krishnasthami with a difference

today, was a krishnasthami with a difference. aside from a spectacular sunset, and the evening puja, it was a big day for mami, as it was the initiation of her 6-year-old dream of establishing a 'samabeshi' (inclusive)gurukul for girls. today the gargi kanya gurukul was officially launched, with its first nine students from various parts of nepal. the students and the teachers and mentors had come to mami for blessings.

mami welcomes the girls individually with tika and sagun.

the nine girls were from eight different districts,from sindhuli to salyan.. their ethnic diversity apparent from their faces...

the gurus, advisors and well-wishers...

the nine shishyas eating dahi kera peda...

mami greeting kamalaji, the driving force behind the setting up of the gurukul...

.. and the other half of the twin, nirmalaji...

and the gurkul in charge, bijayaji...

mami in turn gets her tika from the youngest shishya of the gurukul...

...then it is time for the matriarch of the gurukul for a bit of marga darshan to the girls...

a snippet of mami's address to the girls...


a group shot before parting...

ghantaghar, and our trees, including the rudrakshya, silhouetted against a gorgeous sunset...

after sunset our puja started, this time just prava and me doing puja, as jyoti is away in the usa, revelling with her graddaughter and others...

rajan distributes prasad after the puja to mami, muwa, bindadidi and renudijju amongst others...

just then we get a call from jyoti... we take turns to talk to her and wish her happy birthday in advance.. her birthday is the day after krishnasthami...

... muwa wishing and giving her blessings to her granddaughter jyoti across the saat samundra... as the other two grandchildren listen on...

... iti...