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Annual Ratha Yatra festival of Lord Jagannatha in Kampala, Uganda.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) held the annual Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannatha on Saturday in Kampala.

The event is held annually in July. Rath Yatra involves moving deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana on a chariot called a ratha or rotho.

The procession led by a band started from the ISKCON Hare Krishna temple on Dewinton road, through Siad Barre avenue before ending at

Car festival gets off to a colourful start - Rath Yatra organised by ISKCON in Visakhapatnam, India.
Sumit Bhattacharjee: Men, women join in traditional attire to pull ropes of the chariot
The annual chariot festival or ‘Rath Yatra’ of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, was marked with religious fervour, here in the city on Wednesday.
Over 1,000 people lined up to pull the ropes of the chariot carrying the deities during the Rath Yatra organised by International Society for K

By Vanamali Dasa

Being a devotee of Krsna and a follower of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brings with it certain responsibilities: rising early, bathing regularly, maintaining regulative principles (including abstinence from meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling), and of course daily chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. But as well as these basic princip

Almost 49 years ago in 1967, the first Ratha Yatra festival beyond the Indian sub-continent was organized and celebrated in San Francisco. Srila Prabhupada was personally in attendance along with many of his first disciples. This Ratha Yatra survey which has just been published, shows all the Ratha Yatra festivals held across the world and confirms the great work ISKCON is doing and how Lord Caitanya’s mercy is literally spreading out to reach every town and village!

Ratha Yatra Estimate / July

From Back to Godhead

By Bhurijana Dasa

Duty calls a prince to leave his spiritual practices in the
mountains and set an example of real renunciation as a king.

Perhaps you’ve heard a tale of some wealthy person who renounced this world for the service of God. The Fifth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam relates another kind of story: that of an adept renunciant who becomes a king on the order of the Supreme Lord. Can he resist the pleasures of palace life? Can he spiritually survive? What can today

50 HOURS OF KIRTAN IN HONOR OF 50-YEARS ISKCON
Simhachalam, Germany, Aug.11 - Aug.14, 2016.
We are very happy to invite you again to this kirtan event in Germany. In the mood of Srila Prabhupada, we are trying to organize a kirtan to change the vibration on this planet, and in that way strengthen our own devotion. The whole festival will be centered on singing the Maha-mantra. Throughout the day we will have different kirtan parties performing and bringing you to a deep personal experience in t

Stoked Govindas Surfers Paradise has won best buffet on the Gold Coast. Unheard of for Vegan restaurants to win…
Here are some reviews:
Junglechick: This place is just incredible. I got the all-you-can-eat just so I could try everything and go back for my favourites! The kofta balls are sooooo good. The staff were wonderful and it’s got a great atmosphere. I’d 100% recommend it!!
Rico: I used to visit the previous Govindas in the Paradise Centre when they were vegetarian. They had excellent veg

Today’s blog is by HH Sacinandana Swami:

There is no death” wrote Herman Hesse, “only fear of death. But that can be cured.”

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, King Pariksit who was cursed to die within seven days asked his exalted spiritual master Sukadeva Gosvami about overcoming the fear of death. Sukadeva gave a very practical answer in which he explained how one can transcend material consciousness and become fixed in god consciousness.

tasmad bharata sarvatma bhagavan isvaro harih
srotavyah kirtita

Looks can be deceiving, and often far from the full story. It is said that one who laughs too much, even at small and insignificant things, may well be harboring dissatisfaction and sorrow within. A person who feels impelled to keep talking and communicating, could be experiencing loneliness and lack of meaningful camaraderie. The insensitivity and harshness that individuals exhibit, is likely connected to an internal weakness and existential insecurity. Some people seem to be compulsive critics

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), keeping in view the lakhs of pilgrims descending at the ghats of river Krishna for the pushkarams, has announced several social service activities from August 12 to 23.

According to temple priest Ram Murari Das, free prasadam will be distributed to a lakh of pilgrims everyday along with a glass of milk to 5,000 people.

“One lakh water sachets will be distributed to people coming from various places daily”.

As an act of promoting world

ISKCON Guntur is going to organise a State level test on the life and history of Iskon founder president Vedantha Swamy Seela Prabhupadula, on September 18. A cash award of Rs 1 lakh will be given away to the winner of State level competition, said the organisers.

Addressing the news reporters here on Friday, South India Iskon head Sataya Gopinadh said, they have planned out a few activities to mark golden jubilee celebrations of the Iskcon temple across the world. As a part of celebrations,

Russia: Waiting list of 80 people to read the Sri Isopanisad!
While in Warsaw, Poland, I asked a devotee how he came to Krishna consciousness. At that time it was still a communist country so book distribution wasn’t allowed, but somehow books would get into places around communist countries. This devotee tells how he came across one of Prabhupada’s books.
“In the early 80’s I was in the university studying philosophy. In the university there was a book going around amongst the students called

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya Bhagavata on the occasion of Gundica Marjana and the disappearance of Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

“After taking darshan of Lord Jagannatha with great bliss, Lord Nityananda went to see Gadadhara Pandit at Tota Gopintha temple. Gadadhara and Nityananda loved each other very much. There, seeing the three-fold bending form of Gopinath, Lord Nityananda cried incessant tears of joy. Hearing of Nitai’s arrival Gadadhara Pandit s

There is a beautiful story of Srila Prabhupada in 1966 sitting by himself on a bench in New York on a snowy, cold January morning. Another gentleman came and sat beside him and they began to talk. Perhaps feeling a bit sorry for Prabhupada, he asked him if he knew anyone in New York. Prabhupada held up his chanting beads and said, “I am never alone.”

Most of us will experience being alone at some point in our life. For some it’s an extended sense of loneliness. For others it’s now and then. Some

Prabhupada – Departing for the West Production Stills (Album with photos) 
A true story that began 50 years ago, when a great scholar set out across the ocean on a mission, carrying nothing but a timeless message, which was to be the greatest change for humanity. He inspired an entire generation and against all odds, formed an unstoppable revolution.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/VTML3y

A Canadian Transcendental Celebration

By Jaya Govinda dasa

July 1st marked the 149th anniversary of the founding of the world’s second largest country; Canada.

Towns and villages across the nation celebrated its birthday with fireworks, parades and a host of other joyful events.

The city of Vancouver’s celebration was extra special as our ISKCON Hare Krishna temple was invited to participate in this year’s Canada Day parade.

An estimated 300,000 people lining the route, and millions more on mai

ISKCON50 offering: ISKCON Studio, Kolkata (Album with photos) 
Cutting the ribbon today to inaugurate the new studio in ISKCON Kolkata. On the auspicious occasion of the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON, Netrotsava and Gundica Marjanam, where Lord Jagannatha is revealing Himself for the first time after two weeks, in the association of H.G. Pankajangri Prabhu, H.G. Acaryaratna Prabhu and assembled devotees of ISKCON Kolkata, today, after three years of construction and renovation, we inaugurated the

Vrindavanlila Dasi: We are praying to Lord Jagannath to resolve difficulties presented to the preaching in Russia by a new law about ‘missionary activity’ (which isn’t finalized yet). Please join us in Kirtan-prayer for the Lord’s mercy to resolve this situation in a mutually beneficial way – so the government can prevent terrorism, and devotees can carry on with Harinamas, book distribution, namahattas – our usual preaching work.

This law affects all religious organizations in Russia. If law g

GOOGLE DOODLE for ISKCON50
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
*Jaya ISKCON* 
If you wish that our ISKCON should celebrate the 50th Anniversary worldwide and simultaneously include in this celebration every human being on earth (at least those who use internet), then here is a *‘ONCE IN A LIFETIME’* chance:
Google has a service called GOOGLE DOODLE (http://www.google.com/doodles), which helps people in celebrating their important days. So if you wish that they should create a GOOGLE DOODLE for us on 13th Ju

Washington, United States: The 4th of July parade was amazing. (Album with photos) 
Security was tight but I was able to sneak my phone out for part of it and take some pics of the devotees. There were thousands of people all waving to the different floats. 
Find them here: https://goo.gl/jL0Jyo