Gopal's Garden: Home Schooling at New Vrindaban

This past Monday, October 15th, 2007, marked the beginning of a wonderful new project here at New Vrindaban Dham. It was the first day of school at Gopal's Garden, the new home-school for young residents of the Dham.

The sweet opening ceremony was marked by a jolly kirtan, transcendental fable-telling from HG Sankirtan Prabhu, some cookie prasad, and more than a few tears from courageous kids and parents going through the ageless emotions of separation and excitement that mark this new adventure.

For a full description of Gopal's Garden, please keep on reading, and you can visit the school to see what it's all about by heading over to Cabin #1, which has been converted into a schoolhouse.

"A school with its children can be compared to a garden with its many flowers and fragrances."

Gopal's Garden, which is opening this fall here in New Vrindaban, will be unique in that it is one of the very few educational facilities in the West which incorporates the ancient teachings of India known as Sanatana Dharma.

One of the cabins near the temple is in the process of being renovated for the use of the school. Gopal's Garden is both a pre-school and a home school coop. Children ages two to nine are enrolled.

The children who attend Gopal's Garden will receive a well rounded education in all the various aspects of Dharma, including training in religion, character development and social skills, along with academic standards that will help them prepare for any endeavor or profession that they may eventually want to enter into.

Gopal's Garden is a nonprofit whose board members include Shyamasundar das, Shankarananda das, Ranaka das, Govinda Priya devi dasi, and Ruci devi dasi.

Ruci, along with the parents help, will be overseeing the activities and teaching of the students. She is a thirty year resident of the community with over twenty years of experience teaching pre-school and elementary school.

Gopal's Garden also calls upon the skills and talents of many other Vaisnavas versed in the fields of music, drama, deity worship, cooking, gardening, and art to insure that the students receive a truly diverse educational experience.

For more info, contact Shankarananda Das at 304-221-1000