Calendar

2006
April

2005
Jan

2004
Oct
July
Apr

2003
June
Apr
Jan

2002
Oct
Jun
Apr
Jan

2001
Oct
Jun
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2000
Sep
Mar

June 2002

Calendar

Look forward to a star-studded summer of Krishna conscious stuff to keep you well out of the clutches of maya - how much you decide to do is up to you.

The festival year kicked off with the Lampeter Drovers festival in our local University town, which has Religious Studies and Sanskrit Departments. Devotees have visited on a regular basis for years, including such luminaries as H.H. Sivarama Swami, Rasamandala and Indriyesa. However the Drovers these days is more about droves of hippies and students celebrating end of term. Tie-dyes abounded and the sun glinted on rings in every conceivable (and some inconceivable) body part. Sri Sri Gaura Nitai graced the place, but the kirtan had to wage a relentless battle against ex-Hawkwind Nik Turners All Stars. Minaketana, who in a previous life would have sold his soul to play with such an illustrious band, couldn't even be bothered to shout "encore" which proves there's hope for even the most fallen, and chanting Hare Krishna can really change your life! And I mean that most sincerely.

By contrast, Sunday saw the first ever Snana Yatra bathing festival of Lords Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra - the one day of the year when They wear elephant masks (a super sight) - at Bhaktivedanta Manor. It usually happens at Soho St., but it gets very crowded there. Also, now that the siting of Ratha Yatra has necessarily made it less child-friendly, a family festival was needed elsewhere.

Ratha Yatra follows close on the heels of the Stonehenge Solstice - sun chariot setting off in advance to purify the path of Lord Jagannatha.

This years Glastonbury looks all set to be a mudbath unless the weather changes, but the chanting will go on as always, participants praying for the mercy of that grand old trouper Tribhuvanath, without whom it won't be the same, but I guess he' s kirtaning away elsewhere.

Ashton Court, Bristol's home-grown free-for-all on Sun.21st.July SHOULD have a large contingent of devotees, but hasn't since we had a sizeable presence there in 1995? It has slowly dwindled to a few staunchies - support please, just for a few hours kirtan then you can go enjoy yourself.

The Big Green Gathering has conveniently moved to Cheddar this year - the best of the Greenfield of Glastonbury Festival, the sane part for a saner price - support it and keep it in the area.

No Welsh Green Gathering again -our friendly local police force sat on it again - well who wants to work when you can simply set up a forest of speed cameras and sit back and let the money roll in.

No Afro Celtic either this year as Marguerita has had a stroke,so no mega prasadam going out in Wales this time.

The Rainbow will welcome devotees as always this year for the Super Spirit camp.

RathaYatras are rolling in Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham,Leicester,Glastonbury - how many will you make this year? If you make all six you might make it back to Godhead sometime soon.

Calendar

JULY

Fri.5th Disappearance of Srivas Pandit (Panca Tattva)
Sat.6th Yogini Ekadasi (fasting from grains and beans)
Web of Life - Jayadeva's 24 hour drumming session to raise funds for
Danda Bhanga Temple in Orissa.
Wed.10th Disappearance 0f Gadadhar Pandit and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (fast till
noon)
Thu.11th Gundica Marjana-cleansing of the Temple - good excuse for a maha clean up.
Fri 12th RathaYatra in Jagannatha Puri
Disappearance of Svarup Damodar and Sivananda Sena - devotees who were prominent in Lord Chaitanyas Puri pastimes.
Sun.14th Bristol Study group - 11am-3pm. - Oddfellows.West Park Clifton.
Please be prompt and bring lunch to share.
Watford Carnival - featuring Parasurama's 20ft.Narasimha deva with
flashing eyes and smoking jaws - has to be seen.
Sat 20th Sayana Ekadasi (fasting from grains & beans)
Greenford ,Middx.Carnival
Sun 21st Ashton Court Festival.Bristol (largest free festival in Europe)
Wed 24-28. Big Green Gathering, Cheddar, Somerset.
1st month of Caturmasya (fasting from spinach)
Mon 29th Disappearance of Gopal Bhatta Goswami (founder of Radha Raman
temple Vrndavan).

AUGUST

Thu 1st Disappearance of Lokanath Goswami (founder of SriSriRadha
Gokulananda temple Vrindavan)
Fri 2nd Anniversary of the incorporation of ISKCON 1966
Sat 3rd Bhajans in Broadmead at 1.30 pm.
Bristol Nama Hatta - Oddfellows - 3.0 pm.
Sun 4th Kamika Ekadasi
Leicester Rathayatra, Belgrave to Cossington Park.
Thu 8th Cardiff festival.7.0 pm.
Sun 11th Birmingham Rathayatra
Mon 12th Disappearance of Vamsidas Babaji - a great soul of Navadvip
Fri 16-26 Rainbow festival, Nr.Chepstow
16-18. Virgin 2002, Chelmsford.
Sun 18th Jhulan Yatra - swing festival of Radha Krsna
Pavitropana Ekadasi
Sun 18th Disappearance of Srila Rupa Goswami and Gauridas Pandit.
Wed 21st onwards - New weekly meeting at Shirehampton Public Hall, Bristol, 7-9pm
Thu 22nd Lord Balaramas Appearance (fast till noon)
2nd.month of Caturmasya(fasting from yogurt)
Raksabandan (sister ties band around brothers wrist for protection)
Fri 23rd Srila Prabhupada departed India for U.S.
Sun 31st JANMASHTAMI - LORD KRSNA'S BIRTHDAY (fast til midnight-
festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor).

SEPTEMBER

Sun 1st Nandotsava - Nanda Maharaj gave thousands of cows in charity to celebrate Krsna's birth. Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa puja (fast til noon).
Tue 3rd Annada Ekadasi
Sat 7th Bristol RathaYatra from Clifton Zoo to Castle Park. Leaves approx.2pm, down Whiteladies Rd., Colston St., up to St.James roundabout, back down Lewins Mead. along Baldwin St.to Castle Park around 5.0 pm.for prasad.
Sun 8th Glastonbury Ratha yatra. Assemble at 2pm to leave at 2:30 pm. from the council car park behind the High St. Finishing at St.Dunstan's school for a festival beginning at approx. 4:30 pm.
Wed 11th Appearance of Sita Devi (consort of Advaita Acarya)
Sat 14th Radhastami. Fast till noon (Appearance of Srimate Radharani)
Bristol Nama Hatta - 3:0 pm.
Sun 15th Brighton Ratha Yatra. The first one.
Tues 17th Parsva ekadasi. Fast from grains and beans
and fast till noon for Lord Vamanadeva
Wed 18th Appearance of Lord Vamanadeva.(the Dwarf incarnation of Krishna)
Appearance of Jiva Goswami.
Thurs 19th Appearance of Srila Bhaktivenode Thakura.(fast till noon)
Fri 20th Disappearance of Haridasa Thakura.
Sat 21st 3rd month of Caturmasya (fast from milk)
Sun 22nd Maha Regional Meeting in Bristol. All Nama Hatta groups welcome - 2pm - Special Guest Kripamoya prabhu