Posted on March 14, 2019March 25, 2019 by remember krishna — Leave a comment

I have a gorgeous Krishna toy doll! What can I add?

swing jhula krishna toys radha krsna on swing

Krishna doll the ranchor arms move — sweet Krishna doll arms move standing tall best fun to play with

This standing Krishna with moveable arms – Krishna the Ranchor, because he looks so ready to protect everyone – has heaps of toys to fit his size!

Firstly you really need a bed! Select one of the suitably sized beds from all the lovingly handmade sweet sleeping places for Krishna.

rocking cradle for Krsna dolls painted blue with daisy and blueberry folk art style and blue flowery bedding wooden cradle on pink background
Baby krsna doll blue boy krsna tucked into a wooden rocking cradle painted red with folkstyle art flowers in gold on the sides of the cot and a pink sheet
Baby krsna doll blue boy krsna tucked into a wooden rocking cradle painted red with folkstyle art flowers in gold on the sides of the cot and a pink sheet

Offer Ornaments for His sweet head with a Crown – Various styles of mukut available for His Size!

opulent and princely, this crown has the shape of a turban and unique falling fringe of studded gemstones.
Adorn Radha & Krsna in this sweet pair of custom Mukut pink crowns. Perfect for your Remember Krishna dolls

Srimate Radharani - Radhika! She who brings pleasure to Sri Krishna
What could be sweeter than Radha to play with Krishna?!

tall radha doll made from plastic with pink clothes and a garland for krsna doll

Lord Balaram – the protective elder brother of Sri Krishna

standing balaram doll with his arms in the air

Give Krishna butterpot!

butterpots gaily painted decorated with jewels minature butter pots for Krsna and balaram multi color indian diwali — Butterpots of all shapes and colors suit sweet Krishna

These adorable butter pots are perfect for offerings, whether you add tiny foodstuffs, flowers or other things for sweet Krishna, they will give so much fun to your playtime.

A Waterpot – made from pure Vrindavan Silver

silver waterpot with embossed decorative details indian heritage style waterpot or butterpot for krishna dolls and krsna deities

lei garland from ribbon for krishna deity

Garland or flower mala / lei Decorate Sweet Krishna and Radhika with these darling ribbon and bead flower mala.

Throne or Vyasasana for Sri Krsna

There are multiple throne options which suit this beautiful Krsna – have a browse through Krishna’s Accessories category to see which one you like, as well as nice decorated cloths and cushions or swings.

Animal friends! What is sweeter than playing with Krishna and His friends?

After all, Krishna is never alone! Add more friends to your collection of Krishna toys.

Radharani and Rangini
peacock friend of Krishna
Darling Deer suits larger Krsna and Radha dolls
baby monkey from the front with big eyes cute ears and curling tail

Posted on January 22, 2019January 22, 2019 by remember krishna — Leave a comment

Janmastami! Invite Krishna into your heart & your home!

A beautiful tradition in India to celebrate and decorate for Sri Krishna Janmastami is to use Rangoli paste and decorate from the entry, all the way into the altar, with little footprints, inviting little sweet Krishna in.

rice flour traditional rangoli decoration stencil on marble floor colorful yellow magento and green marble — rice flour traditional rangoli decoration

We have celebrated and decorated in this way since my marvellous sister suggested it 10 years ago!

Always in rentals, with rarely any options to actually use anything messy like riceflour paste, we have had to be creative!

How you execute this idea will depend on your floor type, and time/money factor.

You can buy removable/reuseable wall decals in the shape of little gorgeous footprints online. I did a quick search for sources and found the following options:

I have seen these in plain white at my local craft shop so cheaply. They work reversable coz they are blank.
foam and glitter foot prints from amazon
order online wall decal easy
Order online from amazon

The wall decals work best if you have a tile or wooden floor. Alternately you may choose to run them along the sides of the wall to the altar, rather than the floor. When we have them on the floor the kids love to run after them following the foots, which is fine because it leads them to the altar!

When we ordered a set of these, I painted on the symbols. But to be totally frank they did not last removal and my 1yr old’s determination to destroy. They may be better these days!

You can also order little paper cut craft feet from the craft stores, maybe you can pick it up instore, or maybe you can order it online.

They are easy and cute!

We of course went the whole CHEAP and LABORIOUS HOG.

What we did was cut stencils, and then used the stencil to create a huge amount of little lotus flowers with Krsna’s lotus feet in them. I’m sorry to say I did NOT get Krsna’s lovely markings on the correct feet, I realized a few years later (sigh and cry).

You can contact paper the lotus flowers with Krsna’s feet on them, to protect them, and then use bluetack to adhere the lotus feet to the ground.

But with all our effort, it was well worth it, because we have used them for years.

Have fun at home setting up beautiful festive decorations for Janmastami, and celebrate it as a true festival, it really is the best time of the year!

lotus of feet of krishna stencil with symbols

These have been used repeatedly over the years, and we use them to decorate the walls up the stairwell to lead into the party for Krishna’s appearance day too.

More ideas on celebrating Krishna Janmastami coming up – this is going to be a 14 day series of blog posts for you, and I’ll link them all here. Be sure to sign up to the newsletter to see all the ideas.

Posted on October 14, 2018March 14, 2019 by remember krishna — Leave a comment

Growing Goverdhan kids activity

Goverdhan puja Hill Activity:

You will need:

Large saucer (either plastic or ceramic, depending on your budget)
Soil (potting mix is fine)
Your choice of Seeds – I suggest a combo of allyssium, or other low growing ground cover seeds including grass

Use a large platter, like a saucer for under a big pot (buy from a garden wares shop), and mound up soil. You can combine the soil with moisture retaining particles or if you buy a potting mix it may already have that in it.

Sew your seeds liberally – place the hill in a nice sunny spot.

Water daily with a gentle sprinkle

Watch and wait! Soon enough your little goverdhan hill will begin to sprout seedlings and you can watch it flourish.

You can now decorate your hill.

There a lots of mini kits online to use with terrariums, and this hill is just the right size to use them! Look out for mini deer, little rabbits, mushrooms, flowers and birds and cows, to decorate your hill.

You can also position a little Krsna atop your hill, but be mindful of not getting him wet! Krishna dolls are available at www.rememberkrishna.com/shop

If you would like to expand the Goverdhan hill activity you can also visit and download the beautiful ready to print pdf of Krishna and the residents of Vrindavan cut out figures. Print and color and cut – ready inhabitants of Vrindavan for the Goverdhan hill!

One of the nicest things about this activity is the way that you can look after it all year round, and keep adding on and growing new little things on your hill.

Goverdhan puja is such a wonderful festival and time of year a happy occasion to celebrate, and we can invite our children and friends into this world of transcendental happiness, enjoying decorating and making, and giving prasadam.

I have always wanted to have a Goverdhan hill for our home for my children to play with, and have been so enchanted and inspired by the Goverdhan celebrations and crafts I have seen from my friends and others online. This growing Goverdhan Hill activity was inspired by a dear friend who first made the hill at home, for her grandchildren – covered in tulasi and alyssum flowers and little seedlings. My sister in Hawaii also had in her garden a little rock mountain which was covered in moss where they placed a Krishna statute and had tulasi growing. It was in a central mound and we could circunambulate or and chant and worship goverdhan and Krishna.

Worship your hill by singing Jaya Goverdhan! Jaya Gopala, Goverdhan Giridhari.

Posted on September 15, 2018 by remember krishna — Leave a comment

Krishna Avatar Shadow Puppets show

boar incarnation Varaha silhouette shadow puppet

It’s so special to offer Krsna our heartfelt and lovingly prepared offerings for His enjoyment! My dear friend and clever artist, teacher, and busy mother, Kalindi, put together this amazing presentation for a whole slew of children to be busily occupied in!

They had at least 5 practices and I had not seen a single thing before THE NIGHT! It was such an incredible performance, and honestly I had thought that maybe the puppet show (I knew they were practicing, at least) could be a fairly tame one to like a pre-recorded long storytape soundtrack, but WOW was I wrong! I was hollering for more when it finished! (No really, if you watch my version I’m cheering them on..). . . We all were!

When I asked Kalindi if she would like to share some photos and details about the puppet show creation with everyone to inspire and enthuse you, she was actually really happy and excited to, which makes me so happy! She’s prepared this great brief “how-to” and commentary for you, and I just know you will be as delighted as I am.

These puppets were designed to accompany the verses of the ‘Sri Dasavatara stotra’ Prayers by Jayadeva Goswami glorifying the incarnations of Lord Krishna on this planet.

cutting out the silhouette shadow puppets and drawing them before hand kid in shirt and black cardboard

Each puppet was carefully drawn onto black card with white pencil. Then cut out. A knife was used to stencil out all the intricate details. Some puppets had moving parts, so the limbs were drawn separately and reattached with a paper fastener. Bamboo sticks were stuck to the main body as a holding stick, using masking tape, with each moving limb attached to a separate stick with a loop of wire and tape.

The shadow puppets are cut out of card stock and taped onto long sticks, with moveable joints

The most difficult part of producing these puppets is trying to make the longer parts, such as arms and weapons, steady. This was done by taping on kebab sticks with tape and using clear sticky tape over all the stenciled out sections to protect from tearing.

The screen was made out of a white sheet, wooden poles and ropes attached for support.

shadow pupet presentation for theatre night janmastami silhouette art real scenes

When performing the show, there were between 2 to 4 people behind the screen at one time. Some puppets need 2 people to work them as it is important to have one person hold the support stick while parts are moving.

The most enjoyable puppet to work was Lord Matsya with his huge flapping tale and Lord Kalki, which had 3 people working him, as he could trot and stand on his hind legs.

Sri Dasavatara-stotra (from Gita-govinda) by Jayadeva Gosvami

(1)

pralaya-payodhi-jale dhritavan asi vedam

vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam

kesava dhrita-mina-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You!

You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish just to give protection to the Vedas, which had

become immersed in the turbulent sea of devastation.

(2)

kshitir iha vipulatare tishthati tava prishthe

dharani-dharana-kina-cakra-garishthe

kesava dhrita-kurma-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a tortoise! All glories to You!

In this incarnation as a divine tortoise the great Mandara Mountain rests upon Your gigantic back as a pivot

for churning the ocean of milk. From holding up the huge mountain a large scarlike depression is put in

Your back, which has become most glorious.

(3)

vasati dasana-sikhare dharani tava lagna

sasini kalanka-kaleva nimagna

kesava dhrita-sukara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a boar! All glories to You!

The earth, which had become immersed in the Garbhodaka Ocean at the bottom of the universe, sits fixed

upon the tip of Your tusk like a spot upon the moon.

(4)

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-sringam

dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhringam

kesava dhrita-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All

glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one’s fingernails, so in the same way the body of

the wasplike demon Hiranyakasipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful

lotus hands.

(5)

chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana

pada-nakha-nira-janita-jana-pavana

kesava dhrita-vamana-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a dwarf-brahmana! All

glories to You! O wonderful dwarf, by Your massive steps You deceive King Bali, and by the Ganges water that

has emanated from the nails of Your lotus feet, You deliver all living beings within this world.

(6)

kshatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-papam

snapayasi payasi samita-bhava-tapam

kesava dhrita-bhrigupati-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Bhrigupati [Parasurama]!

All glories to You! At Kurukshetra You bathe the earth in the rivers of blood from the bodies of the

demoniac kshatriyas that You have slain. The sins of the world are washed away by You, and because of You

people are relieved from the blazing fire of material existence.

(7)

vitarasi dikshu rane dik-pati-kamaniyam

dasa-mukha-mauli-balim ramaniyam

kesava dhrita-rama-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Ramacandra! All glories to

You! In the battle of Lanka You destroy the ten-headed demon Ravana and distribute his heads as a

delightful offering to the presiding deities of the ten directions, headed by Indra. This action was long desired

by all of them, who were much harassed by this monster.

(8)

vahasi vapushi visade vasanam jaladabham

hala-hati-bhiti-milita-yamunabham

kesava dhrita-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Balarama, the wielder of

the plow! All glories to You! On Your brilliant white body You wear garments the color of a fresh blue rain

cloud. These garments are colored like the beautiful dark hue of the River Yamuna, who feels great fear due to

the striking of Your plowshare.

(9)

buddha bodhi tree silhouette shadow puppet hindu art incarnation

nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam

sadaya-hridaya darsita-pasu-ghatam

kesava dhrita-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You!

O Buddha of compassionate heart, you decry the slaughtering of poor animals performed according to the rules

of Vedic sacrifice.

(10)

kalki on horse rearing ready to slay demons shadow puppet silhouette

mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavalam

dhumaketum iva kim api karalam

kesava dhrita-kalki-sarira jaya jagadisa hare

O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Kalki! All glories to You!

You appear like a comet and carry a terrifying sword for bringing about the annihilation of the wicked

barbarian men at the end of the Kali-yuga.

(11)

sri-jayedeva-kaver idam uditam udaram

srinu sukha-dam subha-dam bhava-saram

kesava dhrita-dasa-vidha-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed these ten different forms of

incarnation! All glories to You! O readers, please hear this hymn of the poet Jayadeva, which is most excellent,

an awarder of happiness, a bestower of auspiciousness, and is the best thing in this dark world.

(12)

vedan uddharate jaganti vahate bhu-golam udbibhrate

daityam darayate balim chalayate kshatra-kshayam kurvate

paulastyam jayate halam kalayate karunyam atanvate

mlecchan murchayate dasakriti-krite krishnaya tubhyam namah

O Lord Krishna, I offer my obeisances unto You, who appear in the forms of these ten incarnations. In the

form of Matsya You rescue the Vedas, and as Kurma You bear the Mandara Mountain on Your back. As

Varaha You lift the earth with Your tusk, and in the form of Narasimha You tear open the chest of the

daitya Hiranyakasipu. In the form of Vamana You trick the daitya king Bali by asking him for only three steps

of land, and then You take away the whole universe from him by expanding Your steps. As Parasurama You

slay all of the wicked kshatriyas, and as Ramacandra You conquer the rakshasa king Ravana. In the form of

Balarama You carry a plow with which You subdue the wicked and draw toward You the River Yamuna. As

Lord Buddha You show compassion toward all the living beings suffering in this world, and at the end of the

Kali-yuga You appear as Kalki to bewilder the mlecchas [degraded low-class men].

Thank you so much Kalindi for sharing this amazing creation with us all!

Posted on February 15, 2018February 15, 2018 by remember krishna — Leave a comment

Alternatives to tv evenings

This is kind of an evolution post. I started it when I was gripped by tv as entertainemnt, and while I stopped that, after a while I started reading fiction. So whatever your drug of choice is, your mental candy or comfort food, lets explore some alternate ideas and also take a good solid look at why we are doing that!

By the end of the day most people are totally exhausted, and sometimes it’s easy to slide into the habit of watching television programs… When I have just moved or my life is in upheaval or I’m feeling lazy, lonely, sad or unhappy, I do have a tendency to turn to some mental junkfood!

Recently I listened to a wonderful lecture from my spiritual master, Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda on our tendency to turn to anything BUT Krsna.. It really helped clarify in my mind what was going on with me and my mentality. You see, I’ve kind of fallen back into a really absorbing habit, which is reading. My life has taken a couple of swirly turns, and been for me and my family, a personal crisis. Our battle to survive in this sink or swim world.

The main point I took away from the eye opening lecture was that; when we fill our emptiness with substitutes for Krsna, we are papering over the very loneliness and heart ache which is what we should be turning and filling up with Krsna!

We have to remember that it’s not a good practice to fall into, as you are opening yourself up to whatever subject matter you decide to watch, and in the evenings just before bed it’s particularly influential. (my problem!)

Instead you can read a book, (scripture), color in, or tell your kids a Krishna story.

You can also listen to a lecture, do japa, or do a puzzle.

Maybe you enjoy colouring in, or you could do that with your kids.

Prepare an arotik tray for the morning! All ideas…

I hope that just writing this will help ME to remember Krishna – because in remembering Krishna comes loving Krsna, and nothing is sweeter for the heart than loving Krishna.

Love,

Sita