Sankirtan story from the beginnings of Australian ISKCON April 1972
In April 1972, the Melbourne City Council in Australia began a Campaign to try and move the Hare Krishna devotees away from the City streets. This struggle with the Council would continue on for another three years.
Not only were we now continuously harassed on the streets by Council, we were also harassed in our own Temple with middle of the night Police raids looking for devotees who had never paid their fines for Chanting on the streets, distributing books and performing drama plays in the City square.
Upananda Prabhu (Srila Prabhupada’s first initiated disciple in Australia) now Avadhoot Maharaj was first approached by the Melbourne City council in April of 72 about chanting in the streets and fines placed on our Sankirtan Van; Upananda humbly explained to these gentlemen that everything belongs to Krsna.
He strongly told them, in the mood of Srila Prabhupada, that they should be assisting and allowing the devotees of Lord Krsna to park freely while we performed Kirtan or chanting Hare Krsna through the streets of the City of Melbourne and performing Drama plays in the City square.
The Council officers couldn’t believe what they just heard. With a look of complete bewilderment at Upananda’s totally fearless bold proposal, the Council officers angrily said “Are you on drugs, you must be on something, I’ve never ever heard anything so preposterous!”
Upananda in his always-calm layback gentle voice replied “No, we don’t take any drugs, we don’t need that nonsense because we chant Hare Krsna and what I suggested, you should all seriously consider, you can even chant with us if you like during your lunch break”
Hearing what they considered a smart ‘so and so’ answer, they ordered Upananda to immediately get the devotees to cease chanting on the City streets, stop performing drama plays that depicting the wonderful past times of Lord Caitanya and His devotees, and stop parking illegally.
Of course, that never happened. Eventually as the harassment intensified, we nick named the head Council officer ‘Kamsa’ because of his determination to get rid of the Hare Krsna devotees. He looked really mean to us with his ‘square jaw’ that became a second nick name for him amongst the devotees.
In those days, in-between chanting on the streets, and distributing Back To Godhead Magazine, we would put on colourful plays in beautiful costumes during lunchtime in the city square or at the Melbourne University.
These Dramas would attract huge crowds, sometimes hundreds of people however; we were always ready for the Council or police to pounce.
One time we had a big fire yajna (sacrifice) in the City Square to perform a devotee marriage in view of the public. We started the fire, began chanting various mantras, attracting a big crowd then all of a sudden, the police, fire brigade, and Council Officers came from all direction nevertheless, we all got away, including bride Rasarani devi dasi and groom Amogha dasa.
Over the next few months however, many devotees did get caught and went to jail over the Councils so-called illegal street chanting and Dramas that were simply beautifully glorifying God.
Back in those days, we had devotees chanting eight hours a day through the city streets, even while other devotees were putting on plays at the Uni or City square, In both situations, we were always dogging City Council officers and Police.
In spite of this, nothing could stop us, we new we had Srila Prabhupada guiding us, we were therefore determined to practise our civil right and publicly glorify God no matter how determined the Council were in trying to stop us. We had Krsna on our side!
As a further protest, as earlier explained, we also refused to pay any our traffic fines that our Van accumulated everyday. We would continue doing this until the Council allowed us our ‘human right’ to glorify Krsna on the streets of Melbourne with out harassment from the Council Officers and the Police.
It got to the point where EVERY Council officer looked for our Van during the day as depicted in the cartoon.
So, for the next three years, they just kept giving us traffic tickets that we refused to pay and fines for chanting (Sankirtan) we also refused to pay. So every day they chased us in cat and mouse style pursuit, locking up those they caught for ‘chanting Hare Krsna’ on the streets or performing Dramas or plays.
Eventually we would accumulate $60,000 in traffic fines and thousands of more dollars in ‘chanting on the street’ fines.
On another occasion in October 1972, that for the first time, attracted enormous media coverage, Kurma dasa and myself were caught and arrested for chanting Hare Krsna in the City; I was playing mrdunga drum and Kurma leading with cartals.
In a surprise show of heavy aggression, the police and City Council Officers swooped on our party of 14 brahmacaris and matajis, devotees ran in all directions but Kurma and myself were slowed down due to protecting the clay mrdunga and carrying large Krsna Books.
Most of the time I would get away from ‘Square Jaw’ and his Council cronies, as I was very athletic in those days however, on this occasion we got busted and dragged away to Jail. This was my second visit to jail within two months for chanting Hare Krsna and Kurma’s first.
At Police Headquarters, Kurma and I were questioned and refused bail and spent the night in the City Watchhouse (jail). The Police were, for some reason, very annoyed at us and wouldn’t provide bail due to what they called, ‘not cooperating’.
The fact was, we did cooperate. They separated us for an interview and we answered their questions honestly.
The officer who interviewed me, asked my name, I replied “Gauragopala dasa Brahmacari”, spelling it out slowly for him to write down. “That’s a long name” he replied.
I thought to myself, Wow, you think my name is long and chuckled under my breath, ‘you’ve heard nothin yet’
He then asked me for my father’s name, “Do you really want to know that “ I answered
“Yes, we haven’t got all day, just give me his name,” The officer demanded. So slowly, I began to give my fathers name to him so he could write it down as I was spoke,
“Jaya om Vishnu-pada paramahamsa parivrajakacharya ashtottara-shata Sri Srimad His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada” and at the end in a louder voice I shouted “ki jaya!”
The officer looked at me with this dumb surprised annoyed look of bewilderment, thinking I was being smart so and so and disrespectful to him however, I kept repeating that this WAS my fathers real name in full. In the end the officer just gave up and threw us in jail.
The next morning we went to court, we refused to pay the fine, and were sent straight to Pentridge prison for a 10-day sentence. As we were being taken, away Cittahari Prabhu told us that Madhudvisa Swami said we should make a stand and austerely fast.
So, as a further protest to let the Council know their laws in this case, were unjust, Kurma and I refused to eat their boga and began a fast.
I also remembered an encouraging quote from the American Civil rights leader Martin Luther King at who was assassinated four years earlier; he was a hero to me before I met Srila Prabhupada, King once said:
“An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law’.
Anyway, the prison authorities never separate us and locked us in the same cell. We chanted with our fingers like the way we do the gayatri mantra because they had confiscated our beads however, they did allowed us to keep our devotee clothing.
I scratched on the wall ‘Krishna’s devotees were here, chant Hare Krishna and be free’
Within an hour, food was pushed through a small opening at the bottom of the door, knowing our vegetarian diet, they presented us with boiled potatoes, peas, beans and pumpkin with an added written note from the prison cook, ‘blessed food’. We put the food aside and refused to eat it.
In the meantime, back at the Temple, Cittahari and Sanaka Prabhus were getting phone calls from the media and were told that as long as we are in jail, we would protest by fasting.
The interested by the media was very supportive; also believing it was unjust to throw us in jail for something we strongly believed in, agreeing with Cittahari that there was no harm to anyone chanting Hare Krsna on the streets. For the first time, our imprisonment attracted the attention of the public
The next day an article appeared on page three, a stand out page in all Newspapers with the heading ‘Two Hare Krishna devotee’s fast in Jail for their right to publicly glorify God’
In the meantime, at the jail, we were escorted down for breakfast, which turned out to be a little comical. Radio talk back been debating our plight and many prisoners had listened to this on the prison Radio, so, on seeing us, nearly all of them stood up in a tongue in cheek jester of respect, with some saying in a singing mood ‘Hare Hare Krishna Krishna’ with a few imitating our dancing.
Again, Kurma and I refused to eat breakfast, and offered it to other prisoners with a quick ‘Hare Krsna’ offering before giving it to them. The food hall full of prisoners then went into a roar with prisoners cheering, some again singing Krishna Krishna.
It maybe hard to believe with hardened criminals, but no one was rude to us or offended or threatened us while we were in prison. Many letters to the Editors of major newspapers, along with talk back radio shows, had demanded we be allowed to freely practise our religion on the streets of Melbourne..
Also, there was a public outcry by Television Actors, Musicians and Artists, even a song written about our imprisonment by the famous musician Matt Taylor entitled ‘Krishna Loves You too’ that later went on his ‘Straight As A Die’ Album in 1973.
In this way, the Minister of Prisons, Brain Dixon was compelled to act; he had now personally taken an interest in our case. He actually came to Pentridge with his secretary and spoke to us, then complained to the Prison Warden that these young boys should not be in this Jail. He immediately ordered our release.
Outside the Jail, there was a blissful kirtan lead by Madhudvisa Swami, and then the guards opened the gates and released us. I clearly remember Cittahari Prabhu hugging us with tears of ecstasy running down his checks, his ecstatic emotion was very moving and also bought tears to my eyes.
This was only the very pioneering beginning of out struggle with the Melbourne City Council, that would go on for another three dreaded years. Melbourne was a very conservative City back then, tucked away ‘down under’ a long way away from the rest of the World.
Even though the Government Minister Brian Dixon and the majority of the public was on our side, many City Councillors were determined to ban us from the streets.
Keep in mind, back then in Australia in 1972, we still had in place the ‘white Australia policy’, which meant it was very difficult for anyone of colour to take up residency or citizenship here. And here we were introducing Krsna Consciousness to the conservative Australian public!
When Srila Prabhupada eventually came to Melbourne a year later, the Minister of ‘Prisons and Housing and Sport’ Brian Dixon, came to see him and Srila Prabhupada thanked Mr. Dixon for releasing his Spiritual children from jail.
I remember that Srila Prabhupada preached to him and his lady friend very sturdily about the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness.
So eventually as the years passed, we did eventually win our struggle. The Council wrote off the money in an agreement that included us legally chanting on the streets.
To this very day, we have never been harassed since. Some years ago, the then Mayor of the Melbourne City Council would often have lunch at Gopals Restaurant that is directly across the road from the City Hall.
Also, one final note, many years later, in the mid 1980s, I ran into the Council Officer we humorously called Kamsa and ’square jaw’. He was with his son and had long ago retired.
He was very apologetic explaining that no one back then could work out how we all ticked. He then said he admired the many devotees who stood up for what they believed in, finishing our conversation by saying:
“My Son is a student at RMIT and often visits Gopals Restaurant, I don’t think I’m a bad person, I was just doing my job. You know, I did read some of those books we confiscated and also heard your Spiritual Leader speak at the Melbourne Town Hall.
It took me awhile to understand, but I now see his teaching are giving direction and understanding to so many young people today who follow his example.”
We shook hands, I said Hare Krsna and he replied ‘Hare Krsna’ The mercy of Lord Caitanya can deliver ANYONE, all we have to do is sincerely ask for His mercy.
The cartoon below appeared in the Sun Newspaper, Melbourne Australia’s biggest daily in 1972
Here are the words to Matt Taylor’s song ‘Krishna Loves You Too’ that was released as a single in 1973
“Things are getting bad when you can’t practise your religion,
Walk through the streets, giving all the love you can to Krishna.
Elohim, God, or Allah, the name doesn’t matter,
Love is a commodity you can’t put a price on,
People who love life give to one another,
‘Cos God’s in me, God’s in you.
Yes, City Councillors, Krishna loves you too!
When you go to church on Sunday to hear a sermon
They pass round the plate, are you telling me it’s begging?
Is God a one-day affair, the next day you don’t care?
Krsna people make the city streets a temple
What’s wrong with living your religion every second
If God’s in me, God’s in you?
Parking attendants, Krishna loves you too.
I remember Christians thrown to the lions,
Because their faith was seen as defiance.
But now I see Centurions in Blue, ain’t nothing new.
Religion’s not exempt when it comes to revolution
Each step along the way is plagued by persecution,
Still, God’s in me, God’s in you.
Mr Policeman, Krishna loves you too.
Salvation Army playing on the corner,
Turned-on our folks in another era, but now I see
God remains the same, forms of God have changed.
Now you’ve heard my story, just forget your fear,
And chant ‘Krishna’ every day
And your world will ’come clear
‘Cos God’s in me, God’s in you.
Yes, every human being, Krishna loves you too.
(Krishna, Krishna, shine your light on me…..)”
Hare Krsna your fallen servant Gauragopala dasa is above with Srila Prabhupada playing Mridanga July 1974
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