Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Travelling bus program - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree

Travelling bus program

In Sydney, tall, red-headed Mohanananda had a vast reservoir of energy and enthusiasm, as well as substantial entrepreneurial skills. He and his wife, Sasti, had brought incredible vision and optimism to the temple, especially since they had just come from the Los Angeles temple, which was the forerunner in all things new, revolutionary and exciting in ISKCON. His ideas were endless. Some, like that of staging a Krsna conscious rock opera -- inspired by Hair -- never left the ground. Others soared. Devotees enthusiastically embraced his plans to inaugurate a travelling bus program. "It would be a veritable Hare Krsna temple-on-wheels," he said.

An old Sydney double-decker bus was soon located. It was in need of a little repair and substantial refurbishment. But the temple had no money.

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Harry was regularly attending the Sydney temple at Glebe, chanting Hare Krsna, doing a little service, and generally enjoying the association of the devotees. Still with long hair way past his shoulders, he was waiting for his friends to arrive back in Sydney so he could hand over his apartment to them and move into the temple. One day he chanced to overhear a conversation between Caru and Mohanananda: the temple was three months in arrears in rent, they'd found a suitable bus, but it would cost them $1,000 to purchase.

Harry had some money in the bank that he'd saved while working in the Western Australian mining camp. He stood nearby until Caru and Mohanananda noticed him.

"What do you want?" asked Mohanananda, eyeing Harry suspiciously.

"Well," replied Harry, "I just heard you talking about money, and I ..well, I've got some money in the bank .."

Caru and Mohanananda listened intently.

"How much money?" asked Mohanananda, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Oh, about $1,500," answered Harry.

Mohanananda leapt in the air shouting "Krsna!" at the top of his lungs. Then he checked himself and sat down, clearing his throat.

"Where is it?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, it's in the bank. I can bring it tomorrow, if you like."

"Oh, Caru can drive you to the bank right now!"

Harry assured them that it was alright. "I'll bring it in the morning," he said.

The next day, as promised, Harry arrived with his bank book. Caru drove him to the bank, and as he watched, Harry withdrew all of his savings and closed the account. Turning to Caru, he happily handed over the money. The bus was soon purchased.

The devotees worked hard to transform it into a travelling temple. The seats were removed, both upstairs and down. On the top floor, devotees laid a white pine-wood floor and varnished it to a mirror finish. An altar was installed at the front and cooking facilities arranged at the rear. The lower deck was carpeted, leaving two seats over the back wheel arches. The windows were curtained throughout. The entire bus was repainted, the cream and saffron exterior emblazoned with THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT in large lettering. Below, slightly smaller, it read THE POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE.

- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu

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