Celebrating the Golden Avatar Contents Celebrating the Golden Avatar
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April 2019 BHAKTIVEDANTA April 2019 MANOR NEWSLETTER International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada CELEBRATING THE GOLDEN AVATAR CONTENTS Celebrating the Golden Avatar .................................4 KSocs University Retreat ............................................6 Strictly RE .................................................................7 The OCHS celebrates its 20th Anniversary .................7 The New York Times .................................................8 Sivarama Swami in OMTimes Magazine ...................8 Film-maker from Iceland ..........................................9 Irish Radio ...............................................................9 Trinity Church Hall Krishna Festival ...........................9 Community food charity wins Hertsmere award .......10 Srila Prabhupada: The Lotus Trust at the European Parliament ..............10 The duty of a brahmana One Vision Cafe ...................................................11 is to culture the quality The Manor’s Resident Sannyasi ...............................12 of forgiveness, which is The Long Run for Krishna Gains Momentum............12 illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Kirtan London .......................................................13 Godhead, Hari, is pleased Ishvari Mataji passes away .....................................13 with those who are forgiving 50th Anniversary of London’s first Krishna temple ....15 Srimad Bhagavatam 9.15.40 Shree Krishna Haveli project update........................16 Embracing the elements on Indian pilgrimage .........18 Birmingham new premises .....................................19 Jaysam Contractors Ltd ..........................................19 Bhagavatam reaches St James School .....................19 Watford Football Club ...........................................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 April 2019 IN HONOUR OF LORD RAMA It was certainly a befitting way to Afterwards was abhiksesa (ceremonial celebrate the birth of Lord Rama: bathing) of the Ram Shila, and a hari Building up to Ramanvami (the birth of nama procession in Watford. Lord Rama) on 13th April, for five nights The following day was the huge public Bhakti Rasamrita Swami enlightened festival extravaganza, making the entire devotees about some of the sub-plots in weekend completely devoted to Lord Valimiki’s Ramayan. On the day itself, Rama. Special guests joined thousands President of ISKCON Kolkata, Dayaram of pilgrims on that Sunday, many of das delivered an informative class and which included excited children on their that was followed by a brilliant drama Easter Holidays! Highlights included by the Ladies Ashram. Their premier the procession of the new utsav Sita performance was artistic and well- Rama Laxman Hanuman deities and the scripted, which was appreciated by the traditional drama by the Bhaktivedanta audience. Players. 3 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter CELebratinG THE GOLDEN Avatar March saw grand celebrations of the famous streets in the world – London’s advent of Krishna’s incarnation as Lord Oxford Street. Devotees from the Chaitanya. Known as the ‘Golden Manor and ISKCON London combined Avatar’ due to His golden complexion, with devotees from other parts of the Lord Chaitanya advented in Mayapur, country for a blissful two-hour musical West Bengal, in 1486 to inaugurate glorification of the Lord’s Holy Names, the worldwide sankirtan movement bringing much delight to the shoppers (congregational chanting of the Hare and tourists. Krishna mantra). Over 500 years later, Back at the Manor, for the first time His appearance in this world continues during a Gaura Purnima festival, an to be celebrated as the ‘Gaura Open Day was held for new visitors to Purnima’ festival all around the world. the temple. At Bhaktivedanta Manor, a joyous day “We hosted 60 guests who had never of celebration was held in the Lord’s been to the Manor before, some from honour. The morning programme as far as Portsmouth ”, explained included a class by Malati devi dasi, Devaki dasi. “They enjoyed yoga, an early disciple of Srila Prabhupada. meditation sessions, asked our monks This was followed by a skit in the temple questions and some dressed in saris.” room by the men’s ashram, with kirtan The evening programme in the also being performed throughout the main tent rounded off a day of day, beginning before dawn! intense devotion and spirituality. The The highlight of the festival though programme included a fully-costumed was the Harinama (public chanting) and professionally sound tracked drama procession down one of the most by the Bhaktivedanta Players called 4 April 2019 “The Golden Avatar” and was followed presentation on stage to encourage by a beautiful abhishek ceremony everyone to purchase and distribute sets (bathing of the Deities of Gaura-Nitai), of His Divine Grace’s books. accompanied by melodious kirtan. And finally, a festival is never complete A festival must always include the without a feast. A special Ekadasi distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s feast (i.e. without grains) was relished books, and Divya-Nama dasa, the by everyone present – and especially devotee in charge of the “Go-Matsya” by those who had been fasting till book distribution project, delivered a moonrise in honour of Lord Chaitanya. 5 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter KSOCS UNIVERSITY Retreat Over a weekend in mid-March, the Bhuta Bhavana’s keynote speech, Krishna Consciousness Society (KCSocs) dedicated to the essence of association organised the most ecstatic and jubilant and a higher purpose, highlighted the retreat days till date. importance of using this pivotal point 200 marvelling university students from in our lives to pave the path of our all over the UK arrived at the Manor destiny by prioritising our spiritual life. bright and early without the faintest He emphasised that by ensuring that idea of just how energetic and musically their enthusiasm and drive exceeds the absorbed their spiritual retreat would be! challenges we face will mean our lives can be epic adventures. The day began with a wonderfully prepared, heart-warming breakfast to The rest of the day included a range of prepare everybody for their jam-packed workshops and one of the highlights day ahead. was a truly enlivening kirtan lead by Kadamba Kanana Swami, who didn’t let The game of human bingo engaged a single pair of feet remain still! everybody in warming up to their fellow students and broke the ice for the day. “Thank you to everyone who helped Sandipani Muni das lead the morning organise the retreat and served joyfully meditation which took them all to during the day itself. What we have another plane! achieved as a KC Socs family is truly inspiring!” said Kishan Paun. 6 April 2019 Strictly RE ISKCON Educations Services were a vital ingredient at the Strictly RE Conference 2019, organised by the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE). There were just over 300 delegates in attendance at the Park Inn Hotel, Heathrow. The conference was specifically for Teachers of RE and RE specialists, who had come from as far afield as the Channel Islands. Keli Chanchala dasi performed an Odissi dance within a pop-up temple “We had a good opportunity to network and many teachers also sampled some with teachers, exam boards and other prasad sweets. RE-related organisations,” explained IES Manager Tulsi Seva dasi. The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies celebrates its 20th Anniversary The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, the world’s leading Centre in its field, celebrated its 20th year at the House of Lords at the River Room, hosted by Lord Dholakia. The Director of OCHS, Shaunaka Rishi Das, expressed the desire for Temples and It was attended by invitees from Hindu the OCHS to be better connected. He and academic organisations from up and added the board of governors is a secular down the country. Key guests included group and that the Centre was respected Lord Popat, Virendra Sharma MP, Subhash globally. Thakrar and CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of the Asian Voice. Rameshwar das and OCHS enables studying Hindu culture, Sanjya Gadhvi represented Bhaktivedana society, philosophy, religion and language. Manor. In that way it helps preserve India’s heritage and welcomes thoughts and ideas from Lord Dholakia informed the audience scholars from around the world. of the value of OCHS which is a seat of academic studies with high quality scholars The OCHS can be found online at and research capabilities ochsonline.org and ochs.org.uk 7 Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter The New York Times Devotees were featured in February’s edition of The New York Times Style Magazine’s first digital cover story, chanting on the streets of London alongside model Maisie Dunlop. Sivarama Swami in The photograph is part of a series OMTimes Magazine showcasing classic British fashion, paying homage to Savile Row. Sivarama Swami was the main feature of the March 2019 edition of the Holmes Production, a London- OMTimes magazine. He appeared on based creative production company the front cover and was featured within specialising in stills, film, commercials, the magazine in an extensive interview shows and events, approached