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Festival of Chariots Contents London Chariot Festival July 2019 BHAKTIVEDANTA July 2019 MANOR NEWSLETTER International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada FESTIVAL OF CHARIOTS CONTENTS London Chariot Festival ...........................................4 First ever Watford Chariot Festival .............................5 Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Expo ...............................6 Krishna Festival at Tetbury School and in Canterbury ..6 Cambridge Strawberry Fair ......................................6 Glastonbury ............................................................7 “Live to Give” with Vaisesika das ...............................7 Cancer well-being retreat 2019 ...............................8 Gratitude shows gratitude to local company ..............8 Walking for Hunger .................................................9 Final lap of a marathon - the long run for Krishna .....9 The Sunday Times covers ISKCON ..........................10 Srila Prabhupada: Skoda commercial features the Gita .......................10 Ladies’ Ashram scriptural degree ............................11 The duty of a brahmana Organ Donation ....................................................11 is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is New school aims to inspire creativity .......................12 illuminating like the sun. Wonderful Worcester ..............................................13 The Supreme Personality of Willow Smith sings Govindam Prayers .....................13 Godhead, Hari, is pleased Improving leadership and management ..................13 with those who are forgiving Deity Worship Gathering ........................................14 Srimad Bhagavatam Birmingham 24-hour Kirtan ...................................15 9.15.40 Devotees help host the Radlett Festival ....................15 In the Mood for a local café? ..................................15 Shree Krishna Haveli project update........................16 Magistrates Appointment ........................................18 New playground featuring Krishna’s pastimes ........18 European Communications Conference ..................19 National Communications Day ...............................19 Bathing the Lord of the universe ..............................19 Honouring unidentified victims of the Holocaust .....20 Please send your news, photos and comments to: Radha Mohan das [email protected] Bhaktivedanta Manor Dharam Marg · Hilfield Lane Aldenham · Herts (for sat-nav only, please use postcode WD25 8HE) 01923 851000 www.krishnatemple.com © 2019, All articles & photographs copyright of Bhaktivedanta Manor July 2019 ANNUAL OPEN DAY On Saturday 6th July, it was that special food stalls, bouncy castle, palmistry, ‘try time of the year again when the Manor on a sari’ yoga, meditation and even hosted its Open Day, especially for ‘drumfulness’ (meditation with drums!). new guests to have tasters and spiritual “The Open Day was a great success,“ experiences of Krishna Consciousness. exclaimed Radha Govinda das. “People Organised by the Krishna Wisdom came from as far as Birmingham and Team, providing guests with a Bristol. It not just brought together memorable experience was truly a visitors from various cultures but also community-wide effort. many devotees to serve together. It Doors opened at 10am and visitors showed how Krishna consciousness can were still strolling in after 3pm. There be wonderfully integrated into everyday truly was something for everyone: fun activities so that anyone can get a Extensive tours, bullock-cart rides, taste for it and engage in it in whichever henna (hand decoration), face-painting, way they feel comfortable”. 3 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter FESTIVAL OF CHARIOTS As mentioned in previous Newsletters, places at all in the centre of one of the this year marks “ISKCON 50”, the world’s most influential cities. Much 50th anniversary since the outset of appreciation must be directed to the the International Society for Krishna three devotee couples and one toddler Consciousness (ISKCON) in the UK. who in 1969 pioneered ISKCON Although there are a variety of UK under the directorship of Srila special activities planned for this year, Prabhupada. undoubtedly the event which has the That same year, Shyamasundar das built largest public presence of devotees is the the first chariot for Lord Jagannath in London Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession). London. Headlines in national papers It is no surprise, then, that, as thousands read “Krishna Chant Startles London”. of revellers pulled three huge multi- Srila Prabhupada instructed “make the coloured chariots from Hyde Park to Deities so beautiful that everyone will Trafalgar Square, the theme of “ISKCON be attracted to them”. Under this direct 50” was on their minds. order Shyamasundar carved the Deities Indeed no one should take for granted of Jagannath Baladeva and Subhadra. that such a wonderful festival takes HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE 4 July 2019 First ever Watford Watford Market grabbed the attention of many locals. One local grocer even Chariot Festival spontaneously offered a box of apples Members of the Gurukula Alumni to Lord Jagannath, which was later (Manor School graduates) worked with distributed. the Watford Council to organise the After the lively parade, there was a first ever Ratha Yatra chariot festival in talk by Bhakti Rasamrita Swami at Watford! There was also assistance from the top end of the High Street, liberal the Food for All team and the Saturday distribution of free vegetarian and harinama (street music) crew. vegan food, live music, dancing and Perhaps unsurprisingly, the presence singing. of the ancient traditional chariot near 5 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter Mind Body Spirit Cambridge Strawberry Fair Wellbeing Expo Devotees from the Bhaktivedanta Manor ISKCON members joined together to community worked with local devotees meet thousands of spiritual seekers at to run an exhibit at the Cambridge the London Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Strawberry Fair. “At the fair, an older Expo. In addition to the pop-up Temple, woman put £40 in our donation box speaker Sivarama Swami, singer unprompted,” explained Adi-Guru Ananda Monet and veteran book das. “The lady explained that 40 years distributer Adi-Karta das featured on the ago, in her student days, she would main stage. The day was a wonderful often eat Prasad distributed by Food for success with over 300 copies of Srila Life in Manchester, and she wanted to Prabhupada’s books distributed, and reciprocate!” hundreds of people experiencing kirtan. Krishna Festival at Tetbury over 20 years ago. School and in Canterbury The City of Canterbury, a famous and historic place of spiritual activity in the After becoming the new teacher Christian tradition, played host to the of Religious Studies at Sir William Hare Krishna Festival team as they Romney’s School in Tetbury near Bristol, worked with the local ISKCON group to a graduate who knew of ISKCON from welcome over 200 guests for a spiritual her Bath Spa University studies recently evening with a wide variety of activities. invited the Hare Krishna Festival team to hold an event there. Over 100 teenage pupils had a great time and were informed of different ways to understand the world through the reasoning of the Bhagavad Gita. One student was from a devotee family while one teacher was particularly delighted to meet devotees, having resided at Bhaktivedanta Manor 6 July 2019 Glastonbury Teams of devotees from across England gathered their forces together to make sure the ‘Hare Krishnas’ made their presence well-known at the largest annual music festival in Europe. Around 12 thousand plates of prasad (sanctified vegetarian food) were distributed over the 5 day period, and tens of thousands of revellers heard the chanting of Hare Krishna every day. Also hundreds of Srila Prabhupada’s books were distributed. “Live to Give” with Vaisesika das On Sunday 23 June Vaisesika das presented a UK National Sankirtan Retreat ‘Live to Give’. 120 devotees from Wales, London, Bhaktivedanta Manor, Reading, Birmingham,the North West London Bhakti Vriksha Teams and the Sacred Street Party attended. Devotees were provided with tips, and tools on book distribution and how they can all give the ultimate gift and be ‘ambassadors of goodwill’. Vaisesika das emphasized how they need to be “empowered, confident and encouraged”. Each temple also brainstormed goals for ‘Your Ever Well-Wisher’ the future how they could increase the 3) 250 devotees each contributing 4 hours quality & quantity of book distribution. over 10 days It was just in time for the UK National 4) 2 sanga groups to start as a ‘follow up’ Summer Marathon entitled ‘Your Ever Well- in Watford and Hemel Hempstead Wisher In Every Town & Village’ (28 June Vaisesika das also personally took devotees – 7 July). Their Marathon goals were: out on book distribution, door to door and 1) to read ‘Your Ever Well-Wisher’ on the streets throughout the week. 2) to distribute a least 3,000 copies of 7 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter A day of inspiration Gratitude shows - Cancer well-being gratitude to local retreat 2019 company A local company has donated the Over 30 inspirational individuals came costs of the entire work, materials, to at Bhaktivedanta in June as part of machines and wages, to make a safe Cancer Wellbeing Retreat. path for Gratitude’s Community Pantry’s The attendees were part of ‘Yes to life” service users. “Many many thanks to and
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