The following poem, "Fire In the Village," is dedicated to a marvellous family – Damodara, Radha Krishna, and family, and others who lost their homes or suffered damage in the forest fire at Saranagati Village in Venables Valley, British Columbia. Please consider donating to the relief fund via the website for their registered non-profit at https://venablesvalleywildfire.com/ .
What if you lost your house overnight
That fortress totally gone, out of sight?
One minute, yo
Each year I try to come for the Seattle Rathayatra, which goes over two days during the Labor Day long weekend. The first day started at a local park where devotees and guests came with their families.
As you can see in the pictures, there were stalls with free prasadam, snacks, books, kirtan and drama stage, and many others. A favorite attraction were the areas with calves and goats from one of our nearby farms. Their Lordships, Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra sat on a beautiful swing.
Sourc
The Seattle Rathayatra was held on the second day of the festival and started a few kilometers from the park. Their Lordships, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra rode majestically on Their chariot through the streets for two hours until They came back.
There was also a smaller Rathayatra cart in front and the kirtan was led by devotee children between ten and fifteen years of age. I started off the kirtan in front of the bigger cart and other devotees took over.
When Their Lordships were brou
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) has released its latest Meeting Highlights Report for August 22nd, 2024. The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key topics discussed:
“ISKCON GBC MEETING HIGHLIGHTS REPORT
22 August 2024
We are pleased to present the 22 August 2024 GBC Meeting Highlights Report. This report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key topics discussed.
The meeting commenced w
People here speak about some roasting days but overnight a pleasant rain cooled things, and from a devotional perspective, Indra, god of rain, was simply making way for the Chariot Fest. Overcast weather made it pleasant for the noontime start when the wheels turned at the Science Centre next to the ocean side.
The chanting began and the smiles on followers swelled. A volunteer kept at us, pullers of the rope, singers of the song, “Hare Krishna” as we ambled along with his spray device of ros
Discovering Spiritual Knowledge
It all began with meeting a young lady, who is an astrologer. She prepared my natal map and gave some recommendations as far as what I should and should not do. First of all, she recommended to switch to a vegetarian diet. The reason for that is because I was born on Caturdasi. It is a must for people who are born on this day to be engaged in spiritual practice. Otherwise, consequences can be really harsh. I became interested. Actually, I had always been inter
By Atma Tattva Das
Radha Damodar Dasa, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, has been a dedicated servant of ISKCON for over five decades. His journey within the Krishna Consciousness movement includes the significant effort of preserving 1,684 play scripts, which are not just text on a page but a living part of our cultural heritage. They have long been an essential tool for preaching as well as providing devotional entertainment within the community.
Radha Damodar’s involvement with ISKCON began in
There is some renovation going on. Yes, here at 243 Ave. Rd., the temple is making way for a much needed elevator to take care of the elderly and the handicapped. It is going to change the force of our handsome building, perhaps even improve it and add more dignity. The process of it getting there is rather messy but that’s what happens even when assembling a good-looking cake. Things get untidy.
It just appears that there are always renos underway. It is called maintenance and that is Vishnu’s
World Cleanup Day, a global event aimed at combating litter and waste pollution, is a cause that resonates deeply with ISKCON’s values of environmental stewardship. The ISKCON Environmental Initiative (IEI) is calling on our temples, congregation members, temple devotees, youth groups, and nama hatta groups worldwide to participate according to their capacity, reinforcing our shared responsibility towards Mother Earth.
“As we all know, the Earth, Mother Bhumi, is suffering due to irresponsible
By Atma Tattva Das
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Africa (BBTA) has once again honored the legacy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada with the release of the 2024 Pan-African Vyasa-puja book. This annual offering, now available for free download on the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust-Africa (BBTA) website, provides a platform for devotees, friends, and well-wishers across the African continent to express their gratitude and reverence for Srila Prabhupada.
This year marks the 128th Vya
On August 20, 2024, the Co-Directors of ISKCON Mayapur officially inaugurated the Sridham Mayapur Board of Education, marking a significant step toward enhancing and transforming the educational scenario of Mayapur.
The Board’s focus will be on key areas such as curriculum development, teacher training, and student support services. Its primary mission is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for success both within ISKCON and in the wider world.
The Boa
I popped out of the door of the Air BnB, we are staying in along the lakeside at 7 a.m . I managed to gain a few steps on a peaceful road when I received a call from a sensitive and kind person thinking about the recent death of Bindu Madhava.
“Maharaja (speaking about me) can you send me a recording of condolences to him ?”
“I sure will !” And so there, on the spot, or so, while on the move, I did due diligence.
I met Emma, who as a student, on a summer job, is working for the Ontario Co
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
The auspicious inauguration of ISKCON Raipur was held from August 17-19, 2024. The special grand installation ceremony of the Deities, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari, took place on August 19th on the occasion of Balaram Jayanti, Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day.
Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh, is a vibrant and rapidly growing metropolis in central India. According to tradition, Chhattisgarh, and specifically the region around Raipur, is considered her birthpl
The ISKCON Hungary Yatra completed its 30th annual padayatra recently, a 14-day event from July 8th to 21st. Devotees walked 120 kilometers, beginning their journey in the northern city of Eger.
The padayatra’s organizer, Triyuga Das, reflected on the significance of this milestone and the importance of ensuring that the legacy of the padayatra continues for generations to come: “As an organizer and leader of the padayatra pilgrimage, I find it very important that when we grow old and are no lon
I swear that one of the quietest places on earth while being a tourist attraction is the southern most chunk of Canada - Pelee Island. As the name implies water surrounds it. There are no crazy party places, no cannabis joints and not even a McDonald’s. It is my pause and my breath of fresh air. And it was to be a dream come true with not a crowd. 9 Americans and 3 Canadians was the sum total of our devotee population landed after a perfect ferry ride.
Good-bye madness ! Hello comfort !
I
By Atma Tattva Das
From July 11th to 13th, 2024, the streets of Kinshasa burst into life with the vibrant sights and sounds of the first-ever Rathayatra festival hosted by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This groundbreaking event marked a momentous milestone in the history of ISKCON Kinshasa, which began with humble beginnings and has now blossomed into a powerful beam of spirituality and cultural integration in Central Afr
I am preparing for my next drama and for that I took Amala Harinam with me to destination “Theatrics Plus” on Yonge St. . We are still in the midst of the summer, yet not experiencing the often times common heat and humidity. Temperatures these days hover around 23° Celsius which is rather pleasant for walking with a slight breeze.
I made it a point through Ramsden Park and then Yonge to show my good side by smiling and addressing pedestrian with a “Hello” or “Haribol”. This is what I feel I’m
From Back to Godhead
When we think calmly and carefully about this wonderful universe, we can see that everything is working under the control of a supreme brain. The arrangements in nature are perfectly ordered. Things would be at random without the careful planning of a scientific and engineering brain. It is a common understanding that there is a cause behind each action. A machine cannot run without an operator. Modern scientists are very proud of automation, but there is a scientific brai
Srila Prabhupada’s Vision for Education
When Srila Prabhupada founded ISKCON, he placed a profound emphasis on education, embedding it deeply within our glorious movement’s mission. Remarkably, four out of the seven core purposes of ISKCON are dedicated to education, underscoring its importance. Srila Prabhupada’s visionary approach led to the creation of foundational courses like Bhakti-Sastri, aimed at nurturing a proper understanding of the scriptures among devotees. His Divine Grace foresaw
As Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations are going on around the world and thousands are receiving festival prasadam, HariBol has announced a global Masterchef Recipe Competition that will take place in 2025.
“Culinary enthusiasts are invited to send in their most legendary recipe submissions. Initiated devotees, friends of the devotees, and family members are welcome to take part in this maha-prasadam distribution effort,” said Anuradha Dasi, one of the competition organizers, in a press releas
