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On the Pacific rim
Malaysia December Malaysia – Rathayatra season. 3 a week. We attend 5 or 6 of them. Many of these festivals have been going on annually for 20-25 years. Penang is especially interesting as we get a lot of foreign tourists and Chinese taking part. There were several families of Iraqis pulling the cart – they were really wonderful people.
An interesting Rathayatra Hall programme in Malaysia
Rathayatra in Klang Malaysia
Another interesting feature in Malaysia is the broadening of people’s consciousness to other religions and ways. On our general harinama in Penang for instance, young Chinese who had never seen us before spontaneously took part – quite unlike the past. Some Muslims were also stopping listening and approaching us for books.
Kirtan with happy Chinese youth in Penang
Lion dance at Penang Rathayatra
In Kuala Lumpur during the month of Damodara the devotees held at least 7000 home programmes in the area, introducing the worship of Damodara and the holy names. Seberang Jaya – Penang The final plans for the new Temple building have been approved – tenders settled and the first piling will commence on April 27th. Both the temple and a second building - the cultural hall - will be built at the same time. The contractors are to finish within about 12 months. Then the Sthapatis from India will take over and work on all the special features - this will take another 1 or so years if all goes according to plan and projections.
Philippines In November the devotees held the first ever full Rathayatra in Manila. HH Indradyumna Maharaja, Sri Prahlada and Tirtharaja attended. They plan to hold another one soon. After Malaysia we head off to Manila for 10 days or so. In January we had the ground breaking ceremony on ISKCON’s property in Alaminos a couple of hours out of Manila. Already stage one is almost completed which will allow the devotees to move onto the land – several simple bamboo houses, a temporary temple hall and kitchen and public conveniences will be available. In Manila we had several great Harinamas as usual.
Radha Madhava in Manila
Simple accommodation buildings at Alaminos project
Australia From Manila we flew straight to Australia (via KL) to attend the annual New Govardhan festival. Several sannyasis were there and this year the weather was mild and dry. The attendance was pretty good especially for the Sunday programme. At the same time Indradyumna Maharaja was having very successful festivals all over Australia.
Prasadam distribution at New Govardhan
Food for life - ants enjoying Mahaprasadam
Newcastle beach Kirtan
Brisbane We attended a nice kirtan retreat with the devotees from the Loft. It was held in the mountains south of Brisbane in a beautiful setting. One can really appreciate the greatness of Krishna when one gets out of the city and spends some time with nature. Give some time to associate with devotees and seriously chant together and discuss the chanting etc… The week before HH Devamrita Swami had gone on the river in Brisbane in a hired boat with 300 youths – mostly Indian. They had classes, kirtans, prasadam and a great time.
Sita Pati and devotees at the retreat
Beautiful rosellas at the retreat
Ecstatic bathing in the small falls
View of falls and hills from near the retreat site
New Zealand The anniversary of the installation of the Deities in their new Temple. a great temple and many great devotees. A great preaching field and we have some great programmes and kirtans. How fortunate we are. Off to India – save that for next news. Sankirtan Report From Satya in Newcastle UK Let’s go to some suburbs for a change. Lord Caitanya said every town and village. Why always the main street in the city. Okay here we are. What a place - Wallsend – it’s name speaks for itself. The ideal spot to plant the seeds of Lord Caitanya’s merciful sankirtan. These souls really need it. Alone I stand outside the shopping centre. People quickly become interested as I chant. People gather around standing in semi circles, listening to the Kirtana. Some of them come forward to check out the books. More people are getting interested. Oh no! here thy come the security guards. “On yer bike Jimmy” (local polite way of saying ‘scram or else’ We were just getting warmed up in the freezing weather. Kali’s agents make our task even more exciting. At least with the moving Harinama we don’t get so much of this interference. Where to go now. Let’s give Jarrow a go. I don’t know if anyone’s ever done harinama here before. It’s a small little suburb with a history. That reminds me – back in the early part of last century Jarrow was famous as the place where the labourers tolerated the recession no more and tens of thousands of them started the famous “Jarrow march”. They gathered and form here they walked to Parliament house in London about 400 kilometres away in protest about the poverty they were in. Its changed a bit since then but with the present economic situation – it could happen again. Or perhaps this time they could all gather and with Harinama parade to Parliament house. Civil disobedience movement as started by Lord Caitanya. Oh for that day when thousands and thousands of people gather and perform kirtan everywhere – the governments and the exploiters will have to change. Harinama is very sweet here standing outside the Viking shopping centre. (The Vikings hung out around here way back) I can’t move around ‘cos I’ve got my booktable in front of me and I am on my own. It’s a very nice sunny day despite the cold. It’s getting busy with weekend shoppers. They seem to like the Harinama. Lots of parents are standing with their kids. They seem to enjoy the music and karatals. I haven’t exactly got a melodious voice but it goes to show if you try the Lord helps. Mothers start bringing the young kids up to show them the books. One lady asks for 3 books, for her children and also for husband. After half an hour or so a big group of young guys show up on bikes. I’m surrounded by them. What’s going to happen now as they look at me with gruesome looks. In the meantime I carry on chanting and it feels really wonderful. Do what you like with me my Lord. I take shelter of You. Kirtan is so nice I’m not going to leave this place no matter what they think or do. – I don’t have much choice anyway. It doesn’t look like they like what I’m doing. Uh Uh! Here comes the leader. He’s standing right in front of my book table. With a dead eye look he stares at me. Carry on the kirtan – don’t worry. Hare Krishna………. (what will happen) He’s still standing there and seems to be listening to the Kirtan. He fixes his eyes on Prabhupada's books and very strangely, his face changes. He looks at me again with a big smile as if he we had been friends for many years and turns away with his group.! Haribol. With full enthusiasm i continue chanting, remembering Srila Prabhupada. After another hour or so a group of teenage girls turn up. They seem curious about the books but stand at a distance. At last one of them comes forward. She’s broken the ice. Plop! as she drops some money into the donation box and looks at me. Here look at this - I indicate the black cover book ‘Perfect Question, Perfect Answer’. There’s no picture on the cover of this book and it doesn’t look so attractive. She takes the book as if she just got hold of a treasure box. That’s just the beginning. One after another the girls from her group come forward and take books. Harinama in Jarrow is so nice, so blissful that it’s hard to stop. I realise I just have to come back here for more Harinama.
Srila Prabhupada 20 February, 1972 My Dear Tosana, As you chant, try to hear each word very carefully and always complete your sixteen rounds. Regular and attentive chanting, along with following the four regulative principles will keep one pure. Simply by following these principles and chanting Hare Krishna one can make his life successful and perfect. 2 April, 1972 My dear Revatinandana, Regarding your questions, 1) The devotee always takes bodily pains as the mercy of Krishna. 2) Everyone who is chanting Hare Krishna is getting benefit. Sanatana Goswami says that one should not hear from an aVaisnava, or non-Vaisnava. So people who are imitating are hearing from a Vaisnava. They are not aVaisnava, because the Hare Krishna Mantra is introduced by us only into the western world, so whatever they have heard is from a Vaisnava. 17 July, 1973 Dear Cintamani dasi, You ask how you can become free of envy. Simply by chanting Hare Krsna, Lord Caitanya has said the heart will become cleaned of all the dirty things accumulated in the heart. It is not that we have to endeavor separately to become rid of envy or any deficiency or impurity. In this age the chanting of Hare Krsna is recommended as the only possible method to associate with Krsna. By offenseless chanting, when we associate with Krsna through His Holy Name, then all inauspicious things are cleared from the heart. So wherever you are you should always go on chanting, and that in itself will bring all perfection. 1 August, 1969 My Dear Jayapataka, Sankirtana is the tried and proven method of propagating all aspects of our Krishna Consciousness Movement, so continue to go out chanting in the streets as much as possible. 5 September, 1969 My Dear Hamsaduta, In this age, chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is the prime business of the devotee, and preaching of this Hare Krishna Mantra by outdoor Sankirtana and propagation of literature is our more important business. Side by side, Deity worship is recommended, but when there is a question of accepting one of them, we shall prefer to accept chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra first. Our Krishna Consciousness movement is practically based upon music and dancing. Letter to: Mr. Levine, 25 January, 1969 Kirtana is our first duty. Letter to: Palika, 13 November, 1975 Lord Caitanya’s movement of Krsna consciousness is full of dancing and singing about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. CC Adi 2.2 purport Letter to: Upendra 1968 "Hare Krishna kirtana is our life and soul"
Nitai Gauranga in Their new outfits
Nityananda at night
Mahaprabhu's lotus feet
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April 2009 ~ Issue 1 : : email: janananda@yahoo.com |