bhaktivedanta february 2017 · pdf filebhaktivedanta february 2017 manor newsletter...

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February 2017February 2017BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR N E W S L E T T E R

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Mitzvah Day:

Serving together

Bhaktivedanta ManorDharam Marg · Hilfield Lane Aldenham · Herts(for sat-nav only, please use postcode WD25 8HE)01923 851000 www.krishnatemple.com

7Gita in Schools

11Ladies Sabbatical

13Remembering George

Harrison

15The Joy of

Devotion Film

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Srila Prabhupada:“Because you have worked so hard for Krishna, making all sacrifice without any personal selfish motive, therefore you are making such nice advancement in spiritual life. Thank you very much for helping me in this preaching work. May Krishna bless you more and more.”Letter to Kisora Bombay 25 December, 1972:

Please send your news, photos and comments to: Radha Mohan das [email protected]

© 2017, All articles & photographs copyright of Bhaktivedanta Manor

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February 2017

“THE FINAl OFFERINg” FOR ISKCON 50TH ANNIVERSARy

The Winter Marathon refers to the month of December, when so many of Srila Prabhupada’s books are distributed; it is always a very special time of the year. The incredible efforts of many devotees, the miraculous stories of books being distributed, and the feeling of being intimately under Srila Prabhupada’s direct shelter and care all remind devotees of the all-auspicious nature of book distribution. For the final offering for the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, a very ambitious goal to distribute 200,000 books in one month was set. The head of Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Book Distribution department, Bhakta Nikhil, was happy to announce that 142,402 books went out this December: a new record for the Manor! “In my eyes, the real success of the Marathon was not breaking a record, but the sheer participation of so many wonderful souls in helping others come a step closer to Krishna”, explained Bhakta Nikhil. “In that respect, I think

this has been an extremely successful marathon with over 500 devotees going out! Such a mammoth effort would never have been possible without the cooperation and participation of many devotees in the community.” The National Sankirtan Festival took place at Bhaktivedanta Manor on Saturday 7th January, which included special guests Sivarama Swami and Praghosa das, the ISKCON Governing Body Commissioner for the UK and Ireland. The total figure of books distributed throughout the UK was 200,782: a magnificent collaborative achievement!The highest distributors from Manor who were based on the street were:Gaura Narayan dasJanakinanth dasGurushakti devi dasiJapanese Chinese & Singapore Sankirtan Dynasty Team ......continues on page 6

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Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter

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February 2017

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A single, divine conversation transformed one of the most devastating, apocalyptic wars in history into the most enduring historical cases of the triumph of the human spirit. The conversation subsequently became a book that has shaped civilisations and peoples over the last five thousand years; that book is the Bhagavad Gita. Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Gita Jayanti festival was a most auspicious way to wrap up an incredible year. Two resident monks facilitated the event: Navadvipa Chandra das conducted the Sanskrit recital and Sutapa das made the

commentaries. Around 700 people took part, with another 300 people online. One visitor remarked that the vibration of the recitation was so powerful; he had never experienced anything like it before. Many participants commented how both of these devotees were gems at presenting the Gita. Many copies of Bhagavad Gita were indeed sponsored from this event and they also contributed greatly towards the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books during the Winter Book Marathon.

gita Jayanti at the Manor

contunued from page 3...

Outstanding efforts fromBhakti Vriksha Team – 1st place for Team Contact SankirtanBhakta Pradeep – 1st Place for Contact IndividualSundarananda das – 2nd Place for Contact Individual

We would also like to thank all the devotees from other departments at the Manor who got involved, a few of which are:-Bhaktivedanta Manor GurukulaPandava SenaAll congregational sangasKrishna ClubPlus many more!

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February 2017

The Gita Project, overseen by Radika dasi, has been placing Srila Prabhupada’s books in schools, prisons and hospitals. Books were sponsored by the communities of Bhaktivedanta Manor and ISKCON-London . Thanks to the hard work of Padmanabha Nityananda das, the Religious Education (R.E.) departments of 21 schools across the London boroughs of Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest have received over 600 books, including 425 Bhagavad-gitas.In addition, 13 department heads were

very happy to accept between 25 - 40 Bhagavad-gitas each, to use in their classrooms. Mr Simon Shoebridge, Head of R.E. at St Columba’s Catholic Boy’s School in Kent, ordered 40 Gitas. He commented: “The boys really liked the books. They liked that they were new; they liked the bright coloured and illustrated Gita cover and those inside and, of course, the stories too. They also appreciated them as a gift as we explained that they had been provided by the donations of your community.”

london Schools study the gita

Multicultural weddingKrish Raval the Director of the Faith in Leadership (FiL) program and a member of the Manor’s congregation had his dream come true by being married at Bhaktivedanta Manor by Kripamoya das. Guests included Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, head of Mitzvah Day UK and senior member of the Pears Foundation team, and Rabbi Jeff Berger from the Rambam Sephardi Synagogue Borehamwood.

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University students explore the science of spiritualityIn the autumn term of 2016, hundreds of university students across the UK relished the chance to explore their spirituality at their university’s Krishna Conscious Society (KCsoc) events. These events include lifestyle seminars, the sharing of spiritual knowledge, free food, relaxing music, yoga, and meditation sessions. For many students, the society provides them with their first opportunity to learn about devotion to Krishna. There are now KCsocs active in 21 different universities across the UK, plus a new one about to start in Bristol.

The events have been eagerly attended, with an average of between 10 to 35 attendees at a time. Students already proficient in spiritual knowledge and practice get a chance to share their knowledge with fellow students and master the art of public speaking. The next exciting event in the pipeline is the inaugural KCsoc summer retreat, to be held at a luxury resort in a beautiful mountainous setting in Wales. To register your interest, visit:krishnasoc.com/happy/

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February 2017

Soul Expression’s Christmas PartyThe Krishna Wisdom team have just recruited a valuable new member: Balarama Nityananda, who climbed on board just in time for the Soul Expression’s end of year Christmas Party! The evening started off with a delicious five-course meal and then went straight into music led by Caitanya Cintamani dasi from Leicester. An audience of about 80 new guests were particularly intrigued by the drama performed by Jaya Krishna das and

Radha Mohan das, about the story of someone who learns that the holy name of Krishna is more fulfilling than a touchstone that can turn anything into gold! The event concluded with a roaring musical performance by Kripamoya das. The Krishna Wisdom team is constantly looking at ways to make spiritual life more easily accessible and relevant to people in the modern age. It aims to provide values backed up with philosophy to aid the search for what are truly the most important things in life.

Tribhuvanatha das: 15 Years of RemembranceIn late November, devotees shared sweet memories of Tribhuvanatha Prabhu on the 15th anniversary of his passing. Tribhuvanatha das was an incredibly warm-hearted devotee who sacrificed so much to share Krishna’s names around the world.

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Children’s Mitzvah DayChildren and parents of Krishna Club along with representatives from the Manor School went to Radlett United Synagogue for a special Mitzvah Day function. Children of both faiths worked on series of art projects together.Oliver Dowden MP and Rabbi Jonathan Hughes were also present.“Thank you so much for joining us for Mitzvah Day,” said Michelle Becker, from the Radlett United Synagogue. “We were delighted to have them as our guests and hope they enjoyed their visit.”

Musical Ramayan at the Watford Palace TheatreAs part of their contribution to ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary, the Bhaktivedanta Players performed their musical version of The Ramayan at Watford’s Palace Theatre, to a full house.

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February 2017

Ladies SabbaticalA group of keen young students have recently started the second part of the Ladies Sabbatical course, which is based at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Part One, which started in the autumn of last year, included visiting and residing in ISKCON temples across the UK and Europe. Since early January, they have been studying for the Bhakti Sastri Degree, gaining practical experience, attending classes and seminars and taking part in community activities. The students will graduate on 30th April this year. For more information, email: [email protected]

Srutidharma das and Radha Govinda das with Rt Revd Alan Smith, The Bishop of St Albans, at the Hertfordshire High Sheriff’s Justice Service at St Albans Cathedral

Srutidharma das was pleased to meet Stelio Stefanou, the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, and his Chaplain, Rev Jim Smith, during the Hertfordshire High Sheriff’s Justice Service at St Albans Cathedral.

High Sheriff of Hertfordshire’s Justice Service

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Bulgarian TVBhaktivedanta Manor was a key feature in a documentary on a major Bulgarian TV channel. The subject was the life of George Harrison, and included an interview with Sakshi Gopal das in George Harrison Garden. The program was made by Ralitsa Stefanova, who is a friend and contact of Bhagadatta das and Jayanti dasi, a couple in the Manor community.

Govardhana Eco VillageOn behalf of the Govardhana Eco Village, Radha Mohan das attended an Annual Recognition Awards event in Glaziers Hall in London, organised by Environmental Media Group.The award was the 5 star international category for ‘zero waste’ and sustainability, presented by the Political Correspondent for the BBC, Mr Ben Wright, as well as representatives from the event’s sponsors.Govardhana Eco Village is an ISKCON sustainable farming community near Mumbai, India. Its focus is learning how to live in harmony with the environment, developing a ‘spiritual ecology’ that can bring about tangible, positive changes within ourselves.

BBC Young DancerShyam Dattani is competing in BBC Young Dancer 2017, which is a competition open to dancers aged 16 – 21 who perform in one of four different styles: Ballet, Contemporary, Street and South Asian dance. Shyam’s performance will be broadcast on BBC 4 on 7th April this year. The program will also include something about the background about each participant. Shyam chose Bhaktivedanta Manor as a location that is very special to him.

Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare RamaRama Rama Hare Hare

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February 2017

Time moves on and memories start to fade. But the memories of great deeds linger on a little longer; and rightfully so. Even after all these years, long past the heyday of the Beatles, George Harrison is widely remembered. For devotees at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, he is the one that enabled them to have such a beautiful temple. Recently Sakshi Gopal das organised the 15th annual concert in honour of this great luminary, which included entertainment by devotee musicians and

video footage about the life of George Harrison.Speaking to one of the attendees, Satya dasi said,“The event was wonderful. George’s memory is being kept alive for the future. In fact more people came from outside the Manor community. The prasadam was delicious, there were some really nice renditions of the great man’s songs, and the tributes and glorifications really hit the mark.

george Harrison evening concert

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise, RestaurantParamesvara das and Saudamini Radhika dasi have opened a new prasad vegetarian restaurant on the outskirts of Camden in north London, called Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. It can be found at 10 Brecknock Rd, Camden, London N7 0DD and is open every day 12 noon till 10pm. healthywealthy.co.uk

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COMMUNITy wElCOMES IN THE NEw yEARThe evening, held at the Navnat Centre in Hayes, included a concert led by Abhiseka das and Manohar das. Later, Kripamoya das joyfully led the singing to and beyond midnight. Earlier, a play about Srila Prabhupada and a pantomime was performed by the Bhaktivedanta Players followed by a dance by Shyam Dattani.

The event was organised by many devotees, including Alpesh Patel, Bhagavati dasi, Jaya Krishna das, Manohar das, Amita Patel and Jiten Majithia.

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February 2017

The Joy of Devotion UK film premiere On Thursday 5th January, devotees hosted the UK film premiere of The Joy of Devotion in central London to a large and enthusiastic turnout. Created as both a gift to Srila Prabhupada following ISKCON’s 50th year anniversary, and as a reflection of the varied and extensive projects of devotees the world over, it is inspiring and a must-see for all. The Joy of Devotion, is a film directed and written by Krishna-Lila dasi.The guest of honour was Sivarama Swami. “What legacy are we going to leave for those who come 50 years after us?” asked the Swami to the assembled audience: an important and timely reflection indeed.

London’s Logan Hall hosts ISKCON London’s 47th AnniversaryIn late November, ISKCON London celebrated the 47th anniversary of the installation of the deities, Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara. Held at a big theatre-style venue in central London, the cultural programme that ending with lively music that got everyone off their seats and dancing! Voices from the community youth rendered a song expressing heartfelt appreciation for Srila Prabhupada’s efforts in distributing knowledge of Krishna.Syamananda das directed a light-hearted live drama on the journey of ISKCON through different centuries.

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DEVI raises funds for MacMillan Cancer SupportMembers of the Devotional Empowerment Voluntary Initiative (DEVI) raised £1000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by cooking and distributing a huge spread of food at the Manor, in return for donations. As well as various charity related projects, DEVI focuses on the empowerment, integration, events and protection of women.For more information: [email protected]

The PM’s Faith Advisor

The Chief RabbiSrutidharma das met the UK’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis during the Inauguration ceremony of Rabbi Jonathan Hughes in Radlett United Synagogue.

Srutidharma das, Rabbi Hughes & Lester Kalms

Jonathan Hellewell LVO, Special Adviser on Faith to Prime Minister Theresa May, made a special visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor. Mr Hellewell has been appointed to Downing Street to help the team build connections among community groups across the country, understanding the needs of different faiths across the UK. During his visit to the Manor, he remarked how he could feel a synergy between the ancient spiritual culture and positive contemporary British values.

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