Nestled in the wooded hilltops of the Appalachian Foothills, New Vrindaban is a favorite destination for thousands of pilgrims every year. Many of us have heard of or visited New Vrindaban and can attest to the wonderment of the place. Maharaja’s photo book is an invitation to realize and enter its deeper, magical dimensions of Sri Dhama. It offers a tangible glimpse of this enchanted realm, not easily seen with the naked eye.

Imbibing Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, His Holiness Varsana Swami has been carving out landscapes throughout New Vrindaban since 1972. His heart is vested in revealing and sharing the Dhama’s glory, message and beauty.

The book is a generous offering of Maharaja’s vast knowledge and deep spiritual insights on the subject of dhama-tattva. It contains over 150 beautiful images, which are intertwined with texts, a blend of his writings, quotations by Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas. Its purpose is to enhance our appreciation of the Dhama, deepen our understanding of its theological importance and foster developing personal relationship with Her.

It is comprised of five parts: ‘Let us glorify Vrindavan’, ‘Perceiving Sri Dhama’, ‘Who is Sri Dhama?’, ‘Tirthas in New Vrindaban’ and ‘Sri Nama and Sri Dhama’ . They do not need to be read in order; you can just open the book to any page and relish its content.

In Part 1, we hear the glories of Vrindavana-dhama, which awaken our astonishment and gratitude thus inducing the thought, “what an extraordinary opportunity we are being offered; we can go back to this amazing place of sweetness, beauty and love!” Part 2 makes us aware that it requires devotional qualifications and a significant amount of grace and to enter deeply into that sacred realm.

If you wonder why Maharaj refers to Dhama as “Her”, read Part 3, where he unveils the topic of the intriguing personality of Sri Dhama. Part 4 you might see as an invitation to seek deeper connection and blessings of the significant tirthas manifested so far in New Vrindaban. How intrinsically related is the Dhama and the Nama and how one enriches the other is the topic of the final section of the book.

In his concluding piece Maharaja writes, “May the experience and blessings of the Dhama increasingly direct our path according to the song of Krishna’s flute, the movements of His dance, the flow of His grace, and the impressions of the lotus feet of His devotees. May the beauty, wonder, mercy, and message of Sri Dhama expand and blossom within our hearts”.