We, at Bloomington, have a devotee congregation under the name “Madhuban Bhakta Vrinda” which is affiliated to the ISKCON Chicago Temple. Madhuban Bhakta Vrinda is a team of sincere seekers of Spiritual Knowledge who want to lead a disciplined life in the Service of the Supreme Lord. Over the past 6 years, Madhuban Bhakta Vrinda has been conducting many programs for the benefit of the residents of Bloomington.

On request, His Holiness Rompada Swami Maharaj entitled the group as "Madhuban Bhakta Vrinda". This group's activities were started in 2004 by H.G. Balarama Das and H.G. Vrindapati Das.

The main objective of the group is to provide a platform for initiated devotees to keep themselves busy in Prabhupada's services and also simultaneously cultivate,inspire the new comers to take up to the process of Krishna Conciousness.

Some of the activities are:

1. "Sanjeevani" Monthly program - Evening 6.30 to 8.30 - Venue: Arbors Club House, South Prospect Road, Bloomington, 61701
This program is ideal for those who would like to start with the understanding of the essence of the Bhagvad Gita. The Program itinerary includes:

  • 6.30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Aratik and Kirtans
  • 7:00 p.m. – 7.45 p.m. – Discourse on a topic relevant to our practical life, based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita (Topic is published in Event Classifieds on Desibloom for each program, or check this space for Topic)
  • 7.45 p.m. – 8.00 p.m. – Question and Answers Session, get all the questions that you ever have about God or Spirituality answered by the Speaker who will be an eminent personality well versed in Scriptures
  • 8.00 p.m. – 8.30 p.m. – Dinner prasadam for all. First time visitors will get a free spiritual gift from us. There are no charges for the program

2. "Bhakti Vriksha" Biweekly programs held on alternate fridays, Evening 7 – 9 p.m
These programs are ideal for those who would like to have more in-depth understanding of the philosophy and the timeless wisdom available in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagvatam and Chaitanya Charitamrita. The devotees come together to understand and discuss how to apply this knowledge in their daily lives. It is a platform for the sincere seekers to come together, encourage and enthuse each other to practice the sublime Path of Bhakti yoga, and seek help from those who are already following the path and deriving immense benefits from it. The program itinerary is as follows:

  • 7.00 p.m. - 7.15 p.m. – Invocation Prayers and Kirtan
  • 7.15 p.m. – 8.00 p.m. – Discourse based on the Books by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Current book being studied is “Shri Isopanishada”, which is part of Yajurveda)
  • 8.00 p.m. – 8.15 p.m. – Q & A
  • 8.15 p.m. - 8.45 p.m. - Dinner Prasadam for all. There are no charges for the program

3. Celebration of important festivals like Krishna Janmastami, Shri Ram Navami, Janmastami, Gaur Poornima, Deepavali and many more

4. Summer picnics for the Congregation The Devotees head to a nearby park to spend the whole day together as a bigger family of devotees, and enjoy Games, Quizzes, Food and other adventures like Walking along the Trails, Canoe, Rafting etc. These are examples of how to enjoy keeping God in the Centre.

5. Summer camps for Children (Age 4 to 12) Starting summer 2010, these camps will aim at wholesome cultural and spiritual development of the young minds. Children will learn Slokas from the Bhagavad Gita and understand the importance of values like Politeness, Cleanliness (of Mind and Speech), Humility, Respect etc. This will be done in a fun way with the help of story telling (from the scriptures), Games, Craft, Discussions etc. A nominal charge will be taken to cover expenses.

For further details on any of the programs please write to us at iskconbloomington@gmail.com for any further details