Devotees Lend Helping Hand in Haiti
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March April - 2010 Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Devotees lend helping hand in Haiti No one will forget the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12th January. The Lotus Trust, the welfare arm of Bhaktivedanta Manor, joined partner food relief organisations and operated from an ISKCON centre in nearby Santo Domingo to offer assistance. At the time of going to press, over £46,000 Srila Prabhupada: had been donated to The Lotus Trust for this cause. "There are ample food grains, Bhaktivedanta Manor contributed to milk, fruit and vegetables so efforts from ISKCON worldwide by sending two devotees - Vaikuntha that the human beings as Krishna das and Robin Laing, to the well as the animals can eat troubled area. “It is a human instinct to help people, and that’s been my sumptuously and to their heart's prime motivation,” explained Vaikuntha Sita Rama das from the Lotus Trust content. If all living beings Krishna das, “we're working with other would like to thank the countless people volunteers in order to provide hot meals are satisfied with food and that have supported the effort, as well for 5000 people a day.” as the following organisations: Sewa shelter and obey the prescribed Food for Life Global has established International, Kutch Swaminarayan rules, there cannot be any a secure base in Port Au Prince beside Temple, East London Bhakta Mandal, the Indian UN building. Special cookers Churchgate Charitable Trust, Vascroft disturbance between one living and pots have arrived which enable Foundation, AM Jay Shah Sahajak the team to cook large quantities of Fund, Redbridge Gujarati Association, being and another." prasadam. Freshly cooked meals of Sewa International Coventry Branch beans and rice have reached thousands and the Indian Association Oldham. For SB. 1.4.12 purport of people, as teams co-ordinate to cook more information and to assist the relief and distribute the food. effort visit http://www.thelotustrust.org. Under The Full Moon- The birth of Lord Caitanya On 28 February, the 524th anniversary Full Moon’, hosted by the Manor Youth of the birth of Lord Caitanya, and community devotees. The youth Bhaktivedanta Manor celebrated with were invited to present their devotional a multitude of devotional activities. artwork amidst an evening of spiritual This year was especially auspicious drama, music and song. Many devotees as it marked the 500th Anniversary of brought their own deities and prasad Lord Caitanya adopting the sannyasa (sanctified food) offerings. (renounced order), and this was Lord Caitanya said that the chanting of commemorated by the devotees in an Krishna's names has a profound effect emotional play. on the mind. In the Siksatakam, he In the afternoon, the devotees went compares our consciousness to a dusty on a chanting procession in London’s mirror. When we look in the mirror, the West End which brightened up a vision of our reflection is obstructed particularly rainy day. In the evening by a layer of thick dust, accumulated at the local Allum Hall centre there through lifetimes of material desires. was a special event titled ‘Under The continued on page 4 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter March - April 2010 I-Foundation Launches Plan for Secondary Schools The Krishna Avanti School opened its announced plans to build at least one “Parents see the school’s open ethos, doors to community leaders, politicians secondary school within the next six its work with local schools of other and the media, resulting in extensive years. faiths and of none, its curriculum which coverage both locally and nationally. The I-Foundation believes that its teaches about all major world religions During the press conference, the success in delivering the £13.5 million and its ethnically diverse intake, and they I-Foundation Director, Nitesh Gor Krishna-Avanti Primary School means see the best of both worlds. We combine that it should be given the the ethical values and moral discipline opportunity to prove it can which accompany faith education with do the same in secondary a willingness to engage with the world education. It has earmarked beyond and prepare our children to play two possible sites in North a full part in British society.” West London and another The Krishna-Avanti School building, in Leicester for secondary which opened last September, has just schools. been formally acknowledged as the Mr Gor, who is also the greenest school in Britain, according to Chair of Governors of the the widely accepted BREEAM industry Krishna-Avanti School, standard, a model which the I-Foundation explained: seeks to repeat at secondary level. The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Father Paul Reece The Temple of the Vedic Father Paul Reece, the Church of Planetarium is a unique England representative at the Harrow and ambitious project in Admissions Forum and a soon-to-be ISKCON’s huge complex appointed Governor of the Krishna in Mayapur, India. The centerpiece of the design will provide visitors with a tour of the various regions of the universe and the spiritual realm as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Mayapur's Lotus Park has been converted into a construction site and clearing work is proceeding at a rapid pace. The next stage will include laying the foundation Avanti School, enjoyed his recent visit to for the temple. Many trees from the construction area have been transplanted and Bhaktivedanta Manor and said he looks already workers have established beautiful flower-beds and grassed parks adjacent forward to building closer relations with to the present Temple. the temple. Page 2 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter March - April 2010 Krishna Club in the Community Bhaktivedanta - reaching out to the suburbs Manor tops book distribution in Europe Originally, Krishna Club was formed - and they've been raised on Krishna at Bhaktivedanta Manor and has now prasadam. During the Winter Book Distribution travelled east and west, reaching East Do all children have this wonderful Marathon, the devotees of the Manor London and Harrow - with the aspiration opportunity? This question is what distributed 20,000 copies of Srila to expand to other suburbs of London. inspired the birth of Krishna Club in Prabhupada’s books to interested Understanding and appreciating the community, reaching out to children members of the public, the highest amount in Europe! the importance of nurturing Krishna within local communities who would consciousness in younger generations, otherwise not get the opportunity to At the Manor, Saci Kishore das these clubs are often run by full-time learn about and experience Krishna distributed the most copies, including working professionals who volunteer consciousness. 2539 copies of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad their time both inside and outside of the Bhagavatam. Madhurya Gaurangi dasi Children have the chance to learn about came top among the ladies. club. Vaishnava philosophy in a fun and Lord Chaitanya’s sankirtan movement creative environment. Furthermore, they Congratulations to all those involved. has spread throughout the world and are also encouraged to go beyond the many children have had the opportunity realms of philosophy and learn about the to be raised in devotee families, importance of character and the value of experiencing Krishna consciousness having an attitude of service. from the very beginning. Krishna Club instils the importance of They have experienced the bliss of developing qualities such as respect, kirtan, been enchanted by the darshan honesty, care and compassion, some of of the deities, associated with devotees the beautiful qualities of a Vaisnava. ISKCON Kumbh Mela 2010 religious gathering in the world, attracting over 75 million pilgrims who bathe in sacred waters. "One of the key features of Kumbha Mela 2010 is that we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's sannyasa," said Sresta das, Vice President of the ISKCON Kumbha Mela Committee. "We are hosting the World Spirituality Week that Over a million pilgrims are expected will bring together important spiritual Vikas Pota of Sewa International to visit the sprawling ISKCON camp leaders from around the world to glorify selected Bhaktivedanta Manor to bless his new book 'India Inc. How at Kumbha Mela in the holy city of Lord Chaitanya. Visitors to our camp India’s Top Ten Entrepreneurs are Haridwar in India between February will be greeted by a 30-foot statue of Winning Globally' before launching it and April. Kumbha Mela is the largest Lord Chaitanya." Internationally. Page 3 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter March - April 2010 Becoming absorbed in Krishna's names, Known as the ‘Golden Avatar’, Lord Sadly, due to heavy rain, the Holi Festival which are unlimited and ever fresh, Caitanya is the combined form of Radha that was planned had to be cancelled. A gradually clears away this dust. As the and Krishna, and His specific mission few brave souls still braved the weather mirror is cleaned, we can see our true was to spread the congregational to visit Bhaktivedanta Manor. reflection, giving us the knowledge of chanting of the names of Lord Krishna. our eternal identity - not the body, but the everlasting soul, an eternal servant of Lord Krishna. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is described that Lord Caitanya appeared during a lunar eclipse, during which time it was the custom of the Hindu public to bathe in sacred rivers like the Ganges and chant Vedic mantras for purification. Srila Prabhupada explained that at this time all India was roaring with the holy sound of the Hare Krishna mantra as the most merciful incarnation of the Lord Left to right: Cllr Matthew Offord, Cllr Bob Blackman, Cllr Lynne Hilen Leader of Barnet Council, descended to this world. Cllr Eric Silver Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Anjana Patel, Cllr Rosemary Gilligan Mayor of Hertsmere The Compassion of Lord Nityananda The birth of Lord Nityananda, the eternal spoke "My dear Jagai-Madhai, you have associate of Lord Caitanya, fell on the injured Me.