Jagattarini reporting from the sacred land of Vrindavan.

You may recall a recent post on festivities taking place at the gallery during the month of Kartik. I left Perth half way through this festive month and journeyed to Vrindavan. Suddenly I found myself within the throng of happy, noisy people celebrating Kartik in this sacred land.

*Decorations adorn a temple in Vrindavan to celebrate Kartik*

Pilgrims packed the temple each evening seeking blessings by offering lamps with deep devotion. I was amazed to see so many people all together singing and carrying these little clay lamps.

*Thousands of people offering lamps in a temple in Vrindavan*

Amazingly, even with such crowds, there has never been an accident caused by fire... although one friend of mine jokingly pointed out that her hair had been slightly singed one evening.

After I'd been there for a couple of weeks, the festive month of Kartik came to an end. Gone were the masses of pilgrims packing the temple each evening. Gone too were all the international visitors who flock to Vrindavan during this season.

*After the end of Kartik month, the temples in Vrindavan are quiet again*

Thousands of people leave Vrindavan and return to their day-to-day life. Every one of them, without exception, making their plans to return again next year!