This was the first morning of another semester of bhakti training with the group, Bhakti Academy, a successful venture for mostly younger folks. Venkatesh is from South India, and has taken these semesters very seriously, to the point where, in addition to taking an administrative role in the temple, he also had the strong desire to change the colour of his cloth to saffron, affirming his celibacy.
Just before my departure for the airport to destination Calgary, I handed over to him his new
ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Temple President, Visakha Dasi, joined 21 other senior faith representatives and those in the field of education from across Hertfordshire County for a special interfaith event. They each signed what is called the “Hertfordshire Faith Covenant” which included a shared set of principles that will shape engagement between faith communities and public services in the area. According to a report by Radha Mohan Das, the Manor’s Communications Officer, “It aims to promote
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
The Mayapur Community Hospital is a testament to physical well-being and a beacon of holistic healing, transcending the conventional realms of medical care. Here are some of the updates on the phenomenal developments in the hospital including new staff, state-of-the art equipment, website, digital records, donation options, construction updates, and more.
Going Digital with Patient Care
Following an initial pilot program, The Mayapur Community Hospital has now
By Atma Tattva Das
In the face of Cyclone Belal’s imminent threat to the island of Mauritius, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Mauritius assures that all devotees are safe and sound, with no reported damage to any of their temples or centers. Unfortunately, the cyclone has claimed the life of one Mauritian motorcyclist, and significant flooding has been reported in the capital city, Port Louis, and other parts of the island.
Srinjay Das, the Director of ISKCON Public
When I told our Gita Chat Zoom Group that we were enjoying a climate of minus thirty to forty degrees Celsius, they were in awe. “How can anyone feel comfort during such a cold snap?” you ask. Well, in such conditions of extremeness, one is more or less forced to be a bear. Yes, you hibernate for a stretch. I was able to do that with three heart-warming indoor programs, since coming here to Calgary. It’s a nice city, but beware, it has its chill factor for a short time. Two very well-attended p
From Back to Godhead
Personal Letters from Srila Prabhupada
As a genuine spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada takes personal responsibility for the advancement of each of his students in the spiritual life of Krsna consciousness. Although now his transcendental instructions are available in book form, when Srila Prabhupada first began the Krsna consciousness movement, the only way his new disciples could get the answers to their many questions was to ask Sri
17 January 2024- At their annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released a “Faith in Action” report to world leaders who are gathered at the iconic event. According to the WEF press release, the report “offers examples of businesses partnering with faith-based groups to support vulnerable populations and address the world’s interconnected crises.” Among the eight case studies highlighted in the report is a new partnership between the International Society for Kris
CNN-News18’s Aman Sharma reported live as the ISKCON Sri Rama Padayatra arrived in Ayodhya after a nearly 650 kilometer journey from Delhi which began last month. This extraordinary journey of the bullock cart pilgrimage, which began on December 10th, is just one part of ISKCON’s commitment to join many from around the world who are celebrating the opening of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
At every stop along the 41 day journey, the Padayatra devotees organized Sri Rama Katha along with
I can’t help but keep to the theme of the extreme, weather-wise. The sun and snow cast a brightness but with -40 Celsius there exists a brutality that is hard to explain.
Indoors at the Radha Madhava Cultural Centre, we sat in warmth and comfort—all sixty of us—delving into the story of Narada. After a beautiful encounter with sages who spent four months of the rainy season at his home, his life was changed. Narada was just a young boy looked after by his mother. When she died of a snake bite,
By Rameshwar Tirth Das and Vasundhara Gupta
ISKCON Ayodhya distributes prasadam to over 100,000 visitors on the on January 15th, 2024, the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Vinay Bhushan Chaitanya Das, the director of “Food for Life,” quoted Srila Prabhupada’s iconic words that no onewithin 10 miles of an ISKCON Temple should go to bed hungry.
ISKCON Ayodhya prepared 12 pavilions across the holy dham, the most important being the one at the famous Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, also known as Veena Chwok.
As hundreds of thousands descend on Ayodhya for the grand opening of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on January 22, ISKCON has formerly inaugurated its festival tent in ceremonies and celebrations today in the presence or several senior ISKCON members.
The program commenced with invocation of mantras, offering of an arati to the Padayatra Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada.
This was followed by the opening of the month long yajnashala (fire sacrifice). Later all the leaders
Through the residential streets of Felicity, our padayatra—festival on foot—made its way to the delight of the people. For years this has been the method for delivering Krishna. When folks hear the sound of our kirtan, they pop their heads out the windows. And so do the children make their curious walk to the edge of their lawn or driveway as recipients of our music, our books, and very important, the small packaged halava prasadam sweets.
“Hindus and Muslims in Trinidad blend and co-exist fairl
By Ananda Tirtha Das
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) hereby encourages and directs all ISKCON leaders, temples, and communities to arrange special celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of the appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja during the months of February and March 2024. This is an important celebration for ISKCON recognizing the very special and unique importance that His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja has for ISK
The Hindu Forum of Belgium (HFB) has issued a press release announcing that the Belgian Parliament has voted on January 11, 2024, to grant HFB a subsidy, which is a first step towards Hinduism being officially recognized as a religion in the European nation. This was the result of years of engagement with the Belgian government by HFB.
According to the press release, HFB “was created in 2007 to represent the Hindu communities and organisations in Belgium and to work towards Hinduism’s recognitio
Official Statement from ISKCON Communications Ministry, January 15, 2024
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will join in the global celebration of the honor given to Lord Sri Rama via the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Northern India, on January 22, 2024.
ISKCON temples in India will participate in a special month-long celebration in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Rama, and an historically significant pilgrimage site for Hindus and others.
During the
I have enjoyed being somewhat grounded for the last few weeks, except for a brief stretch on a set of wheels to Montreal and Ottawa. I haven’t soared up by some wings thousands of feet into the air, although that is soon to change with a scheduled flight for Alberta tomorrow. When someone says, “I’ve got itchy feet,” or “I’m getting antsy,” it applies to me, because it’s time to move on.
During my time back at home base, I’ve had the privilege to deliver numerous classes on the Bhagavatam, expl
On January 22nd 2024, the momentous occasion of the installation of Lord Rama in the newly built Ram Mandir of Ayodhya will take place.
To mark the event, everyone is invited to participate remotely in the ceremony by taking darshan of the Kalash carrying Akshata (Holy Grains) from the Ayodhya Trust, which symbolises the invite to visit the temple in Ayodhya, either on the installation day itself or sometime in the future. The Akshata (Holy Grains) will be made available to those visiting for d
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) hereby encourages and directs all ISKCON leaders, temples, and communities to arrange special celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of the appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja during the months of February and March 2024. This is an important celebration for ISKCON recognizing the very special and unique importance that His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja has for ISKCON, as the Guru Mah
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Respected Vaisnavas,
All glories to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada!
It is with great spiritual joy and reverence that we, the Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaisnava Association (SGVA), announce the grand celebration of the 150th Vyasa-puja of Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya 108 Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, slated for the year 2024. This event holds not only the significance of marking the 150th appearance da
1. Zonal Update
In the zonal report, Malati Devi Dasi shared an inspiring update of the continued development of Krishna Consciousness in different areas of the US Midwest including Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Detroit, amongst others. Highlights included; the commencement of the construction for a grand temple in the greater Columbus area in Ohio, the dynamic outreach taking place including at the many prestigious universities in the region, the deepening commitment to Krishna Consci
