Friday, June 22, 2007

The Krishna Community Needs Your Support!

Sri Vrindavana Dham is a unique project, not only for Kazakhstan, but for the entire former Soviet Union. It is located on a lake shore 25 km away from the commercial capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty city. Sadly, because of religious persecution, this Krishna community may be driven away from their property and homes at any moment.

we need your help to relocate dozens of devotees and their temple, plus thirty beautiful cows and their barn. Please take a moment to choose one of the following options to donate:
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Online:
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Paypal or credit Card through "Chipin"
http://www.palaceofthesoul.com/

The "Chipin" button wich will allow you to make a donation with PayPal or with a credir card.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Hanuman Express Dispatch

15 June 2007 - Purusottama-mas, krsna-paksa (P.2)

-Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada’s eternal Sankirtana.
-Edited by the Anjana Suta Academy, Hanumatpresaka Swami and other assorted Piggys, Monkeys, Fulls and Rascals.
Est. May 1979

*WANDERING MISCREANTS*
Tuesday, 13 June - In the Temple Office in Tucson (Arizona). Big ten foot Cactus’ outside. Sun, sun, sun, desert.

Jaya, yamuna tira vana achari!
We are going here, we are going there.
We write our ideas that come from the air.
Unless you learn to wandering quick,
You’ll never see Gopal with His cowherd stick!
Unhappy cow!

Since last HED we finished our days in Houston. It was r-e-a-l-l-y cool! Everybody there was really cool! They are our leaders in the Pada-padma program for 2007-2008 semester!
Then we Zoomed to Phoenix and had one week there. Program at mystical Sedona and Under the Japa Tree at home program and then again at the Sunday feast! Wow!

Sedona Views
http://www.steveshaluta.com/sedona/sedona,az-26.htm


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Sunday, June 10, 2007

Himalayan Fest Wrap Up

The Himalayan Fest, now in its sixth year, commemorates the Grand Opening of the Spanish Fork temple in June of 2001.

Judging from the proceeds at the gate ($ 2.00 adults $ 1.00 children), 800 guests attended the event. Considering it was graduation weekend, that was a good turnout. Colleges are on reduced enrollment from now until Labor Day. That is the biggest reservoir effectively dried up for three months. The monsoon of students will return in time for September’s India Fest.

It was a bigger crowd than last year, made to appear even more so by the new stage next to the temple and lake. Food, gifts, temple building, animals, were all compacted closer together than last year, which better connected the artists and audience. There was a lot more intimacy for a festival of this medium size than can be achieved using the main amphitheater stage. We’ll save that big stage for Llama Fest (July 14) and India Fest (Sept. 15) both of which attract 3,000-4,000 people.



Many parents came with their children, who had a great time talking with the cockatoos and macaw in the aviary, milling amongst the thirty mama llamas and their adolescent babies, ogling the lake’s koi, some of which are like 15 pound rainbows, and spotting distant peacocks who somewhat remove themselves from festival crowds.

There was a line up of performers for three hours. It was all first class entertainment, Dancers Shatakshi from Boise, Ras Lila from Los Angeles, Puja from Denver, Anju’s local Nepali students, Sashi on sitar and Shreyas on Saxophone (playing South Indian ragas to Krishna) - all performed magnificently to enthusiastic applause.
At one point during this idyllic June evening I was looking at Rasa Lila in a striking Krishna pose on stage, underneath the dramatic Rajastani style dome. I was hearing the music mixed with waterfall sounds flowing from the feet of Lord Shiva 75 feet behind her, and appreciating the majestic backdrop of the Wasatch mountains. The scene was perfect.


Guests sat in the cool of the temple verandah and appeared for long stretches of time to not move even a muscle. While performing Yamaraj in the Satyavan Savitri drama along with Jairam and Mekala, I had a sense that the audience was so caught in the suspense they were holding their collective breaths (as was Satyavan during his ‘death’ scene).

This locally produced drama (I wrote the script and created the soundtrack a few years ago with Karuna, Jai Krishna, and Randy Seely) elicited a lot of very favorable comments afterwards from westerners and Indians alike. Aja Govinda immediately asked for a copy so they can perform it in Boise.

Guests purchased 300 plates of sumptuous prasadam, and patronized the gift store to the amount of $ 3.000.00. One lady alone spent nearly $ 1,000.00 for Deities, handbags, saris etc. Some kind donations went into the hundi.

Many, many thanks to the following volunteers who made possible this magic event. Please forgive if we inadvertently omitted any name: the Journey boys (parking and food service). Yogi Shah (admissions), Sandhya, Henriett, Pragna, Cary (gift store). Jairam (thorough pre event temple cleansing, set up), Braj (set up) Alanath (prasadam cashier), Sri Hanuman (drawings), Mekala (everything including learning lots of lines for Savitri). Devindra (painting, canopy set up etc.) Mark Lowry (everything), Jai Krishna and son Zack (kirtan and drama). Aja Govinda and his father Sri Hari (Q & A in the temple room throughout).

Read more...Utah Krishnas

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Pictures of My Vaisnava Family


Slide Show - 200 pictures:
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Image hosted by Webshots.com
Album- 200 pictures:

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Hanuman Express Dispatch

Trivikrama-mas, sukla-paksa (7.1)
-Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada’s eternal Sankirtana.
-Edited by the Anjana Suta Academy, Hanumatpresaka Swami and other assorted Monkeys, Piggys, Saints and Scientists.
Est. May 1979

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-SANKIRTANA! Adwaita Thakura, Rohini, Ekendra, Gopa kumar et al have been on Traveling Sankirtan. They stayed with Gaura karuna-sakti Mata and Vamsi Prabhu in South Peru and then went to Bolivia. They came back to Lima for the visit of Jayapataka Swami. In 13 days they distributed about 1800 books. Personally Advaita distributed 304 small books and 2 Science of Self Realization.

As the Christian preacher said, “I’ve heard about Marijuana and I’ve heard about LSD, but I’m talk’n about God’s own drunk!” !! !

-GURUKULA! Anandamaya sent a Report from the Gurukula in Lima. Considering all the stresses and strains it has gone through it should not exist. But because of your help and devotees bhakti it has a bright future. Complete report and opportunitiess to participate in Appendix.

-MYSTERYS! Abhirama Swami informs us that BHATI is going on. 1) Oscar has gone to film Light of the Bhagavata with Rodrigo et al. We are expecting: 2) a Budget Proposal for the other October events, 3) Price and Dates for March 2008 Ticket to India, 4) English edition of other people’s papers from the March 2007 Pre-event, 5) October Announcement and Invitation at any moment. Laksmana Prabhu, CHOSIKA ISKCON, informs us that ISKCON Lima is going on. I worry that he hasn’t got an “authority”.

*GURU-TATTWA*
I can help you in your diksa link to the current Acharya, Srila Prabhupada, and the Parampara. But that includes that you have a practical siksa authority in ISKCON. If you want to belong to the Anjana Suta Academy (God help your soul), then we are your Authority. Read this HED and send your comments and contributions. Other than that join or form some other ISKCON institution for spreading Krsna consciousness and work under an authority. In this regards. In regard’s Laksmana Prabhu it is not clear to me who are their authorities in Lima. As far as I hear Atma-rama Prabhu is no longer the Regional Secretary and Jayapataka Swami only visits for a few days each year. And and a n d we don’t get informed by our GBC what is happening from their side there. Oooof!

(Off with his tail)

HED... Read More
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Monday, June 4, 2007

New York Temple Fully Booked

by: Ramabhadra das
There is no more accommodation space available at Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn for next weekends New York Ratha-yatra festival. Devotees have to find their own accommodation in New York City or New Jersey and anyone who shows up at the Brooklyn temple with no prior agreement will be denied access to the ashram and even the ashram shower and toilet facility. In the hope of avoiding confrontational situations I humbly request you please inform as many persons as possible in order to save everyone the inconvenience.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

RATHA YATRA - NEW YORK


By NY ISKCON

Dear Devotees and Friends,

The 32th Annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra Parade & Festival of India will be celebrated on SATURDAY, JUNE 09, 2006, from 11:00 AM onwards. Please mark this date on your calendars.

Here at Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, we are working fervently to make this festival one of the best ever celebrated here in New York City. This year, we have invited many senior devotees including, HH BB Govinda Swami to come and chant for the pleasure of Lord Jagannath and all the devotees. Our own “New Vaikuntha Players” are working feverishly to present wonderful dramas at the festival in the park and at the temple. Many Hare Krishna youth from all over the world will be making their way to New York, to celebrate this Ratha Yatra festival.

Many devotees are required to render service to Lord Jagannath as follows:

1. Spreading the word: we have 10,000 postcards which need to be distributed all over New York. Please come to the temple and request a stack of cards, and distribute them to your friends, colleagues, local businesses, and the people you meet on the street.

2. Those devotees who normally contribute towards the expenditures of this festival are requested to submit their checks sooner, than later, so that the monies can be used for Lord Jagannath’s service immediately. If you would like to contribute towards a specific aspect of the festival (the feast, or advertising, etc.) please contact the temple ASAP.

3. Many devotees come forward to render physical service towards the maintenance and renovation of the temple, so that all of the facilities are in top-shape to handle the crowds of devotees and pilgrims anticipated to visit the temple during the Ratha Yatra Festival weekend. If you are capable to render service in this way, please contact the temple ASAP.

4. Hosting Devotees: Many more devotees visit the Mandir, for the Festival, and our Temple cannot accommodate them all. If you are able to host a few devotees in your home, please contact the temple so that we can make the appropriate arrangements for our visiting pilgrims.
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or ideas, please contact ISKCON New York follows:

Temple President (718) 875-6127; Temple Office @ (718) 875-0633; or Front Desk (718) 855-6714

or visit the festival website @ http://www.festivalofindianyc.com

Sri Jagannath Swami Ki Jai!
Your servants,
NY ISKCON

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Tour Near Streets of Radha Govinda Temple - ISKCON New York

Click here to see it... Once there choose the full-screen option and left-click and drag your mouse on the picture or click on the arrows to navigate the streetFor now only users from the US can use the street view option in Google Maps.

If you live in another country add &gl=us at the end of the URL in order to use this facility!
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Click on the below picture to see the large version of it.
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MATCHLESS GIFTS - ISKCON NEW YORK

Tour Universal ISKCON

77 Pictures: Slide Show, Watch in Big size

Album - 77 pictures: ISKCON - New York

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ISKCON LOS ANGELES

Presiding Deities of New Dwaraka:
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Their Lordships Sri Sri Rukmini-Dwarakadhisa
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Dome Story


Vaibhavi, Dan the welder, and his assistants have been working feverishly to get the dome over the stage ready for Himalayan Fest tomorrow. One crane came yesterday to mount the dome on its steel superstructure, created by Dan, but then we saw it was too high. Dan and two workers welded the dome to the steel, so that his morning at 6:30 am another crane could come to hold the dome assembly aloft while about three feet was cut from each of the four legs. Then it was lowered and looks much better. Final inspection will be held this afternoon, just in time for the event manyana.


This is the second use of this stage, the first having been Holi last March 24th. Then it had only a canvas top. We conceived this stage for medium sized events for around 1,000 attendees, reserving the main amphitheater for Llama fest and India Fest, when we get many more.

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We are getting quotes from the manufacturers for more domes such as these and the onion domes. Krishna Temple of Utah is the designer and owner of the molds, and can make them available to temples. They are very sturdy carbon composite state of the art construction and can be shipped anywhere in the world. The manufacturing is from the same materials used for satellites in outer space. They should last for a very long time. The domes we have had for up to 6 years have not shown any discoloration due to the sun, snow or wind.


Prices will be determined by the quantity ordered. It can take up to three months to make one, so if you think you’ll need four, for example, plan a year ahead. If any one feels one or more of these domes would enhance their temple as part of construction, or a stage cover, entrance way etc., let us know soon as this may well bring down the price.

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While the crane was here, we took advantage to lift the two heavy brass elephants into place on their new three foot high pedestals. These handsome pedestals were started by Robert Baird's team on April 28, and finished off by Bhakta Vatsala and Mark Lowry. Now, from a total height of 7 feet, the elephants proudly flank the grand staircase.