Since Radhasthami fell on Monday, the 21st of September we had scheduled a Holy Name Retreat in Goloka Dham on the weekend leading up to this auspicious event. What better way to prepare for Srimati Radharani's appearance....! And Goloka Dham was the perfect place for such a retreat, since it is in such peaceful and secluded environment, and of course since Radha Madana Mohana are personally there.....!
 This was my first visit to Villa Vrindavan - a wonderful community in the Toscana, one of the most popular and touristy areas of the Northern part of Italy.
The main building which is now the abode of Sri Sri Radha Vraja Sundara, Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, is a beautiful and large Renaissance villa dating back to the sixteenth century. Situated on top of a hill it thus offers a breathtaking view onto the valley with it's beautiful nature. The entire property measures eighty hectares of land, with forests, pastures and hundreds of olive trees. Already three months prior I had agreed with my mother that I would visit her on the 8th/9th/10th of September in her village near Tuebingen. Meanwhile her health condition had decreased - one of her heart valves did not function properly any longer, hardly allowing any blood to flow through with the opening being only one centimeter instead of four. At night she was troubled by strong heart pains and breathing problems, and many doctors and even homeopaths advised her to immediately undergo a surgery in order to receive a new heart valve.
I had invited Hari Sauri Prabhu to come to Kharkov for Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja, and he had kindly accepted our invitation. Thus on the 31st of August, the day of departure from the Bhakti Sangam Festival we flew together from Lvov to Kharkov.
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