get his powers? How was it possible that Prahlada had a saintly character although born in a demon family? Was he influenced by his demon teachers or did he give Krishna consciousness to his colleagues?
Who was able to pacify Narasimhadev’s anger?
Day 12 - Rasamandali
Hare Krishna dear children!
Did you know that Lord Shiva is the protector and guardian of the holy dham? Today we will discover how Lord Shiva transformed into a gopi in Vrindavan and desired to enter the rasa dance. We will find out how he received this wonderful service of being the gatekeeper of Sri Vrindavan dham!
Let’s create this scene before our very eyes!
Day 13 - Raghunatha
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will hear about Rama and two of his dear devotees. We will also enter Vrindavan, where Krishna took the form of His devotee Hanuman.
Try making Hanuman’s heart pop up, with Sita and Rama’s image inside it. Share your creation on Bhakti Kids Facebook group.
Day 14 - Sadbhuja Gauranga – Lord Gauranga’s Six-armed Form
Hare Krishna dear children!
Lord Chaitanya spent many years in Jagannath Puri. Mahaprabhu went into an ecstatic trance of love of Krishna upon seeing the temple of Jagannath and ran to embrace Jagannath. As he came closer to the altar, He fell unconscious so Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya took the Lord to his home to take care of Him. Let’s find out what happens next!
Day 15 - Aghasura – The Killing of the Snake Demon
Hare Krishna dear children!
Aghasura was the smaller brother of Putana and Bakasura. What was his plan, while he sat on the forest path with his mouth open? Why did the cowherd boys and calves run into his mouth?? What happened to Aghasura’s soul after Krishna killed him? Who was he in his past life? Why was Garuda watching this pastime hidden in the clouds?
Try making Aghasura with his mouth open pop up! Share your works on our Facebook group.
Day 16 - Govardhan Puja – Worshipping Govardhana Hill
Hare Krishna dear children!
Today we will explore the wonderful pastime of how Lord Krishna and the Vrajavasis worshipped Govardhan Hill, the best of all mountains. They offered unlimited foodstuffs to the deity on top of Govardhan Hill but He still wanted more and more! How could they satisfy Giriraja if their houses had already been emptied from all grains, fruits and vegetables.
Read the pastime to find out what happened next and create your own Giriraja mountain in your pop-up book!
Please share your beautiful creations on our Facebook group.
Day 17 - Giridhari
Hare Krishna dear children!
What happened after Giriraj ate all the offerings meant for Indra? Was the king of the demigods happy to hear that? How did Krishna protect the Vrajavasis from Indra’s anger? How was it like under the Govardhana Hill?
Read all about it in today’s story.
Make Krishna lifting Govardhana pop up from your book. Share your work on Bhakti Kids group.