By Madhava Smullen
ISKCON of Washington D.C. held a three-day Bhumi Puja (ground-breaking) event from August 20th to 22nd, preceding a new 22,000 square-foot temple for Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Sita Rama Lakshman Hanuman, and Gaura Nitai.
The event took place at the current D.C. temple property, which is situated on eleven acres of rolling wooded terrain with a creek running through it. The same property will also be home to the new temple, while the old building will be converted for other p
Hera Panchami is a unique festival at the Gundicha Temple. ‘Hera’ means to ‘see’ and ‘Panchami’ means the ‘fifth day’. On the fifth day of the Rathayatra Festival, Goddess Lakshmi becomes very worried and thinks, "Where has my husband gone? He told me, I am going for a change of environment for some days, and I will return very soon. It has been five days now, and still He has not come back." She appears anxious because her husband forgets to take her. Four weary nights have already passed and
By Pankajanghri Prabhu
The fact that people just love to hear stories is one reason why some of the Vedic codes were gradually transmitted in story form, like the epic histories Mahabharata and Ramayana and the Puranas. When such stories concern the pastimes of the Lord and His devotees, they are called lilas. Being labeled Lord Nrsimhadeva’s pujari in Mayapur, I have been asked to recount some stories in connection with Him, but unlike the sastras (scriptures), these “lilas” (pastimes) have no
The book being offered to Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu on the temple opening's 43rd anniversary
By Nanda Kishor Das
On January 14, 2021, the much-awaited book I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story by Giriraj Swami was launched. This landmark book stands as a historical document of the blood, sweat, tears, love, and devotion that went into building the Juhu temple under Srila Prabhupada’s guidance in the 1970s. The celebration of the book’s advent coincided with the 43rd anniversary of the
Sri Udupi Dhama Yatra
Sri Pajaka Ksetra / Sri Parasurama Ksetra
Holy town of Udupi is famous for its most revered Sri Krishna Udupi Temple. Udupi is said to have attained the status of Vaikuntha, because the Lord Krishna came here from Dwarka and stayed here in response to the desire of His pure devotee Sri Madhvacarya. This temple was founded by Sri Madhvacarya (A.D. 1238–1317), one of the greatest Vaishnava saints and proponent of Dvaita philosophy of Vedanta. Near Udupi there is a small v
By Madana Gopala Dasa
ISKCON is in the process of constructing a grand Hare Krishna Temple in the city of Parsippany, New Jersey, USA. On October 24th, they celebrated an important milestone in this project - the commencement of the construction of the first walls marking a visible rise in the soon-to-be temple structure.
As part of this celebration, covered by a number of media outlets, a special kirtan was conducted followed by a presentation outlining the project as well as a series of media
The ISKCON Connecticut Temple has been open in East Hartford for over 40 years. The temple has a small close-knit community, with about 50-60 regular congregation members visiting the center every Sunday. In 2017, they bought a new building in Glastonbury, a suburb near Hartford, CT, and renovation is underway. When the Deity altar and new commercial kitchen are complete, relocation to Glastonbury will take place.
When COVID struck, the temple community at ISKCON Connecticut, USA, was worried as
Since past few years ISKCON has had a small temple in the heart of Varanasi, in Bhelupur and now the temple is expanding and evolving into the impressive ‘Sri Sri Radha Gopal Mandir Vedic Indian Cultural Center’ (VICC). The talented young devotees’ ensemble of the Temple envisions making ISKCON VICC the most attractive place in Varanasi succeeding the popular Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Ghats of River Ganga.
VICC aspires to become a source of enlightenment for spiritual seekers and a cultura
We are happy to say that we have now successfully completed our purpose-built hall, the Sri Krishna Haveli, which will take the pressure off the main Grade II listed Manor building to provide a spacious environment that will allow you to fully appreciate your spiritual experience at Bhaktivedanta Manor. It is of course wonderful, much-awaited news, but like with many big projects there were some hurdles, heartache, and not to mention the pandemic, along the way.\
Read more: http://www.dandavats
By Madhava SmullenIn June, ISKCON’s GBC SPT Strategic Planning Support Unit released a Temple Re-opening Guide along with a decision-making toolkit to help leaders assess the right time to re-open their temple during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August, the Strategic Planning Support Unit (SPS) has followed up with a set of Safe Re-opening Guidelines containing safe practices for ISKCON leaders and devotees to use while visiting or doing devotional service at the temple, as well as while doing
Pilgrims wear masks and stand six feet apart while taking darshan of Sri Sri Radha Vrindabanchandra
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, ISKCON temples worldwide have been in lockdown, unable to connect with their communities or give spiritual knowledge to newcomers in person, and instead shifting these activities online. Without in-person outreach activities, the last few months have also seen temples struggling to maintain themselves, with centers in Italy, Franc
By Madhava Smullen
With the U.S. State of Florida, and within it Alachua County, in Phase One of Reopening from COVID-19 lockdown, ISKCON’s New Raman Reti temple in Alachua has also started phase one of a gradual reopening process with careful restrictions.
To do so, Temple President Mukhya Dasi is consulting local government recommendations, as well as her own committee consisting of two phsyicians, one nurse, and two members of management. She’s also taking guidance from Nila Madhava Das,
Braja Hari Das, among ISKCON India’s most respected and beloved leaders, Temple President of the Juhu temple (Mumbai), has been hospitalized with COVID-19. He is undergoing treatment in good medical hands and he is stable.
No other case of COVID-19 has been detected. We extend our heartfelt prayers for Braja Hari Das and the ISKCON Juhu devotee community.
ISKCON JUHU’S OFFICIAL STATEMENT:
We wish to share with the ISKCON devotee community that unfortunately one positive case of COVID-19 has bee
The COVID-19 Pandemic is a financial challenge for all ISKCON temples. With their main sources of income such as book distribution, Harinama Sankirtan, in person hundi box donations, preaching programs and more either decreased or halted, many are struggling to make ends meet.
ISKCON’s South American temples, however, have been among the hardest hit. While centers in some Latin American countries are managing to cover their minimum expenses locally, ISKCON Latin America’s
Before formally meeting Hare Krishna devotees, I was one of those who ran in the opposite direction when I saw them coming. I used to think they were from another planet. Who are these guys with their chants and dancing in the street? Or are they going to hit me up for a donation?
But one day I had no choice, I was forced into a corner. The front door was open and a devotee knocked on the door. I had to let him in. I thought, since no one was home I will make this quick, a quick donation and ge
As the ground in Zagreb is still periodically trembling, after two major earthquakes which happened on the morning of March 22nd, when all inhabitants of Zagreb run out of their homes, we are glad to inform you that our beloved deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai are regularly worshiped without disruption, the Nova Jaladuta temple building did not suffer any major damage, while nobody of the devotees from Zagreb was reported as seriously affected. As an immediate precaution measure the upper part of t
The history of the establishment of the great temple in Puri, and the hypocrisy of temple priests as opposed to sincere devotional worship in pure love of God. Written by the Thakur in English, 1871.
There is not a Hindu who has not heard the name of this temple. The old and the young, the male and the female, the Rajah and the ryot, and the weak and the stout, all visit this temple out of a religious curiosity. Three hundred and one miles south-west of the Vice-Regal palace at Calcutta, stands
A new ISKCON temple is set to open in the historic town of Velletri in the Castelli Romani hills, Italy, about an hour south of Rome city center.
Devotees have been working hard to convert the recently purchased building into a temple, in part with the help of a grant from the BBT construction fund. A tentative opening date has been set for May 1st.
ISKCON has owned a small preaching center in the center of Rome for the past decade, but the new temple will serve the need for a larger residenti
