Video footage from Vraja - Suggestions sought

As I go to Vraja this autumn, I will be taking quite a bit of video footage and photos. I have some ideas myself, but I would like to hear suggestions on what you'd like to see.

Some ideas:

1. ADB chanting japa and teaching
2. Some nice kirtans and bhajans (audio recordings would also be very nice)
3. Deities at Radha-kund

Thank you for offering this opportunity.

GREAT!

Radhakunda parikrama -deity-tour!

Whatever fits your fancy, dear Madhava.

Sriji's Mandir in Barsana, Mora Kutir, Maana Mandir in Gahavar vana and the gorgeous Palace of Radharani, Sri Rangeeli Mahal.

If possible, video-tape the Prema Rasa- San- Kirtan of Jagadguru Sri Kripaluji Maharaj.

I believe in Sriji Mandir they don't permit cameras.

In 1978 they allowed movie cameras and we took some on our 16 mm. At that time, video cameras were not popular. At some places they do not allow shooting of the deities but rest of the temple structure and gardens can be filmed. I'll check this out, to be sure.

I'm still hoping to hear more suggestions.

I will be working on some video parikramas, that you can count on, plus some questions and answers sessions with my Baba. Any other ideas?

Please film a turtle attacking a bhakta while taking a bath in Sri Radha-kunda.

In the afternoon when your babaji gives his Pat, many babas attend from all around Radha-kund. Could you document where some of them are coming from, or perhaps where they are going to in the end? I'd like to see a documentation of the diversity of back-grounds, of parivars and sangas they belong too, how they come all together to sit there and listen to your baba, and then go back to do their particular bhajan. I personally would do some of it without them noticing it directly. Hard, i know, but just that the sanga is not too much affected by the filming. I have made one video there, and I do not think they really care if you are not putting the camera into their face, and specifically not begin to show them sequences of film you made of them. It is also a good idea not to film with the LCD screen open when others are present, otherwise too much excitement is caused.

I should, in fact, shoot (with the camera!) some footage of the animals of the dhama, too. Thanks for reminding me.

Early morning Kunja-bhanga kirtan every morning in Syamsundar Mandir with Tribhanga Das and others. This may be hard to get near to, past the crowd.

Adivas kirtan, with everyone assembled night before start of Niyam-seva, in Gopinath mandir.

Visit Sri Sakhicharandas Babaji at his ashram near Mahaprabhu Baithak Syamkund. Get him to sing something for you, he is magnificent. (He will be one of the main singers of the adivas kirtan too, but solo is even better).

Your Gurubhai Kajol-krishnadas Babaji is a young rising kirtaniya star who leads kirtan every day. Watch out for him performing adivas kirtan for occassional Bhagavat-sapta, stunning.

For variety, try to get some footage of Manipuri Kirtan, which may not be so appealing but interesting in small doses.

Try to get on a rooftop and film the mass sankirtan 'bhagavat-parikrama' midmorning on the ekadasi day which marks the end of niyam-seva, when all the Babajis of various sampraday take their Bhagavatams around the Kunda with ecstatic dancing. Spectacular.

Let's keep the thought alive. I am still looking forward hearing more suggestions. Thank you, Adiyenji, for the interesting tips.

I'd like to see my dada, Sachinandan Dasji.

Dear Madhava and all assembled devotees!

Radhe Radhe! What a lovely idea! I for one absolutely love pictorial and video representations of anything to do with Gaudiya Vaishnavism!

Along with what Braja Mohan has said about filming kirtana, what about a who's who of sadhus and Babajis in the RAdha Kunda area and surrounds, definitely Deities and Temples and LOTS of video footage of Srila Ananta DAs Baba maybe answering some pertinent questions etc..

Would be absolutely wonderful! Thank you Madhava for offering such a wonderful service!

Your servant
Sudevi dasi

Speaking of animals, I would very much like to see those turtles again, too. And peacocks dancing and flying, a green parrot entering a gree tree, those lovely little Indian squirrels, the huge snow-white oxen with long thick horns pulling carts, calves running on the golden brown dusty path to the goshal in Raman Reti (or somewhere else if you like), a flock of brijbasi little girls dressed in all the colors of the rainbow, tulasis growing in the earth.

You can show the inside of some big Deity shop, with all the sparkling Deities, mukuts, bells, jewelry and colorful Deity outfits.

If you like, for some touch of realism you can also show the occasional vulture, monkey (e.g. drinking charanamrita when the pujari is not watching), sick dog and black pig in the open sewage.

how about vrindavan parikrama, the whole thing, speeded up and turned into an infinite loop!

And of course radhakund parikram please

While you're doing the parikram you could sample the akhanda kirtan at Radha Giridhari Mandir where I stay, that's just off the parikram marg near shyama kutir which is on one of the quieter bits of the parikrama.

A speeded up parikram would be fun! I'd go halves on the rickshaw fare or you could use the magic of modern "trick photography"

cheers