ISKCON UK News - January 2000

January 2000

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When I was a kid, round about 1965, I watched a programme on our telly. The picture was small, black and white and a bit fuzzy but the images stay with me still: "By the year 2000", the man said, and he was a man on the telly and I was only nine years old so he was definitely telling the truth, "we will be going to work in small hovercraft, have robots to do the housework, and there will be colonies on the moon." I saw a man and his wife wearing crinkly metallic silver overalls in a house furnished in pure white. I had no doubt that it was true; the year 2000 was incredibly far off in the future and so much would change by then. Well, here we are: 2000. Doesn't seem real does it? One thing is for sure, I am not sitting here typing this wearing a silver space suite, and I can assure you we don't own a robot. And my white Vauxhall Astra does not hover although it does start most mornings. Many things have changed - yet so many have stayed the same.

But I'll tell you one thing: 2000 feels good. New century, new millennium; a time, just like every new year, to chuck out the old habits and bring in new ones, but this year, with so many noughts in it, actually feels like a completely new beginning every time you say it. For those of us who work at increasing the spiritual atmosphere there are many signs that people everywhere are opening up to new paths of spirituality and cultural behaviour. There may not be colonies on the moon but intellectually there has been astronomical changes. The message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a message for the new century. It is message of hope in a complicated world. On January 4th that message was presented by His Holiness Sivarama Swami in just on minute on ITV as one of its 'Millennium Messages'. It is a message we give to everyone. 'Please consider spending some time each day on the spiritual side of your life. The most ancient books of wisdom in the world recommend the repetition of the mantra - Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.' May I wish you all a happy New Year, and a happy new life.

DHARMA AT THE MILLENIUM DOME

Its official: ISKCON books have been selected to go on show inside the Millennium Dome. Four books were chosen to represent the teachings of Hinduism by the Millennium Dome marketing managers; two from ISKCON and two from other publishers. They will go on show for sale in connection with the Dome's Faith Zone. The books were chosen strictly for a good combination of authenticity and commercial appeal and the Dome's organisers are hoping to sell as many copies as possible throughout the year. (We hope so too). The two books? MAHABHARAT The Greatest Spiritual Epic of all Times by Krishna Dharma das, and the colourfully illustrated Bhagavatam Stories by Ajamila das.

A SAD LOSS

One of Srila Prabhupada's last remaining Godbrothers recently passed away. Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaja, who was a fellow disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada, passed from this world during November at the age of 102. A stalwart sanyasi and in full Krishna consciousness right to the end, B.P. Puri Goswami had made his residence at Jaganath Puri dham where he continued to teach his many disciples and followers. His departure is a great loss to the Vaishnava community.

GROUP NEWS

Llandovery, Mid-Wales

Its not actually a group but the nearest largeish town to the village where Clare Johnson lives. Clare has been baking 'almost every day' recently, lots of loaves of bread, biscuits and cakes. She put a flyer advertising her wares through everyone's letterbox and began taking orders. Then she tried out the Womens Institute food stall every week in Llandovery along with the town's health food shop - both were successes. Naturally, Clare offers all her baking to Krishna thus helping all her customers to 'listen more to the Lord in their heart'. Meanwhile meetings have been taking place in Llandidrod Wells every so often with around five in attendance.

Ashford/Canterbury, Kent

Amanda Holley is also involved in distribution of sanctified food. Trading as Chanda's she has been cooking pakoras and bhajis for the past few years and selling them in local market places. She has her own mobile kitchen or 'bhaji-wagon' with an elephant painted on the side. For some months now she's been offering her cooking and so everyone who buys pakoras is getting mouthfuls of Krishna prasadam. Amanda is assisted on occasion by Amrit das from the nearby Cogham group. Amanda plans to try book distribution one Saturday in December in Canterbury along with friends Chloe and Melissa. Radha Ramana das from the London temple in Soho Street have visited the group.

Galway, Republic of Ireland

While we are discussing congregation prasadam distribution we should not overlook the fact that German-born Uwe Tohak and his wife Mary have been selling prasadam from a cart in the church square of Galway for the past eighteen months. As well as subjis and samosas, Uwe is now a dab hand at a traditional Irish recipe that Mary taught him: Boxty. For those who have never tasted it this fried, shredded potato dish is great and mixes well with any vegetables. Market days are very busy for this little prasadam stall.

MEDIA

Comic Harry Enfield asked devotees mid-November if they would do some chanting for the beginning of his upcoming television comedy show. He wanted to film them chanting 'Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry' (and so on) and for them to be giving out sweets with his picture on. "Sorry", said the devotees, perhaps remembering congregational protests when they agreed to appear in a Vernons Football Pools television ad, "we don't do that sort of thing".

Loaded magazine is not a publication in which you'd expect highbrow religious discussion but in February's edition there's a run-down of faiths and an interview with Abhimanyu gets a whole two paragraphs.

Tempting Faith shown in November on Channel 4 generated a good response from any who saw it. Although the producers were slightly disappointed with the initial viewing figure of 600,000, they reasoned that a religious programme on a Saturday night and going out at the same time as Who wants to be a Millionaire? On the other side, is up against stiff competition. By the second and third weeks the viewing was up to 800,000 per programme. The temple was shown and Kripamoya at home. Photos appeared in the Radio Times, TV Times and Daily Telegraph television listings. At the conclusion of the series an on-line chat with the producers was advertised and Kripamoya answered questions along with the producer Laura Hastings. A total of 78 viewers e-mailed their questions. Any number over 50 is considered a success by Channel 4.

If you took your kids to see Walt Disney's new animated version of Tarzan then you might have come away impressed with the backdrop paintings. Disney's new technique, known as 'deep canvas' creates even more realistic effects. One of the team of senior artists is Doug Ball, known to devotees as Pariksit das. A disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Pariksit created many beautiful paintings to illustrate Srimad Bhagavatam and other books from 1973-1980. Pariksit das remains a regular practitioner of Vaishnavism as does his friend Gharadvaja das who also works for Walt Disney as creative artist, helping to design and create characters for animated feature films.

And while we're on the subject of the film industry, so well kown is the Los Angeles branch of ISKCON that it has become an attractive place for those in the film industry to take their friends. The temple, a converted church now painted in a warm shades of saffron, (and no, it wouldn't look good in this country but looks great in the non-stop California sunshine) has been in the same place for 30 years and is at the head of Watseka Avenue where there is a well attended Sunday feast which has actors, script writers and industry people amongst its regulars. Across the T-junction at the end of the street is Govinda's restaurant and bakery. There is also a well-stocked gift shop; actress Sharon Stone and others recently came in to buy Pashmena shawls (made from the beard of a Himalayan mountain goat) apparently for the cheapest price in LA. There's also a 'waxworks' - the First American Transcendental Exhibition: FATE. The annual Rathayatra Festival features three large chariots and takes place along Venice Beach, attracting huge numbers to the celebration. So much a part of the year has it become that it now features on official postcards of Los Angeles.

Still on films, Mr S P Hinduja, the billionaire industrialist and ISKCON supporter, has struck up an amicable working relationship with singer Michael Jackson and there is talk of cooperation on a film project. They first met earlier last year at a charity function in America and again in the autumn when Mr Hinduja took the singer on a tour of the impressive, carved white marble Swami Narayan temple in north London.

And finally, its not every day you get to see yourself up on the big screen of your local cinema but it just happened to 15 year old devotee girl Gita, daughter of Mokshalakshmi and Parasurama. An Indian film producer came to the Manor at Janmastami festival time two years ago and saw her perform Bharat natyam dancing. He invited her to play a small part in a Bollywood (Bombay's Hollywood) film and paid for her and her mum to have a working holiday in Bombay. Not only was the weather great but a chauffeur driven car was laid on every day too. Now the film, an all-singing, all-dancing Hindi movie is just being shown this month at London's Indian cinemas. You never known who you're going to meet at the Manor!

Book distributors say a big thankyou
On behalf of all the book distributors, who are still braving many cold and frosty days on the windy pavements of towns across the country right now, can I thank all the following devotees who so kindly gave £1 per paperback book to sponsor efforts during the 'Millennium Marathon'. The Vaishnava literature you sponsored was given out all over southern England. Your gifts have quite literally placed sacred teachings in the hands of those who, without your kindness, would never have got them. I know you don't want further acknowledgment for your service to Vaishnavism - but you're going to get it anyway.

John Foot of Jersey - 21. Clare Tedds and Mark Sibley of Norwich - 108. Mark Gardiner of Windsor - 31. Subash Mistry of Wolverhampton - 21. Johnathan Brogan of Edinburgh - 10. Stee Burton of Aldershot - 21. Tina Chambers of Norwhich - 58. Krishnadevi of London - 4. Charlotte Borkar of London - 10. Chris Pakula of Guildford - 27. Andrew Moase of Norwich - 5. Jez Slowe of High Wycombe - 35. Amanda Holley of Ashford - 21. John Smith of Sevenoaks - 35. Knuth Freitag of Luton - 20. Monica Harvey of Salisbury - 8. Richard Dench of Stoke Newington - 108. Kim Halford of Bedford - 5. Helen and Jimmy Price of Colindle - 51. Eric Windgassen of Liverpool - 20. Yamuna of Glastonbury - 20 and Shaun Hutchings of Royal Navy - 100.
Grant total - 759 books!

Donations also came in for the Congregation Development Fund from Mr and Mrs Sinhal of Suffolk. Amanda Holley of Kent. Julia burrought of Essex. Pete and Audrey Walker of Manchester and Deborah Willaims of Chelmsford who began a standing order. Thanks also goes to Amanda Holley for £10 and Mr and Mrs Sinhal for £51 toward the Orissa Cyclone Appeal.

CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING As you may remember from two newsletters ago, we introduced the ideas of an ISKCON council composed of members of the congregation. Such a council already exists for Bhaktivedanta Manor's London congregation where a ten-member body of patrons assist with strategic planning and development.

Although there are hundreds of practising members spread across Britain, there is no similar national body. It was felt important to have such a body in order to create a balanced outlook within the movement as a whole and to further involve members in important decision that affect them.

We weren't deluges with responses, as one of the stipulations was that prospective members should have: 'been around ISKCON long enough to be aware of what needs improving' and that may have proved disqualifying for many. But after two months we now have six members with an experience of the movement ranging from three to twelve years, devotional commitment and life experience including the aircraft industry, social services and television studio production. The first meeting takes place at Bhaktidedanta Manor on January 22nd.

2004

2003

2002