Mumbai, November 22 : Mumbaikars are accustomed to various political yatras happening during the elections, but on Saturday they witnessed a different kind of yatra -a devotional one. Thousands of devotees cutting across barriers of caste, creed and community came together for the Jagannath Rath Yatra organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The Yatra is organised each year with an aim to give people a sneak peek in to the original Jagannath Rath Yatra that happens every year at Puri in Orissa to infuse spirituality, unity and bhakti. "The Rath Yatra in Puri started about 1,000 years ago is a major experience, which sees an overwhelming crowd from all over the world. However, still many people in the city have not got a chance to experience it. So, this yatra here is an effort to make the main deity, Lord Jagannath's darshan viable to the city dwellers," said ISKCON counsellor Guru Upendra Das.

The Yatra started at Shivaji Park in the late afternoon and continued till night passing through areas like Sena Bhavan, Plaza, Hanuman Mandir, Portuguese Church, Gokhale Road, Khed Galli and then back to Shivaji Park. "Our founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada started this yatra way back in 1967 all over the world. So far, we have had such processions in countries like San Francisco, France, UK, Australia and Germany to name a few. We started the same in the city some four years ago. Earlier we have had yatras taking place from Lower Parel, Prabhadevi and Shivaji Park itself," said Das.

For the devotees thronging from far off places like Dombivili, Kalyan and Palghar this is an opportunity for them to catch a glimpse of their favourite God. "I have never got an opportunity to go to Orissa, so I will in no way give this chance a miss, despite the long hours of commute and the fact that I only have one day weekend I came here," said 28-year-old, Aadesh Yashwant who came all the way from Palghar. "The sun, pollution and traffic snarls¿ surprisingly nothing is bothering me today. There is a feeling of peace," he adds, while moving with the crowd chanting 'Hare Rama, Hare Krishna'.

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In the News:
Temple Saved From Demolition
by Times of India
Posted November 21, 2008

HYDERABAD: A seven-hour protest in front of the Hyderabad collectorate in Abids on Wednesday won a temporary reprieve for the authorities of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), Secunderabad, temple.

They have got an assurance from Hyderabad collector Navin Mittal that the district administration would not touch the temple land "till the issue is settled".

Nearly 300 devotees thronged the collectorate and staged a dharna protesting acquisition of Iskcon temple land for road-widening.

Hundreds of vehicles were up caught in a traffic jam after the devotees blocked both sides of the Nampally road. They sat on the road and chanted `Hare Krishna, Hare Ram'. There were some tense moments when the petitioners and the devotees had a verbal duel at the collectorate.

Meanwhile, BJP State unit president Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP floor leader in the assembly, G Kishan Reddy, and others joined the protest.

Police tried to disperse the mob, but the temple authorities refused to budge. They said the protest would be withdrawn if the collector invited them for talks. As the collector went to attend an official programme, they waited for him. Finally, at around 2.30 pm, Navin Mittal came and invited them for talks.

"The collector gave an assurance that the temple's land will be not be touched until the issue is settled. The issue has been delinked from other land acquisitions in the area," Iskcon national member Satya Gopi Das told the media.

The collector said, "We have de-linked the Iskcon land issue as it is a sensitive one. Our intention is not to hurt the religious sentiments. The notices have been issued under Section 4 (1) (2) of the Land Acquisition Act, which a preliminary one. The final notices will be served after completion of an inquiry scheduled for December 12," Mittal added.

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In the News:
Navya Shastra Urges Californians to Reject Proposition 8
by Amara das
Posted November 3, 2008

Navya Shastra, an international Hindu reform organization based in Troy, Michigan, urges California voters to reject Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry under state law.

The organization notes that Hinduism has never classified homosexuality as a sin against God. While some ancient law codes have spoken out against homosexual acts, the tradition has never called for the persecution of gays. In fact, there is ample evidence that alternative lifestyles have been accepted throughout Hindu history. Several modern Hindu leaders have also spoken positively of gay rights; however, a significant percentage of American Hindus remain uncomfortable with homosexuality.

"According to the Hindu contemplative tradition, we are all manifestations of the one universal spirit, straight or gay, and worthy of the same respect and rights," said Jaishree Gopal, the chair of Navya Shastra. "We urge American Hindus in California to remember this central insight of their faith when they vote on November 4," she added.

Founded by Dr. Jaishree Gopal, Vikram Masson, Dr. Bala N. Aiyer and Rahul Saxena, the Navya Shastra organization is known for its opposition to the continuing social oppression of so-called untouchables (Dalits), which has resulted from the unscriptural theory of caste by birth. Navya Shastra supports the full equality of women and calls for an end to the practice of abortion of female children, widespread in India and China, following prenatal determination of the foetus's sex. Another thrust of the group is an effort to open all Hindu temples to all worshippers and to permit everyone, including women and those born to Dalit parents, to accept the sacred thread and to study shastras.

For many years, ISKCON's Krishna Balarama temple in Vrindavana has invited all the holy town's Vaishnava Mahants (Ashrama heads) to enjoy a feast during Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day festival. This year marks the first that ISKCON invited the Mahants to eat at their own Krishna Balarama property, rather than at the usual Fogla Ashrama location.

"At first we were overwhelmed by the huge number of devotees attending Srila Prabhupada's disappearance this year and didn't serve the feast at all," says long-time Vrindavana resident Dina Bandhu das. "But I insisted that we still do it as soon as we could, so as not to disappoint the Mahants and sever our relationship with them."

Sure enough, the Ashram heads were disappointed at not having been invited. But head Mahant Hari Shankar was appeased when the feast was rescheduled for November 14, the western date (solar calendar) of Srila Prabhupada's disappearance. And since the festival was over, devotees said, the feast would be served in a pandal tent on ISKCON's own property. Surprised yet delighted at this, Hari Shankar promised he would convince all the Mahants to attend the historic first-time event.

"I also asked him if it would be okay for our own devotees to cook the food as opposed to the Brijbasi Brahmin cooks we usually hire," says Dina Bandhu. "At first he was concerned that some may be dressed in shirt and pants, but when I told him that all the cooks would be devotees dressed in dhotis and kanthi-mala beads, he was pleased."

On the night prior to the feast, Dina Bandhu carefully coached all the servers in the proper etiquette for serving sadhus (saintly people). "Because of our upbringing, we're unfamiliar with it, but mostly it's just commonsense hygiene," he explains. "You first have to serve water, as they will wash their plates and perform the achamana ritual before eating. Then you have to make sure you never touch the plates with the serving spoon or touch the serving bucket to the floor."

On the day of the event, devotees cleaned their food hall and covered it with a fresh coating of cow dung. They then honored the Mahant's ceremonial flags by placing them on a raised stage and offering them the prasadam food first, as per custom.

"All the phalahar babas, who eat only fruit, sat on one side with everyone else on the other," Dina Bandhu says. "More than 120 of Vrindavana's 170 Mahants showed up. Not everyone could because some were traveling."

Every Mahant was then given dakshina — a monetary donation signifying respect — as well as a Radha Shyamasundar calendar and Hindi Back to Godhead magazine. All expressed their appreciation of the tasty and properly served food.

"Now that the Mahants have accepted prasadam cooked by our devotees at our ISKCON property, we have been completely accepted by the Sadhu Samaja, Vrindavana's group of saintly people," Dina Bandhu says. "That's a big honor for us; the Mahants have rejected invitations from many affluent temples because they don't consider them bona fide."

This new honor comes two years after Hari Shankar fought hard to make ISKCON member Lokanath Swami a Sri Mahant, securing ISKCON an official place in the world-famous Kumbha Mela procession.

Reposted from ISKCON News Weekly



In the News:
Us Band Set to Rock Hare Krishna Event
by Teneshia Naidoo Published:Nov 16, 2008
Posted November 23, 2008

An American band that fuses Indian classical and Western music will perform at South Africa's first Hare Krishna youth retreat at Sun City this month.

The band, As Kindred Spirits, will perform in the country for the first time.

The retreat, from November 28 to 30, will be hosted by the Krsna Balaram Youth Group, the youth wing of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) in Johannesburg. The event will feature several workshops to help youngsters cope with stress.

The organisation believes young people express their frustrations by engaging in sex, taking drugs and consuming alcohol.

Kartik Mistry, the organisation's head, said the retreat was aimed at addressing youth problems and giving them "positive reinforcement".

"The idea is to create a positive impression for them through all the problems that youth generally face. We want this retreat to help them look at these issues and work them out through team building," he said.

The US band will entertain participants with their mix of Sanskrit songs and mantras.

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In the News:
ISKCON's Initiative for Poor Children
by akshayapatra.org
Posted November 17, 2008

While parents of children studying in good private schools pack lunch boxes according to their kids' choice, there are many others who can barely afford daily provisions for their family, let alone the additional burden of paying for their children's education. Assuming the role of a nutrition-conscious parent, Akshaya Patra sends healthy and delicious food to more than nine lakh children, at least half of them from Karnataka alone. Intiated by ISKCON, the Akshaya Patra mid-day meal service for children started in the year 2000 with four schools in Rajajinagar, Bangalore. Today it has crossed 4,500 schools in 16 locations across six states including Karnataka. Out of 9.57 lakh children totally, 2.10 lakh children studying in 900 schools are fed daily in Bangalore alone.Five ISKCON kitchens are ISO certified, of which three are in Karnataka. Two among these, the ones in Bangalore, serve 900 children, using up a daily ration of 13 tonnes of rice, six tonnes of dal, eight tonnes of curd and eight tonnes of vegetables. Rice-sambar and curd are packed and sent to schools by noon. The kitchens also serve special dishes including sweets twice a week. In Bangalore, 350 people are deployed by Akshaya Patra, delegated for tasks that cover everything from cooking to transportation.The meals' cost of Rs 4.50 to Rs 5 per plate per child is jointly borne by the state government, corporate sponsors and ISCKON missionaries.As per a study conducted by AC Nielsen, enrollment in schools has improved by 23 percent during the first year of program implementation in Bangalore. Akshaya Patra seems to be living up to its motto: that 'no child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger'.Though it began with a target of feeding 10 lakh children by 2010, the scheme has already already reached 9.57 lakh children. The organisation continues to be on the lookout for contributions from corporates as well as individuals. To know more and to donate to the scheme, visit www.akshayapatra.org.



In the News:
Andhra Governor Confers Doctorate
by Bhakta Chris
Posted October 29, 2008

Sahdevadasa of ISKCON Secunderabad, on October 23rd, received his doctorate in Krishna consciousness from Sri N.D.Tiwari, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, India.

In a convocation, held at Rajbhavan Hyderabad, the assembled media and academic community watched a saffron robed hare krishna walk in with gown and hood to receive his doctorate. The Governor greeted with 'hare krishna' and a broad smile and spoke in praise of Hare Krishna movement for few minutes. All the present TV cameras turned to this somewhat of a strange or unusual sight.

Sri N.D.Tiwari is a veteran political figure in India and few months back he inaugurated ISKCON Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh. He had association of Srila Prabhupada and other ISKCON devotees over the years. Finally he wished all the best to the new doctor of philosophy monk.