Ho, ho, ho!

December Christmas aka silly season!

Getting in the mood of the general party fever, our youth group decided to have a Christmas party! The theme was Churning of the milk ocean.

Each member had to come dressed as either a demon or a demigod. I was Soma the Moon God.

After a scrumplicious feast we had a diorama of the churning of the milk ocean pastime – lots of paper and sticky flour fun!

Try harder?

I read an article by a devotee who spoke on the importance of not criticising other devotees or even non-devotees. I really liked it and so I wrote to the prabhu that I am inspired to try harder in keeping against the mad elephant offence.

I got an interesting and instructive response, which separates the serious from the regular approach to this offence.

“Yes, because we are conditioned it is sometimes difficult to act the way we know we should or the way we really want to. As in everything we do, our degree of our commitment is what makes the difference between just getting by and excelling. Trying harder is good, but being committed to not offend as far as possible is a step above. I suggest you go for that. How to do that? Just ask yourself what you must do, what you must think, how you must act if you are going to avoid offending. I am sure you know what to do.

And just think how much more Krsna conscious you'll be, and how much happier you'll be if you commit to not offending devotees. “

Do I have the determination and courage to be the serious devotee? I sure hope so.

DSTV

Remember the smart hotel I’m staying in?

Well, no matter where you stay if there are no devotees around, no access to temples, nobody who understands your way of life, no Krishna prasadam than that is not living.

How do I feel after staying for 4 days in Uganda? Cluster phobic, like I’m being held back, like I can’t be what I wanna be. For the first time I can appreciate how devotees who live far away from temples and devotees are able to maintain their enthusiasm.

Anyway, just 2 more days left.

Interesting point I read, practically every difficulty we face is due to the lack of chanting Krishna’s names with attention and love. If our chanting is perfect our lives will be perfect. In that respect I shouldn’t be feeling the way I feel. If I chanted nicely and read Srila Prabhupada’s books nicely I could bring Krishna consciousness into every aspect of my life, including this smart hotel.

I thank my mum for the small container she sent me containing Soma Papri (especially bought from the foot of Govardhan Hill), my Gurudev for giving me the Holy Name, my self for buying an ipod and Sri Krishna who organised this all so that I may better appreciate the value of friends and family especially those who are devotees of the Lord.

Another realisation, the movies on DSTV suck! :o) I think that is Krishna mercy in keeping me protected from maya devi.

Pearl of Africa

Last Sunday I left comfortable “safe” home to travel to the centre of Africa – Uganda. How did that happen? I was sent from the company I work for on a business trip. Not sure what to expect I packed everything I thought I would possibly need, especially lots of food.

Travelling 3 hours on a business class flight and booking into the best hotel around, I am protected from what Uganda really is. Protected or confined? hmm…

The people of Uganda are extremely polite, respectful, cultured and humble. What stands out most for me is their simplicity. Simple in actions, dress and this indicates the simplicity of their mind. But don’t celebrate too soon. Like the rest of us, Uganda is following the leading nation of world and so this simplicity will turn to arrogance and simple living will turn into a complex rat race.

The first day here we visited a client of ours to do installations and training of the new product we are launching into this country. This product is web based and will eventually be replacing the current CATS system being used. My role is to observe the problems picked up and how the BAs resolve them. Why come all the way here to observe that? I’m still trying to figure that one out.

Anyway the visit to the client was an opportunity to go into Kampala town. Driving in Uganda is similar to that of India: you drive wherever you want. I think India is worse though. The shops vary from being tiny to double story (simple) buildings. The main trade seems to be clothing and material and there are lots of bureau exchange places. The streets are tarred and quite spacious if no motorbikes and cars keep rushing past you. The sidewalks are not paved but just cemented. Even though it is town it is quite hilly even entering the shops you sometimes have to walk up a steep section or climb lots of stairs. The shops aren’t dirty but not exactly speaky clean either. Let’s just say you feel quite comfortable sitting around but you’d think a hundred times before accepting anything edible from the people no matter how friendly.

Yesterday we saw, from the 10th floor of the bank building, a storm brewing. Below the dust lifted of the ground and covered the area with a sandy haze. But it only rained a little and than the sky cleared. One of the other girls showed me pics from her previous trip when it was raining so hard that you could only see the tops of the cars on the road.

The current hot topic in the Uganda newspaper is the disease Ebola that has just broken out in some parts of Uganda. The disease is apparently airborne which means that if we pass an infected area we could get it. The other way it spreads is that if an infected person touches you or coughs or sneezes on you. Yikes! This is what it means to live in the Pearl of Africa. This also rules out any touring we might have had in mind. By the way there is no cure for this disease. Haribol, you all, it’s been great knowing you.

Besides for all that’s been going on in the bank that’s as far I’ve been into Uganda thus far. BUT let me tell you about the “larnie” hotel I’ve been staying in. Better still why not look at the pics.





You like? All I can say is the bank is paying.

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!