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June 2001

Kali-Yuga - Not just in the City!

You pass through our village in the twinkling of an eye - a real sleepy hollow where nothing ever happens. The Post Office just closed because no one has any news. But for one family of this close-knit community it won't be a happy 2001 because Mum put a gun to her head and blew herself to Lord Yamaraj (superintendent of Death).

You really know that Kali yuga is moving on apace when something like that happens in rural Wales (this was before foot and mouth disease hit - now it's a regular occurence). Karma comes to call for all the slaughtered animals who had guns put to their heads. But still the villagers puzzle over it - it's not clear to them.

There's always been inclement weather to face, part of the trials of living off the land. Of course there wasn't always the vicious vicissitudes of MAFF (is there anyone who doesn't know what that stands for? [Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food]) to cope with and all the blasted paperwork of agribusiness, but what they don't have that their forefathers had, apart from poverty, was an abiding (dictionary definition - to live with) faith in the Lord, even if He was the stern, forbidding one of Tabernacle and Chapel - still He was there, a reality written in the stone bones this land of their fathers is built upon, a teacher of being tolerant of sickness and health and patience and all those other virtues so praised by our Victorian forbears.

The ethos has changed even out here, prices inflated by outsiders, collapse of social life in face of ruthless addiction to T.V., sharing backs down in the face of "doing my thing" and "my space". WE should all be glad that Srila Prabhupada has given us higher understanding to be able to see beyond the obvious that so often blinds and confuses others into desperate actions meant to destroy the world and ultimately themselves.

Rathayatra

The Lord of the Universe is coming to many places this summer and the people of Bristol are especially fortunate to be having the first ever Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha in their big city!

Glastonbury sees its 7th Ratha going round the town, Tor, and finishing at St. Dunstans school as last year for an afternoon of entertainment.

The meaning of Ratha Yatra is the yearning in the heart of being reunited with Krishna and this was exhibited by Srimate Radhani and the gopis trying to drag him back to their homes in Vrindavana after they had missed him so much while he was in Dwaraka with his 16,108 queens, having been invited by Krishna to meet him at Kuruksetra at the time of a solar eclipse.

So when we're pulling the cart we're uncovering Our lost relationship with Him.This is a very ecstatic emotion, and devotees chant the names of Jagannatha and Krishna and dance in blissfulness. Please see more details about these festivals on the dates space and try to come to at least one of the Rathayatras. The others are in Leicester and Birmingham.

Dates for July

As you will notice, the summer is full of Ratha Yatras and festivals so please take advantage of the nectar. If you don't like big festivals we're having a weekend retreat at August bank holiday and we hope people will come from friday night until sunday or monday. We like to share some of our inspirations and realizations from a summer of preaching and try to help you develop some Krishna Conscious skills.

We'll be teaching:- cooking,vaisnava etiquette,worship/offering,music and vaisnava cleanliness/discipline.

Please try to come as we've arranged it at a holiday time so you'll have time off work and you'll be surprised how much progress you can make when you associate with other devotees for a few days.We don't want to make it financially impossible so a donation of 12 pounds will cover prasadam and hot water for the weekend and the clean air, peacefulness and relaxation will be good for you.

There will be a full morning programme starting at approx. 7.30 and a kirtan/picnic at the beach when other local devotees will join us. Also Radhastami is on the sunday so we can all celebrate her Appearance together. Please come.

JULY

1st. Sunday BRISTOL BHAJANS 1.30 AND NAMA HATTA 3.0pm. - Odd Fellows Hall
Sayana Ekadasi Fast from grains and beans
5th Thursday Disappearance of Sanatana Goswami
Caturmasya begins (fast from spinach)
6th July UNDROP playing at Campden town hall in Hare Krishna Festival.
8th PLYMOUTH NAMA HATTA 2.0 - Allan and Anne's
8th NAMA HATTA NEWCASTLE EMLYN at Rasaparayani.dd./Chris's - 4 pm
(to be held approx. fortnightly but check with them for dates)
10th Tuesday - Disappearance of Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
14th Saturday - Community Festival Bristol, Kirtans for the Bristol group and sweet distribution.
17th Tuesday - Kamika Ekadasi.
24th Tuesday - Disappearance of Vamsidasa Babajee.
22th Saturday - Leicester Rathayatra
29th Sunday - Birmingham Rathayatra 1.0 pm.
30th Monday - Jhulan Yatra SWING FESTIVAL.
31st Tuesday - Pavitropana ekadasi
Disappearance of Rupa Goswami & Gadadhar pandit

AUGUST

3rd Friday. Lord Balarama's Appearance day.(fast till noon)
festival with varuni beverage

4th Saturday. RATHA YATRA BRISTOL (starting at the lay-by next to Bristol Zoo entrance at 2.0 pm.going through Clifton,Whiteladies Road, City centre and finishing at Castle park with kirtan and feasting)

5th. Sunday. RATHA YATRA.GLASTONBURY (starting at 1.30pm.in the car park
behind the High Street to go down the High Street and round to the Tor and on to the
school)

11th Sunday.BRISTOL NAMA HATTA 1.30pm. Bhajans in Broadmead and continuing at the odd fellows hall at 3.0.pm.
12th Monday. JANMASTAMI. Appearance of Lord Krishna. Fast till midnight and then feast. Big festivals in all temples.
13th Tuesday. Srila Prabhupada's Appearance day. Fast till noon.
(a very emotional day of kirtans and remembrances at Bhaktivedanta Manor)
14th Tuesday. Welsh Green Gathering. (A group of 15 devotees will be distributing the
Holy Name, prasadam and knowledge of Krishna for 4 days)
15th Wednesday Annada Ekadasi.
23r Thursday. Appearance of Sita devi (consort of Advaita Acarya)
24th Friday.- Sunday/Monday Weekend retreat in West Wales. Relax in
the Welsh countryside 5 miles from the sea with association of devotees, workshops,
morning programmes, discussions, seaside picnic/kirtan and programme for Srimate
Radharani .We have some space in the house to sleep, motor home and large lawns for
tents but please book early. (donation of 12 pounds for prasadam etc.).
26th Sunday RADHASTAMI. (Appearance of Srimate Radharani - Fast till noon.)
Prasadam picnic on beach at Mwnt - 2:30 pm
29th Wednesday. Parsva Ekadasi.(fast till noon for Lord Vamanadeva's Appearance on
Thursday)
30th Thursday. Appearance of Lord Vamandeva. (Dwarf Incarnation) Break Ekadasi
fast and feast.
31st Friday. Appearance of Bhaktivenode Thakura - the Nama Hatta Acarya in our line.
Fast till noon.

September

1st Saturday. Dissapearance of Haridasa Thakura - the Acarya of the Holy Name.
2nd Sunday . 2nd month of caturmasya,(milk). The day Srila Prabhupada took sanyasa
9th Sunday. NAMA HATTA BRISTOL. 1.30. pm Bhajans in Broad Mead.
3.0 pm. Odd Fellows Hall.
10th Monday. Srila Praphupada arrived in U.S.A.. in 1965.
13th Thursday. Indira Ekadasi.
23rd Sunday. NEWCASTLE EMLYN WEST WALES. NAMA HATTA.
4.0. pm.(Minaketanarama d. & Gandharvika's house)
28th Padmini Ekadasi.