By Abhirama das
Almost one and a half year ago, 3 devotees living in Villaggio Hare Krishna (near Milan) moved to Turin to open a new ISKCON center. Turin is the third most important Italian city and it is inhabited by about 1 million people.
Having received the blessings of their GBC Madhu Sevita Prabhu, they began to look after a place which could function as a temple while at the same time they were sustaining themselves by book distribution, hosted by a friend in a small apartment. After few days of searching, Prabhu das (the leader of the group) met a nice old man who had an appropriate place where to start doing some preaching programs. In the first months he lended the building to the devotees for two days a and in due course of time they decided to rent the building which still today hosts the several weekly programs of the center.
One year ago, the Food for Life project was also started, and the municipality asked the devotees to go in the dormitories once a week to bring there a special dinner. Indeed, they said that many homeless people often used to ask for some vegetarian food also instead of the meat which is always present in the canteens.
Every monday evening the devotees cook the prasadam and with the help of some volunteers they go to one of the four dormitories of Turin, they serve the prasadam and speak with those who are interested about the KC philosophy.
This project gives the possibility to the devotees to have a stand in the city center every saturday in which they can distribute books, prasadam, invite people to the programs and perform Harinam Sankirtan.
After several months of cooperation with the local municipality there is a good relationship of trust and we wish that it will bring to the development of an important project for the city.
The aim of Turin Yatra is to spread Krishna consciousness by strictly following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and by using the simple tools that he kindly gave us: chanting Hare Krishna, distribute prasadam and transcendental literature, inviting people to the center and talk to them about Krishna.
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