If you asked the hundreds of children eating snow cones, playing carnival games, getting balloons twisted and their faces painted, what they liked best about the Barsana Dham MELA, you'd get a consistent answer, “Riding the elephants!”
Faces glowed as kids and adults were tossed back and forth on the back of the elephants as they carried the passengers around the front lawn of the Temple. The MELA was held Saturday, April 25th at Barsana Dham.
Plenty of attractions kept the 6,000 attendees entertained at the only ‘authentic Indian Fair’ in the area. There was something for everyone to enjoy such as Mehndi hand painting, Indian dance and music performances, an open-air bazaar selling a variety of Indian clothes and jewelry, crafts, games, a petting zoo, train and pony rides, Indian fortune telling, and numerous Indian food booths.
Along with enjoying the festive activities, the attendees also had the opportunity to learn about Hinduism from the teachers of Barsana Dham. “Hinduism, Myth or Fact” was presented as well as a speech on the Bhagwad Gita, a Hindu scripture that teaches how to live spiritually while involved in the duties of life.
