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Every year the New Varshana devotees organize a Rathayatra parade that goes down Queen Street in Auckland. This has been going on for decades and a beautiful big Jagannatha chariot is pulled through the city.

In the last year, a smaller chariot has been built that allows us to go in parades in the suburbs and smaller regional towns. I was fortunate to attend the first one in the Auckland suburb of Onehunga.

The event was joyful and the crowd waved to the devotees performing kirtan and pulling Lo

From HH Niranjana Swami’s book: Taking Care of Krishna’s Devotees

Istagosthi with Brahmacaris – August 8, 1999

The counselor system is a topic that is very important to me. I am happy to speak about this subject whenever the opportunity arises.

I wanted to express my convictions today, not based upon my position as an “authority”, but from a personal and open-hearted viewpoint of someone who has had 27 years of experience in ISKCON. If you see any validity to these years of experience, then may

February 1971: BENARES, INDIA Festival glorifying Lord Chaitanya

Radha Govinda Swami: I was in Benares at that time when Srila Prabhupada was touring, traveling India with his 40 disciples. I read in a newspaper in America Krishna-bhakti is preached. Naturally, I was a devotee of Krishna so I liked this topic. So I went there. Then there was a procession from Dashashvamedha Ghat to Tapan Misra’s house that is now in Benares.

When the procession finished, I approached Srila Prabhupada and I spok

After the horrific events of 9/11, some of my Hindu friends were concerned about their safety. They had been yelled at and threatened by strangers. And for no reason at all they were told they weren’t wanted in the USA.  

Over the years, such incidents have increased. According to a recent CNN article by Harmeet Kaur, “Over the past year, researchers at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate have documented a surge of anti-Indian sentiment on X that is showing no signs of abating.” 

Even FBI

Participants of the workshop with Shyamsundar Das (wearing black in folded hands).

A four-day acting workshop recently concluded in Mayapur, marking a significant step in engaging devotees through creative preaching. Organized by Shyamsundar Das of Omnilight Films, it brought together devotees eager to explore dramatic arts as a medium for expressing and sharing Krishna consciousness.

Sharing his inspiration, Shyamsundar Das said his vision was to create a platform in Mayapur where devotees with

As we approach the sacred occasion of Gītā Jayanti on Mokṣadā Ekādaśī, our hearts naturally turn toward the divine moment when Lord Krishna personally spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. Srila Prabhupada reminds us:

“Because Bhagavad Gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad Gita.”

For over 30 years—since 1994—the Bhaktivedanta Gita Academy (Mayapur) has been enriching countles

Nakula and I hit the trail called Split Rock.  It is edged along the ocean’s coast.  It is very pretty, but the path was a bit rough for a simultaneous japa meditation, so we switched and drove to the uptown on what is referred to as the Redpath which takes you along the commerce and residential area.  Impressive are the colonial buildings.  Also handsome is the theatre at King’s Square.  This 850 seater is a real beauty as its interior has baroque style décor.  I was thinking about Krishna’s g

By Sesa Dasa

In medicine, a coma, or comatose, (from the Greek “koma”, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness.

Talk about living a nightmare. There was a report on the news that a Belgian man “though to be in a coma for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time.” Alex Watts of Sky News Online writes, “For the whole time, he was trapped in his own body with no way of letting friends and family know he could hear every word they were saying.”

It gets worse. In an intervie

By Omkara devi dasi

I feel very much blessed to have the shelter and ability to take darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadisha in New Dwaraka. I have lived in and outside of the temple community for over 33 years and throughout the years have had various spiritual realizations.

It is important for me to have devotee association and to go to the temple program. Even though I work full time and my day consists of many laborious hours I enjoy going to evening aroti and increasing my devotee temple

By Atma Tattva Das

Isla Pula, one of the coastal and riverside communities completely devastated by flash floods and storm surge during Typhoon Tino.

Less than six weeks after a magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu, communities across the island found themselves facing a second wave of disaster. Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) made landfall on November 4, followed shortly by Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-Wong). The storms brought sudden flash flooding, landslides, and storm surges that compounded t

By Brihat Mridanga Das  

If you thought you knew the Bhagavad-gita, think again.
 

Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is is an endless mine of gems. Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi, a veteran miner, offers priceless, jewel-like insights through her modern, accessible translations and commentaries, grounded in Prabhupada’s masterpiece. Whether someone is approaching the Gita for the first time, growing as a dedicated practitioner, or sharing its wisdom as a teacher, The Living Gita speaks to ever

Vijaya Yātrā Praṣṭhān 2025!

Yesterday was a very special day here in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur. The temple was filled with colourful rangolis, joy, emotion, and a deep sense of purpose as we gathered for the Vijaya Yātrā Praṣṭhān — the official send-off for this year’s Sankīrtan party. Instead of the usual Śrīmad Bhagavatam class, the community came together to offer prayers, blessings, and encouragement to the devotees preparing to go out and distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books during the annual book ma

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=89266

From Back to Godhead

By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

Although Lord Krsna wants our full surrender,
He encourages us to progress gradually to that exalted goal.

THE Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.29.11-12) states, “The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one’s mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone’s heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocea

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=89268

It was a 5.5 magnitude, located in Narsingdi, Bangladesh, about 300kms away from Mayapur.
Three dead, several injured, tremors felt across West Bengal. Preliminary reports suggest that the earthquake was felt between 10.08 to 10.10 am for a few seconds and it was felt in Kolkata, Malda, Nadia, Cooch Behar and several other districts.

Mild earthquake in Mayapur. It was a 5.5 magnitude, located in Narsingdi, Bangladesh, about 300kms away from Mayapur. https://earthquaketrack.com/quakes/2025-11-21

By Hrishikesh Gaurang Das   

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and the broader devotee community in Bangladesh have reported an increasing number of security risks, social pressures, administrative complications, and misinformation-related incidents across the country. A recent internal report from ISKCON Bangladesh highlights several challenges affecting temples, religious programs, and the personal safety and rights of devotees.
 

According to the report, IS KCON te