By Madhava Smullen
After Hurricane Ida hit the US State of Louisiana on Sunday August 29th, the devotees, deities and cows at ISKCON New Orleans and the New Talavana Farm in neighboring Mississippi have been reported safe and unharmed. The temples’ public Janmastami festivals, however, had to be canceled or delayed to next weekend.
Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm the day before Janmastami, but dropped to a Category 1 as it moved inland. New Orleans was hit by gusts over 100 mph, and according to news reports, nearly 800,000 people are still without power in the area.
Officials estimated on Monday that it could be weeks before full power was restored in some areas, although on Tuesday it was reported that the city could see “some level of transmission” of power as early as Wednesday evening.
According to Sraddhadev Manu Das at ISKCON New Orleans, there was no physical damage to the temple. However, like the rest of the city, it does not have power, and devotees are using candlelight and a small generator. They do have “water, gas, and food to offer to guru and Krishna,” said Sraddhadev, and can bathe and use the toilet.
Although the public could not attend Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja on August 30th and 31st, ISKCON New Orleans was still able to conduct “wonderful spiritual programs” for the devotees at the temple. Furthermore, on Prabhupada’s appearance day devotees distributed prasadam to fifty neighbors who did not evacuate and had no means to get food, since stores are closed. Going forward, the New Orleans devotees plan to distribute prasadam daily.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/devotees-deities-safe-at-iskcon-new-orleans-and-new-talavana-after-hurricane-ida-hits,7983/
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