Sadhu sanga! Sadhu-sanga!

(This is the article I wrote for our temple newsletter)

In soothing candle-lit ambience devotees were welcomed to the Lenasia temple on 26th October to celebrate the first day of Kartik. This is a time to make vows, to deepen our relationship with the Lord and it’s a time of festivities! To remind us of this wonderful time golden maha ropes were given to each devotee with unique messages attached to each of them.

With a host of festivals to look forward to, we were fortunate to spend some of them in the association of HH Partha Sarathi dasa Goswami Maharaja.

Maharaja arrived from Durban on 5th November; several programs were quickly scheduled starting of with a house program at Suraya Matajee’s place. Maharaja spoke from his new book, Journal of a Struggling Sadhaka Volume 6, giving further comments to the realisations described. Soon after, Maharaja attended the Krishna Balarama Youth Group where Maharaja spoke on the value of serving the pure devotee.

Maharaja spent Diwali with Vrshabhanu Prabhu who hosted a festival lighting up the sky with beautiful fireworks. A special Diwali program was also held at the temple with Nrsimhananda Prabhu who spoke on “Following in the footsteps of Bhakta Mortar”

November 10th we celebrated the pastime of Govardhan Hill. A beautiful edible hill was created in the centre of the temple room, at the top of which sat Sri Giriraja Himself. The program started off with melodious kritan, Vridavan style, continuing with a lecture by Maharaja, who then performed an aarti ceremony to Giriraja Govardhan. The program ended of with delicious prasadam which included the halva hill that Sri Giriraja had sat on!

November 14th was the disappearance day of the founder acharya of our movement, HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Devotees were in a sombre mood as we meditated on the great sacrifice Srila Prabhupada took in giving us Krishna. As senior devotees shared their realisations, the affection and dedication to Srila Prabhupada deepened in everyone’s heart. We were all very fortunate as we had the opportunity to put the actual kurta top of Srila Prabhupada to our heads.

On this auspicious day 4 of our devotees received initiation from HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja at the Pretoria temple. Congratulations to Rukmini Priya dasi (Prabha), Shyamarani dasi (Shalona) and Abirama das (Aveshan) on their first initiation and to Dvarikadisa Prabhu on second initiation. We wish you all the very best!

If you think that nothing more could possibly happen in one month, think again! There is nothing like a Ratha Yatra festival and this year’s Lenasia Ratha Yatra festival lived up to every expectation and more.

New deities had especially been made in India and arrived few days before the festival. However They were stuck in customs. On the very day of Ratha Yatra devotees managed to get Lord Jagannatha , Baladev and Subadra devi out of customs. As the pujaris welcomed Them to Johannesburg devotees at the Ratha Yatra site eagerly awaited Their presence. Weighing some 30 kg each Their Lordship’s finally arrived in grand style at the festival site. HH Maha Vishnu Maharaja eagerly urged us to come out and welcome Them with ecstatic kirtan. The Deities are most beautiful; Their glance of mercy fell upon us as we danced in delight.

(chariot decor team)


Sunday morning drew excited crowds near the starting point of the Ratha Yatra procession. HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja welcomed all and HH Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Maharaja and HH Maha Vishnu Maharaja led the procession with their customary, jumping kirtan. Onlookers enthusiastically joined in grabbing the cart rope and pulling with all their might.

Arriving at the festival site devotees were in high spirits having difficulty choosing where to go next! Should they watch the deities being taken into the Jaganntha Tent or listen to HH Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Maharaja in the Q&A tent or listen to HH Bhakti Bringa Govinda Maharaja and the Slik Road Bhajan Band on the main stage or chant japa in the japa tent or feed the cows at the cow protection stall or watch the puppet show in the kiddies tent or do some shopping in the boutique stalls or take more prasadam!


Jagannatha Lenasia Ratha Yatra Ki Jai!

Sri Vyasapuja

dasa-gosvaminam vande
nama-bhajana-samsrayam
yamya-dese guruddesya-
sthapakam srita-vatsalam

"I offer my respectful obeisances to Das Goswami, who helped pioneer the mission of Srila Prabhupada in the southern most tip of the world. He is devoted to bhajan and is caring and affectionate to all those who take shelter of his lotus feet."

Last weekend was the Vyasapuja celebration of my Guru Maharaja, HH Partha Sarathi das Goswami. Maharaja’s actual appearance day is on the 19th of November.

HH Holiness Indradhumna Maharaja attended the festival last year and at that time Maharaja composed the above verse in glorification of Guru Maharaja. This mantra is sweet and describes Maharaja really well - Maharaja is known for the tent campaigns which is how most of devotees in Durban were made; for making chanting his most important activity and also encouraging others to chant with attentions too and probably the most outstanding characteristic of Maharaja is the genuine affection he has for devotees.

This year’s festival for me was one of the best. Maharaja spoke about Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja in1973. It took place in England at the Manor. At that time devotees were not so familiar with what was involved in celebrating vyasapujas and so it was not a very big affair: In the evening the devotees present Prabhupada with a cake and Maharaja remembers how Prabhupada joked that he wanted to build temples not eat them :o)

Thereafter Maharaja spoke on the position of guru, that the guru is a guide and every devotee requires a guide to help them on the path of bhakti. There are different gurus and each one is to be respected.

An important point is that we must feel grateful; gratefulness brings out humility which is the most important characteristic of a devotee. trinad api sunicena… In a humble state of mind one can chant the holy names of the Lord constantly. Grateful not only to your own diksha guru but to any one who helps you in Krishna consciousness.

The Lord of the universe in the heart of Soweto!

(This is the article I wrote for our temple newsletter)


For weeks … no … for months devotees have been waiting for the Soweto Ratha Yatra festival. Every now and then we’d hear snippets of the preparations taking place which would only increase our anticipation. And finally the day came!


From all over South Africa devotees came to witness this historic event. Arriving in bus and car loads we all met at the procession starting point. Imagine the Lord of the universe in the heart of Soweto! As the Lord and Srila Prabhupada were gracefully placed on Their cart bystanders looked on in interest bobbing to the vibes of the kirtan.


The parade began. Searching for a place to grab the rope I couldn’t find any as tiny African hands where everywhere, pulling with all their might. As the chariot made its first turn up a road the atmosphere was thick with excitement. Nowhere have I seen a crowd so willing to join in the festivities. Beautiful African girls were singing sweetly, while moving to the rhythm of the African drums. High flags were being waved about while inside the ropes devotees sang and danced in abandon.


Soweto was transformed to another world. Due to crime many people have reservations about entering this African township; however we found the people of Soweto warm and welcoming. With big smiles people came out of their houses and quickly joined the festival parade.

The procession ended at the festival site where an open air stage was the main attraction while other Q&A, prasadam and book tents surrounded the area. The stage program was a combination of international and local artists. Spanish band Dhira rocked the park while martial art expert Dinadayal Prabhu stunned the audience with his performance. Radha Rae had the little kids dancing and Bongani was a constant thrill with the ladies. The star show, however, was the play conducted by the Soweto devotees under the direction of His Holiness Bhakti Marg Swami.


The next day the Q&A tent was filled with enquiring minds while His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, the organiser and inspiration behind this amazing festival, started off the stage program with sweet kirtan. Another dramatic and instructive play was performed and the festival ended off with the Dhira band, along with the spiritual masters, singing long into the evening while devotees and guests danced and chanted to their hearts content.


All glories to the devotees who put this festival together! It is indeed an event that will be marked in ISKCON South Africa’s history forever.

Soweto, we will see you next year for another awesome festival!

Unexpected Association

This weekend Jaya Pataka Maharaja passed through JHB on route to London.

Maharaja is cool and totally aware of etiquette. For example, Maharaja saw Tulasi devi and so immediately circum-ambulated her. Than the curtains were closed when Maharaja entered, but when the curtains opened Maharaja immediately got up from the vyasasana to offer obeisance. When Maharaja first sat down he also asked his servant for a packet of nuts which Maharaja than handed over to a devotee saying”for the Deities”

You can learn a lot from devotees just by observing them. Souls dedicated to Krishna are the best to observe – it makes you see proper behaviour, how you should behave too. For example one might become callous in taking darshan of Their Lordships but here Maharaja specifically shows that the Deities are persons, such great persons that when They come in to view one should get up to great Them.

The energy emanating from Maharaja, I feel, is unique; Maharaja has the enthusiasm or more the bliss of a new bhakta who finds everything exciting and is so eager to learn and observe more, who is determined to follow all rules carefully. He is also very down to earth wanting to “rub shoulders” with us.

All glories to Srila Jaya Pataka Maharaj, who is a dedicated servant of Srila Prabhupada and is merciful even to wretches like me!

Maharaja flew in on Saturday, did 2 programs and then on Sunday did the Sunday program before leaving for the airport.

Unfortunately we missed Maharaja’s association on Saturday but only because we were celebrating the birthday of an incredibly warm, loving person. Someone who has gently pushed us to Krishna without us even realising it.

This person is none other than my mum, or Ma as we call her. She turned 64 on the 4th of October.

My mum has a heart of gold. Everyday for some 40 years she has been taking care of me and 4 other siblings. My mum’s been through quite a lot in life. First the dark-skinned gutsy child, then the long-legs teenager, the first Indian nurse, first marriage, the loss of her husband and brother and soon after the birth of her first born than second marriage, in-laws!, a less than satisfactory husband, 4 more kids, and this doesn’t cover half of the things Ma’s been through. But the thing that stands out most is her ever loving, ever ready smile and laugh. The protection she gave (and continues to give) to her kids in spite of all odds.

My mum has a heart of gold and it attracts everyone to her. She is not only my mother but practically everyone she meets somehow is drawn to her to come again and again and is quick to call her their mom.

If you wondering if you in the right place (in KC), my mum’s the proof. She’s been through many circumstances and she says nothing is better than THIS! And in this spirit her faith and conviction in Srila Prabhupada, our sweet spiritual masters and Sri Krishna is incredible.

I love you, Ma.

Om Namoooooooooo CAT!

Painted the kids faces for the play, "The Yogi's Dilemma"

Arbor day and paint your mark held 15 Sep

first paint the wall white



then plant a tree



take bunny chow prasadam



then make your mark

Kadamba Kanana Maharaja visits Lenasia Temple

Did he speak anything new?

After Lord Krishna had learnt everything from His teacher Sandipani Muni, Krishna asked His teacher what can He do for him. Sandipani Muni replied that his son had died, Krishna must bring him back. Krishna obliged, Sandipani Muni was very happy and so he gave the benediction to Krishna that, “Let whatever you speak be ever fresh!”

Power of Harinaam

When devotees perform Harinaam on the street the effects are so great that not only are the people who are present while the harinaam is going on lives have changed but actually the entire street changes and anyone else who may walk on that street becomes effected! – I didn’t know that.

By the effects of this Krishna consciousness movement the whole world is changing. We can’t see it but it will become like the Satya yuga, where all the people were hamsa, transcendental personalities. It will be a time where no money will be required, where if you make clothes than you give it out for free, or if you sell fruits than you give the fruits out for free.

In the Vedic culture young girls would not inherit anything but they would have these thick gold bangles so if at any point they required something then they could use that. And no one would touch them. Actually even if there was a lump of gold on the street no one would touch it because it does not belong to them.

Well wisher VS I don’t want the karma

There are 2 levels of being situated in transcendental knowledge. Initially a person will not perform a bad act because they do not want the karma. But a higher level is that a person becomes the well wisher of all then where is the question of causing harm to another. Where is the question of unnecessarily speaking harshly to one?