Hare Krsna Prabhujis and Matajis,
PAMHO.
Dandavat Pranam.
As you may be knowing, ISKCON Chennai has suffered major damage in the recent floods. There is a basement area where we normally take prasadam. The entire basement is completely flooded till the ceiling. There are snakes and scorpions in the water. Water has entered the big kitchen, HH Bhanu Swamy Maharaj’s room, provisions room. There is a water body behind the temple, it breached on the side of the temple because of which there was not enough time to move the cars even. Consequently 6 temple cars are completely submerged in water. Yesterday our Temple President walked upto the temple wading through water and even had to walk on crocodiles to reach the temple. There is a team of pujaris and cleaning staff (15 in total) who are still in the temple to take care of their lordships Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Krsan Lalita Vishakha, Sri Sri Jagannath Baldev Subhadra deities. There is no way to reach any provisions or water to them. They are harvesting rain water and using it for utilities. They have made a ladder from 1st floor of one building to the main temple building, so that they do not touch the contaminated water of sewage, sump, snakes and what not to cross to the other building. There is no electricity in the temple for 4-6 days.
This is the message from the temple management:
Dear Devotess, well wishers and friends,
Chennai has been declared as a national disaster zone and is witnessing its worst ever crisis in more than 100 years.
Part 1:
ISKCON Chennai is engaged in supplying daily meals to more than 1500 flood displaced families sheltered in Government schools. We want to expand that to more areas in Chennai and items like water, bedsheets, etc.
Acc Name : ISKCON FOOD FOR LIFE
Acc No: 423010100035200
AXIS BANK
Branch : Neelangarai/ Thiruvanmiyur
IFS Code: UTIB0000423
Contact:
Sukirti Madhavi Devi Dasi – 9790710432
Prassana Gopinath Das – 9840043330
Email: adg.iskcon@gmail.com
Part 2:
ISKCON Chennai Temple has suffered heavy damages in the current flood situation. Estimated losses to the temple are in the range of 25 million to 30 milliion rupees (Rs. 2.5 – 3 crores).
We request devotees to come forward and help for the same.
For your reference, list of damages are listed down:
- Temple structure repair and restoration.
- Water supply infrastructure including sump, pumps etc.
- Electrical infrastructure including equipment
- Temple premises cleaning and restoration.
- Brahmachari kitchen equipment
- Kitchen store – all grains and grocery items completely spoiled
- Sanyasi ashram
- Temple vehicles (fully submerged in flood water)
- Temple gift shop and restaurant interiors are damaged
- Public Facilites – Bathroom and drinking facility
Other damages are yet to be assessed.
Temple account details:
Acc Name: ISKCON CONSTRUCTION
Acc No: 423010100026071
Axis Bank, Neelangarai/ Thiruvanmiyur branch,
IFS Code: UTIB0000423
Contact:
Sukirti Madhavi DD – 9790710432
Prassana Gopinath Das – 9840043330
Email: agd.iskcon@gmail.com
You can send me personal mail if you are sending any contributions and I will personally ensure that you get your receipts.
Thank you very much.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Replies
Hare Krsna dear devotees,
PAMHO.
The latest news in regard to the flooding of our temple in Chennai is that the water levels have receded, the devotees who had been displaced are back. Water (and related snakes) have been pumped out of the basement area. Devotees are cleaning the temple area which was submerged.
Lessons are being drawn from the incident to understand how to prevent this kind of flooding in the future.
In another report, I will mention about the help being extended by the devotees of ISKCON Chennai, under these circumstances of their own temple being flooded and subsequent work, to the people of Chennai.
Thank you very much for your patient reading.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
sorry, one information in the above text is wrong. There are no live crocodiles in the water. I regret the inconvenience caused by my wrong statement.
Hare Krishna
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. all glories to guru and Gauranga.
Do you have a way of receiving money through paypal.
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Thank you very much for your kind response. I asked. What they are saying is that - if you are in India, then better to transfer money to the account numbers mentioned.
If you are out of India, then you have to go to this link:
http://www.ketto.org/help-rebuild-iskcon-chennai
Pls also visit iskconofchennai.org
I hope this helps.
Haribol,
YOur servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD