This dress is done in a classic style. Purple with a red pink, Krsna's big skirt and chodder are quite impressive and make him look like a "dancing actor". Mahaprabhu and Radharani have the same color scheme but much less cloth. Radharani's veil is small which is also typical of that society. This was the first Janmastami outfit.
The rain is back in full force today. Only the hard core are pedaling through this storm
The dress for this evening started as a day outfit and was what they wore on September eleven. Offered on a Gaura Purnima when one of the deovtees brought a wig with so many curls he looked like a judge in a British court. When it was made over into a night dress i had to hold back from calling it 'give me a head with hair'

While Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika have green with some yellow accents in this outfit, Krsna has mostly yellow with a green belt. In Gandharvika's skirt there are black designs very quietly. The palo has more boldly black in the background. Mahaprabhu's green is just simple. Even though it's the same shade without the black it has of course a different look. Offered for Guru Maharaja's appearance it's called follow the angles.
Wow! Two days straight with no rain. Us pedalers are getting spoiled. The chill in the air isn't a problem after a week of storms. But lookout, tomorrow begins the weekend for which there are two or three storms forecast. Today mostly down by the beach the whole ride. Lots of people out to getin some time around the beach before the return of the downpours.
This evening's dress was made so quickly it truely was a miracle. offered for Srila Prabhupada's appearance, Mahaprabhu isin purple and gold,while Krsna has mauve and gold lemay and Gandharvika wears more pink mixed in the purple.

A turban for Mahaprabhu. That's what the seamstress wanted in this outfit. Pink and silver with roses. The apprentice thinks the silver makes it look like a suit of armor. But Mahaprabhu only came with his own beauty and the kirtan to slay the demoniac mentality of the fallen souls of this age of kali. A genuine superstar.
The sun came out today. All the local cyclists felt as if they were born again. So good to be able to ride without so much as a cloud in the sky. From the Seva Asrama to the natural bridges park we have all been pedaling from the afternoon up 'till the dark.
In the evening then i had an apprentice helping. It's been so long i'd forgotten what it was like. He told me that in three months he'd be able to do everything. After some thought, though he asked me not to hold him to it.

This powder blue and silver with a little red trim was offered for Guru Maharaja's appearance. The question of a backdrop came. Should it be red? Or would that make it scream too much? Later it happened. No one said anything like that. The silver comes from the fishnet like material that covers the chodders and Gandharvika's skirt. The blue is like the color of the Math in Navadvipa.
The first of three new storms hit today. It's begining to make me wonder if i'll remember how to pedal through traffic. So much time on the trainer...well at least my pedal strokes will be smoother and more round.
An orange dress tonight. Gandharvka has a panneled skirt. Mahaprabhu has a cumberbund and chodder in the same color. Krsna has a vest.

The day of Sri Hari, it's Ekadasi so that means 'don't tug on superman's cape'. Mahaprabhu wears orange pants with a blue kirta and chodder. Krsna has a fushcia kirta, blue cumberbund, yellow dhoti with blue stars and a multicolored cape. Gandharvika wears a blue choli, with a skirt with blue and green ruffles covered by a veil the same pattern as Krsna's kirta. One day Srila Govinda Maharaja asked the devotees if they had seen the Deities that day,he said 'you should Krsna has a very beautiful dress with stars all over it.'
Today it was a bit chilly and overcast but at least no rain. Traffic was light perhaps due to being the day after Christmas. Down around by shopper's corner a right there and to the end of that road and make another right. Straight back to the temple's road and making a right then follow the long and winding road back to the temple.
This evening is the usual 'grateful'dvip'as they got ready for their night time activities.

Today's dress was offered on Janmastami. One that wasn't quite as we had asked for it. This was the first one we had made in India. Other societies spend more on outfits than we do and so maybe ours just wasn't taken as important. A couple of times the seemstress and the person who was donating the dress went to the taylor and tried to explain how they wanted it done but still the things just weren't right. But it is a beautiful dress and those who didn't know all the trouble it was to have it done would not have guessed that there ever was a problem.
The riders were for sure back on the storm today. The no-where bike has gotten quite a few hours on it this season. Perhaps a reprive will come tomorrow.
It was a small gathering this evening and the Deities saw in the night wearing a dress offered on Guru Maharaja's appearance day a few years back called in the ninth.

Royalblue for Mahaprabhu Krsna is in yellow and Gandharvika has purple-red. A Janmastami dress from a couple of years ago. Featuring jewelry made by one of the devotees. "Seeing Mahaprabhu's mischevious mood, Radharani is smiling slightly." Of course his mischeviousness is taking the luster and emotion of Radharani while inwardly he is Krsna. He does that to discover what it is that attracts Radharani to him(Krsna) And this dress, though not their traditional colors, is called 'Cutty Sark' since Gandharvika's skirt is a couple of inches short so that she has a longer skirt under to make up the length.
Having coome to the end of the Christmas run up, this year i didn't see Kris Kringle even once. Past years i've seen him a few times driving around town in a doon buggy. Maybe it was the fog or the rain but somehow i didn't see father Kristmas.
The Deities wear the most blessed event on this eve of the holiday. It be fitting if you take the holiday to be as significant as the faithful believe.

Purple and silver for today. It inspired us to get a silver flute for Krsna. It has an elephant head on one end and a ball on the other. Smaller flutes have that commonly but the maker said he'd not done that for a big one before. A lady in Navadvipa called to Vrndavana,where the flute was made, to say they were to bring 'fruit to last a year' Which we all got a laugh from and still tease her about it sometimes.
Hey the storm let up agian today out in the real road! What a great feeling! i don't know how long for but today it was great to be able pedal along down by the beach even though the fog was so thick, as they say, you could cut it with a knife.

Gaura Purnima was fashionably late that's true but Radharani was there with bells on. Light green and purple and Radha's skirt has bells on the last purple stripe. The boys and i were dressing them and the seemstress's son pointed out the bells to me saying "that should inspire you" And that's how the outfit got it's name.
Yet another "spin class" today. If it keeps on raining something's going to break. i think we'll have to consult with another holy text and figure out what a cubit is. There just doesn't seem to be any let up in sight. But next summer this will all be a distant memory.
This evening a deeper green and more purple were what the Deities wore. Krsna has a full on long coat rather than the jacket he wore during the day. Gandharvika has a purple viel and the front of her skirt are purple ruffles. and by now the nights have started to get a bit shorter now.

With blue and fuschia for Mahaprabhu, purple, gold, yellow, orange, green,and red for Krsna, orange, red, purple, and green for Gandharavika this dress could have been called Roy G. Biv since it has all the colors of the rainbow. It brings to mind an album cover with a picture of the band in one pose when it was held in one way and changes as the album is turned.
The rain is back avengance. Another day of riding on the storm. How many days to nowhere? With all this trainer riding my pedal strokes are getting smoother and the circles are getting more perfect. The ride we all love to hate.
Still warm enough not to use chodders on the Deities at night. Maybe after christmas. But i wouldn't mind if it never got that cold

"Holding a higher position than even Vrndavan is Govardhana hill where Giridhari and Gandharvika engage in their pastimes of divne love" i chant that mantra while i'm bathing the Deities in the morning. i also go through "bhale gaura gadadhara arati nehari nadiya purava bhave jao bolle hari kalpataru tale ratna simhasanopari sabhu sakhi bestita kisora kisori" and remember how Guru Maharaja told me once that as Madhavendra Puri offered sandalwood pulp to Ksiracora Gopinatha his Gopal deity was also satisfied, i should engage in the worship of the Deities here while remembering Kisora Kisori and they will also be satisfied. Then as i dress Gandharvika in a very beautiful blue sari i hear how Mahaprabhu accepted lunch from a nonbrahmin because he was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri. As such Madhavendra Puri had accepted offerings cooked by that devotee so Mahaprabhu felt he could also since Mahaprabhu's own guru was also a disciple of Madhavendra Puri. Mahaprabhu wore a mango color today and Krsna was dressed in yellow with a purple belt and chodder.
Again today i was able to pedal by the beach and watch the tide rolling in. But i hadn't time to waste since the solstice hasn't happend yet and the days are at their shortest now, i had to quickly get back since i not only had to wake the Deities from their afternoon nap but also had no light with which to see when the sun sank low.
This evening's dress is also a bit heavier cloth that's good for these chillier nights of the winter time. First offered on Nrsmha Caturdasi it's called 'the lions club'

Peacock effulgences. That's what the backdrop is with today's outfit. They're arranged in rows with colored stones in between. The colors match each Deity's dress. Mahaprabhu has green, Krsna's are red and Gandharvika's are blue. This dress is decorated with butterflies. i think the seamstress collected different sizes for months. Also different colors gold, blue, red, and a few green too. A very good dress for the winter time since Mahaprabhu and Krsna have velvet jackets. As i recall this one was also a Gaura Purnima outfit.
The storm broke for most of the day today. i was able to pedal out into the world for some time today. At least long enough to see which trees had been affected most.
This evening there was a festival for the disappearance of Saraswati Thakura. The devotees had so many things to say in his praise. He was a real reformer. He brought Krsna consciousness up to date from the days of Mahaprabhu to the present day. He gave the second inititation to those not born in brahmin families. Also he allowed married people and women to take part in his 'movement' If not for those changes the world would probably not have the Krsna consciousness movementit has today.

Blue dhoti for Krsna whle Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika wore orange and blue. Krsna wore a white silk turban. The true value of a silk turban.
A big storm today so more trainer pedaling.
While at night Krsna had a red jacket and dhoti while Mahaprabhu wore a blue kirta and green pants.Gandharvika wears deep blue.

Vyasa Puja today. A new dress. With silk the seamstress describes as the color of foam on ghee. There are rust color flowers and such with avacado color in the center of them Years ago i knew another seamstress who's name meant 'born of butter' so hearing this outfit was that color,it became named 'Havir bhu' While dressing Mahaprabhu i picked up his dhoti then i went to the seamstress and asked to 'splain me to it' So she fixed it up.
Once again it was a few bars of 'Riders on the storm' i could only pedal the nowhere bike. Doesn't have a pretty view, or a place that it's going to but in the rain what else can you do?
Navy blue and red for Radharani this evening,fushcia and green for Krsna, while Mahaprabhu wasin deep purple and green offered on a day we call 'the most blessed event'

On Friday Krsna wears purple as i was taught in the days of my youth. Today a purple jacket with yellow dhoti. Mahaprabhu had mostly green with some fushcia too. Gandharvika has a blue sari with gold and silvery print.
This is the only one when not only do each have their own colors but also different crowns.
In the begining They were one but then they separated eteranlly to enjoy pastimes. In this Kali yuga they have reunited in the form of Mahaprabhu. So this one is yellow and blue combine as green.
They last few days before the solstice. Then ever so slowly the light will come back. A hopeful reason to cycle along today with the hope that this dark time has just about come to it's xenith.
With no vases to prop Mahaprabhu's skirt on i had to resort to the days of the great society. That is i put a fishing line around the back post of the Simasana and tied him up. i wonder if he felt like Gulever being tied by this Liliputian

"What color should we make the dress for your birthday?" We asked our guru. Make it white gold and yellow. So we did. As such this outfit is called 'Across the universe' Jaya Gurudeva. People exclaim "You've got to see the Deities today, Their incredible!"
Pedaling by the beach the temperature goes up ten degrees this time of year. In summer the same path feels like the air conditioning is on. Today there was a kid showing his cheap suspension bike to his friend. Funny how most of the E-bikers seem to be staying indoors now. Haven't seen any for a couple of weeks now.
Now more than a week past the Oran sasti but still no chodders. In the evening one of the devotees has made fires so the temple is warm enough that no one considers putting on a heavy chodder to stay warm. Maybe next week.

Once upon a time it was decided that an outfit would be made by an Indian deity shop.Excitment ran high. The wait went on. Then it arrived. As the package was opened the excitment turned into wonder. How did the Indians make the dhotis backward? Mahaprabhu's kirta was also too short. Somehow the seamstress was able to work it all out. The dress looks quite elegant always. It's called "the white knight is talking backward"
Many people out rushing around, after all 'tis the season and all that rot. But at the same time the roads don't seem any more congested than usual. Even though i went mainly through the town today there didn't seem to be any extra cars out. What a blessing!

This evening the Deities are wearing the only silver night dress they have. It also haslight jewelry which often times sneaks upon me just to keep me honest and not try to get finished too fast. 'Oh deer dough, have you seen Krsna?"is it's name

When the lady who bought the deep blue cloth that was used for Radharani's sari showed it to Gurudeva he said that he would choose a different shade of blue for her but this was the shade she would choose for herself. Mahaprabhu has a traditional mango/orange color while Krsna is in his typical yellow. So this outfit is called 'Radha's own' sort of a take off on a salad dressing i've seen.
Down the long and winding road. Turning onto a main thourghfare to a high school football field. Going left there and angling back in almost the same direction i came. Down by the beach between the twin lakes swinging right there to the next light and taking a left. Crossing the bridge that divides the harbor tracing that to yet another light for a right. Passing a coffee shop, a Chinese resturant some several other shops leading to an elementary school. Hanging a left passing between the Bicycle Trip on my right and Harley Davidson to my left i stayed in the middle with my bike. Veering right at shopper's cornor to do it all one more time.
Returning just in time to help Them on with Their orange night dress called Pralad-a-dad.

When i named the outfits and the seamstress couldn't keep the names straight she made her own discription of each outfit. This one was one she didn't change. But since she was doing that and i didn't stop the names, i took the role of the devil while she was Daniel Webster. So this dress became called 'the evil Sukuni and Yudisthir'
Since this was a Monday there weren't anything close to the mumber of cyclists out today. So as i pedaled along my usual run i felt more alone. Not in a bad way just like there were just us more 'hard core' types going about our daily rides. An overcast day with alomst no suffers. Just look out and think how "Among bodies of water I am the ocean" Without so much the eleventh chapter "I see all people rushing into your mouths and being crushed by Your terible teeth"
Embroidered blue for Mahaprabhu, creamy gold and orange for Giridhari to go with Gandharvika's "tye dye" tonight. Even in these chilly nights we are told that the Deities go out dancing at night.

Today is Ekadasi that means that the Deities wear the multicolored dress where Giridhari wears a cape. The for a while each time They wore this outfit people would see it and ask things like "has He always had the cape?" or "Are the blue stars new?" That must be to show how Krsna and all his entourage are ever-fresh. By now no such questions are asked though. This dress is the only one They wear twice in a month. But i keep thinking that one of thses days i should use a different one for the second ekadasi of the month. Perhaps in the new year.
There were so many cyclists going down the road the temple is on today i thought there must have been some kind of special ride but no one said anything maybe it was just an exceptionaly good day for a December ride.
This evening the Chinese silk is what They wore for rest. It's as smooth as milk and since it was offered on Nrsmha Caturdaai, it's the touch that kills

Srimate Radharani appeared under a golden lotus flower. On Radhastami in 1998 this ourfit was offered. It has a creamy almost gold color and the seamstress formed it into lotus petals. Many people helped embroider the flowers and petal bouquets on them too. A spectacular dress it's called Hiranya Padma, or golden lotus.
Back the other way today, the road i less cycle. This went to a beach where one of the big attractions is a cement boat. Around that down to where the public access ends and a fence says private. On the way back i went by the more usual places, the Pleasure Point Sunny Cove Twin Lakes and such. Back up past the cites of construction that are quiet on the weekends and along Rodeo Gulch to the temple once again.
New vases for the altar devotees getting ready to travel to Navadvipa and dressing the Deities for rest. The usual Saturday night dress 'the most blessed event'

It was Gaura Purnima. i'd fiinished dressing the Deities. The time for arati had come. But the speaker had called in and asked that i wait for him to arrive. People waiting for the arati to begin didn't know about that. They began to get restless. i suppose i could have said what the reason for waiting was but i just stood at the door and smiled at them. The speaker later explained to the folks that Gaura Purnima was like our Saint Patrick's day. i think it was that some of his English as a second language students had been enthusiastic about Saint Patrick's day a couple of weeks earlier. That year Easter was also at that time. Another vistor looked at the outfit and said "that purple is the color that the priests wear for Easter." So the name of this purple dress became "Saint Patrick's Easter comes fashionably late"
A clear day for cycling today. It saw me down by the natural bridges. Then along the path by the beach near Steamers Lane. Past the"deity" of the sufferer who today had a fresh garaland on. The sun always brings out more people especially on Friday.
This evening a young man but yet an old friend came by. He was born when i joined the temple. Had been in the area for his buisness and this was the only night he could come and visit. He couldn't stay so long though, his flight back in the morning is too early to try and make from here. Even i be eighteen years his senior i often think myself the same age since we've spent the same years in the temple together. Who's the senior is seen by who has more of Krsna's grace and not by mere calendar years.

in days of old we went to San Jose
in a time of great distress
to take shelter of his divine grace
an appliqué from an outfit of the Deities there
was placed on Mahaprabhu’s chest
to make this one the oldest of all,
but in a new dress
thus we worship the thakurs
of his divine grace
Today i was stronger again. i was able to, though it be spoken only in my mind, challenge some rodies half my age. i don't know how i'll be tomorrow but today i felt good agian. The usual run down by the beach past suffers, lovers, and joggers.
This evenings dress was made so quickly i could only call it 'it's a miracle mom!'

At first the Deities seemed to like pink and green. Almost each outfit featured those colors at least a small amount of each. Then other ones started coming. A year or so later this dress was offered. So it was called 'the aruna har posse rides again' since aruna har means pink and green.
Today was a day to discover recovery. Only a short ride down to the grocery and back. What a drag it is being older...
Even though this is the day of Orana Sasti, the day when the Deities are offered chodders for the winter, the temperature wasn't cold enough so maybe tomorrow.

Blue and gold. Mahaprabhu in blue kirta and gold pants while Krsna has blue and gold jacket with a a deeper gold pair of pants and Gandharvika wears colors like Mahaprabhu. An early outfit but very well made. Still blue and gold would be a kind of a vanilla name wouldn't it? So that's it, 'Nila
It was a sad day for cycling. A friend decided to put his carbon fiber bike up for sale. He said he didn't ride that way enough anymore to justify keeping it. Otherwise another cold but sunny day in early December. Down by the beach it was still a little warm and good riding weather. Not so many joggers, sufferers, or power walkers so it was smooth to go along the path by the ocean.
The Lions Club on this wintery night. Seams that was rightly done. The Deities should be quite warm tonight whatever they do.

So many fantastic colors. The seamstress was quite excited and pleased with the design of Krsna's chodder in this outfit. There's orange, green, sky blue, gold and red to name a few. Mahaprabhu has rusty pants with a sky blue cumberbund along with an orange chodder. Gandharvika is in sky blue with multicolored appliques. But it's the seamstress' joy over the chodder that named this dress 'Krsna's amazing technicoloc dream chodder'
Some times cycling comes down to how much can i do in the alotted time. Today i had three errands at different ends of town to do within an hour. And though i had to finish the distance on the nowhere bike due to darkness and cold, i had a sense of accomplishment by getting all done.
Also this evening the Deities allowed me to dress themu quickly. Perhaps they were in a hurry to go dancing. Whatever it was it left me feeling happy i was able to do that so efficently.

Lime green with silver beads and purple beg the question 'Is it tomorrow? Or just the end of time?' This was also offered at Guru Maharaja's appearance. An elegant combination of color and sheer fabric. Devotees made the jewelry to match all in all quite a production.
Quite chilly for California. Cyclists dressed up like skiers rather than the usual gear. Because of all the trees and their shade it's the coldest near the temple. Once i'm down by the beach the temperature has gone up what feels like ten degrees. The suffering crowd has been cut to about a third of normal. On the road cars have wreaths on their grills. So much construction that it makes for careful riding trying to get past the narrow spaces left by the trenches dug to repair the sewer lines or phone cables or whatever they are repairing.
The Sunday lecture was given by the good doctor. He spoke for more than an hour...
The might outfit was offered on an earlier Guru Maharaja's appearance. Since that falls on the ninth day of the moon it's named 'in the ninth'

"There she is Miss America..." This dress was going to feature an inverted tierra for a belt for Gandharvika. But when the seamstress heard the name she said she just couldn't do it. Gandharvika has a white sari with very nice embroidery, Giridhari is in purple while Mahaprabhu has smokey blue. A Guru Maharaja appearance day outfit.
A chilly winter's day in early December saw the ride down by the beach up around the world wide west side around the bike shop and back by the beach once again. Up the long and curvy road by to the temple and waking the Deities. Later the evening arati on to a night dress that started out as a Gaura Purnima outfit. Then the original was taken apart and reinvented as this blue green and red dress that's called the most blessed event since it was re done for Srila Prabhupada's appearance day.

In his pink turban with peacock feather stratigically dipped below his left eye and a coat of purple velvet he seemed to dance across the altar like an actor on a stage. By the music of his flute he caught the hearts of everyone, enchanting all living beings. Oh shut up kid!
The storm spent the day out of town leaving the chilly sunshine to beckon me out to the road once again. Perhaps it's a bit early for Christmas carolors 'cause i didn't hear any this afternoon or evening. Plenty of people out preparing to exchange all precious gifts though. O by gosh by golly now's the time of mistletoe and holy.
This evening everyone was asked to rise, the court was brought to order with Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari presideing. then they went off for an evening of dancing.

This is the dark moon day, the new moon day,or the amavasya. Some say that the Deities wear black on this day. But our acarya says not to dress them in only black. So for the dark moon day our Deities wear a yellow dress with black trim. Since it also has bumblebees on it the name it has is Madhuvrata,or the honey bee dress.
The storm returned today. So it was back to the "nowhere bike" Pedaling that way must surley be a form of self punishment cyclists inflict on themselves as a result of their love of riding.
This evening the Deities are wearing another outfit first offered on Nrsmha Caturdasi. This one is purple and green. Because of the day it was offered it's called "a lion on the chase"