Diwali at the Palace a resounding success

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1 December 2011 Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Srila Prabhupada: One hundred years ago in India, all dramatic performances were centered around the superhuman activities of the Supreme Lord. The common people would be verily entertained by the performances of dramas, and yatra parties played wonderfully on the superhuman activities of the Lord, and thus even the illiterate would be a participant in the knowledge of Vedic literature, despite a considerable lack of academic qualifications. Therefore, expert players in drama, dancers, singers, speakers, etc., are required for the spiritual enlightenment of the common man. SB Purport Watford s Palace Theatre welcomed over 550 guests through its doors in November for a joyous Diwali celebration. The evening included a sellout performance of the Epic Ramayan, performed by the Bhaktivedanta Players, followed by a feast. Special guests included the MP for Watford Mr Richard Harrington, the Mayor of Watford Cllr Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Harrow Cllr Mrinal Choudhury, various Watford Counsellors and Manor President Sruti Dharma das. The event s success was due to the strong collaborative way in which Launch of Hindu Christian Forum On 23rd November the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Sruti Dharma das launched the Hindu Christian Forum at Lambeth Palace, an event which also featured addresses from Andrew Stunell MP, Baroness Richardson and Lord Popat. "The conversation of interfaith dialogue is always one where we look eagerly and expectantly for enrichment," said the Archbishop. "We're not playing for victory, we're seeking understanding from one another... by learning the depth of one another's commitment and Diwali at the Palace a resounding success vision - dialogue and depth is what we all hope for." After praising the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies for its research on both faiths and the important role of education, Sruti Dharma das urged members of both faiths to celebrate their differences but also focus on the similarities. The ultimate essence is to truly love and serve the Supreme Almighty, he added, As the Bhagavad Gita states: Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes of the goal. members of the local community, local schools, firms, theatre staff and the Manor all pulled together to put on such a colourful, educational and entertaining show. It was by far the largest of all the cultural celebrations taken on by the ambitious Palace with its imaginatively diverse range of activities. I was delighted to take part in Diwali celebrations at the Watford Palace Theatre, said Richard Harrington MP. It was a wonderful celebration not only of the festival but also a celebration of the community at its best. I was very impressed how the event joined people together for a very enjoyable evening.

2 New Gokul recognised for Design Excellence New Gokul farm has been recognised for its innovative and sustainable design when it was commended at the biennial Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards. Sustainable design features at the farm include translucent corrugated sheeting to provide natural light, Yorkshire boarding to provide ventilation and a rain water harvesting system to collect water for the farm s needs. The building received a commendation in the Design Excellence category at the award ceremony, which recognises new buildings that have a limited impact on the environment. Malcolm Pawley, principal at Malcolm Pawley Architects Ltd, which designed the ethical farm, said: We are delighted. We hope that this design will inspire other farms in the area to think of ways which they can become more sustainable and ethical in their everyday work. Jeremy Caulton, Hertfordshire Building Futures Awards judge, said The choice and use of materials in the construction of the complex ensures that it is bright and airy - perfect conditions for both the Farm s visitors and animal husbandry. Photo caption: (from left): Malcolm Pawley, Jeremy Caulton, Dhirubhai Lad (of Lad Construction), Syamasundar das and Rickie Patel (of Malcolm Pawley Architects Ltd) Ten Years On: George Harrison is Remembered The 29th of November marked the tenth anniversary of the passing of the famous Beatles musician and Hare Krishna follower George Harrison. Liverpool, the city where The Beatles originated from, staged a "Free Concert For George" at St George s Hall, which attracted the Lord Mayor and fans from as far as the USA. In the evening The Cavern club also held a Musical Tribute to George. Devotees from Bhaktivedanta Manor s community and across the UK performed kirtan and distributed firstclass prasad to everyone at both venues. The program also included devotees performing on stage during a finale performance of My Sweet Lord. Copies of the book Chant and be Happy were distributed, which includes conversations between Srila Prabhupada, George Harrison and another famous former Beatle, John Lennon. Many people approached us to express how much they appreciated our presence, explained Saskhi Gopal das, Parasuram and his helpers cooked meals for 600 people at St George s Hall." Page 2

3 Local Schools Join National Interfaith Week Children from the Manor School joined local Jewish and Christian schools in Allum Hall, Borehamwood for a crosscultural event as part of National Interfaith Week. The evening included music, dance and drama from the all the children, depicting cultural aspects of their faiths. There was also the sharing of vegetarian food and displays. The Manor School children, with help from School staff, distributed homemade food and painted henna decorations. Their stage debut included a play explaining that our true identity is the soul not the body, which was compared to a piece of outer clothing. Local Communities Unite for Mitzvah Day On Sunday 20th November a team of devotees from Bhaktivedanta Manor joined members of the Jewish and Christian communities and Aldenham Parish Council to continue the clearance of Rose Field in Radlett for the creation of a picnic area for locals. They also planted trees to create a tree nursery. This project is cross communal for the benefit of the entire community. Mitzvah Day is a Jewish led day of social action. On Mitzvah Day people take part in hands- on projects, without fundraising, to support charities and to build stronger communities. Page 3

4 Remembrance Sunday During Remembrance Sunday, which this year fell on November 13th, Bhaktivedanta Manor sent representatives to lay wreaths and recite prayers at three separate locations: the War Memorials in Letchmore Heath village, Radlett and the Borough of Harrow. In Britain, Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11th November Armistice Day. It is the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War in President of Bhaktivedanta Manor Srutidharma das, in his capacity as the Chaplain to the Mayor of Harrow, read the opening prayers before an august assembly including Gareth Thomas MP, Bob Blackman MP, local Counsellors, dignitaries, military servicemen and women, and 500 members of the general public of the Borough. British Army The British Army's Diversity Action Recruiting Team (DART) enjoyed an afternoon at the temple. Feeding of the 5000 It was an event of Biblical proportions, explained Food for All Director Parasuram das. We had 2 hours to distribute 5000 plates of vegetarian food at Trafalgar Square. It seemed impossible but about 40 volunteers turned up to help serve and the day before we had 30 at the Manor to chop vegetables. We cooked rice and subji and everybody loved their free lunch! The Bishop of London Revd Richard Chartres and the Mayor of London Mr Boris Johnson were among the celebrities who were helped distribute the food. "It is wonderful to see so many young people putting their beliefs into practice and working together as a community," said the Bishop of London. The event was to raise awareness of food waste in the UK. Perfectly good food gets thrown into landfills due to relatively minor faults such as having the wrong shape (as in the case of carrots and potatoes), or apples being too big or too small! The event worked in conjunction with charities including Friends of the Earth, Fairshare and Foodcycle. ISKCON Food For All won the Novillis recycling award for the year 2008 / Page 4

5 NHSF s 20th Anniversary On Saturday 19th November, 40 members of Bhaktivedanta Manor s community took part in the National Hindu Student Forum s (NHSF) Arise Arjuna conference. The event marked the 20th anniversary of the organization and took place in the JFS school in Kenton. Contributions included the Under the Influence play by ISKCON Pandava Sena, Mantra Chants workshop by Deena Krishna das, an exhibition about Ahimsa Milk, a talk entitled The Dharma of Capitalism by Navin Krishna das and displays manned by Dipna Thakrar, Bhakta Will from the Manor, Jagannath Sharan das and others. One of the main contributions was a play titled The Song of God, which depicted the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna as presented in the Bhagavadgita. The drama included Radha Mohan das from the Bhaktivedanta Players and Shanker Punn from ISKCON Pandava Sena. Referring to the play, Pranav Bhanot, NHSF s president, commented It was absolutely phenomenal. The key thing that stood out for me was the professionalism of the act, and, more to the point, it was very relevant, and relevance is extremely important when we're trying to convey centuries old stories to a 21st century audience.. UK hit by Spiritual Riot! Over 100 Students attend the Spiritual Riot University Retreat on a bright winter s day. The KC Soc group comprises over 20 Universities across the country and are growing the most recent addition being in Bath. The action packed day included a tour of Bhaktivedanta Manor, Energizing Power Yoga, an interactive workshop called Swagger - Make it...don't fake it!. Veggie Steady Cook had all students mix puri dough, roll puris and decorate cakes in four different ways. Before lunch everyone took part in the extraordinary experience of milking and feeding the Manor s cows. Later there was an energy-fuelled workshop: LOST - a SURVIVAL special which included a fun packed team activity. The final Mantra session had everyone on their feet dancing the evening away, and was voted the BEST activity by over 95% of the students! Spiritual Riot was by far the biggest and best retreat in the long history of Kc Socs It will certainly take some beating! Next retreat mark it in your calendars: February 25th and November 3rd Get Involved! events@krishnasoc.com Page 5

6 RESOLVING TO BE HAPPY by Krishna Dharma das With the arrival of another new year many of us will be girding our loins and making firm resolutions that this will be the year of change. Grimly determined to shed those unwanted pounds, get in that much needed exercise, or hopefully and more importantly, improve our spiritual practices, we chide ourselves for past failures and set out to try again. To be honest I m not making new year resolutions myself, but I have had to make recent lifestyle changes and I know how hard it can be. Bouts of sinusitis have obliged me to eliminate from my diet a range of culinary delights in favour of a rigorous regime of healthful items of very little appeal. Oh well, good for the spirit, for sure. Reforming ourselves is not easy when it involves hardship. There has to be a compelling reason, like not being able to breathe, which just about works for me. We might also undergo austerity when it will bring a future pay off. For example we punish ourselves in the gym, inspired by a vision of that slim and fit form we desire. As they say, no pain no gain. A proactive approach to life is intelligent. Rather than grasping at immediate pleasure it is generally better to delay gratification, keep in mind what will produce our enduring happiness rather than an instant hit, so to speak. Pay the price now rather than later, when it may well be considerably higher. A child generally lacks this capability and needs to be properly guided. Stern counselling is often required for our older offspring to drag themselves out of bed and head into school, bearing in mind that life s later challenges will be far better met when one has the benefit of a proper education, a calculation that all too frequently seems to elude them. This too is the principle of spiritual life, to be ultimately proactive and recognise what will secure our permanent happiness. The first Vedic instruction is to inquire into Brahman, the absolute, and seek our greatest good. Straight away we are informed that this means knowing the supreme origin of everything, including all happiness. It is life s highest attainment. Becoming supremely fit in the gym, or gaining any number of high qualifications cannot compare, because these will afford some gain as long as we have the body that gained them. When that dies we are left with precisely nothing. Knowing God however, endures for eternity and bestows endless joy. How much then should we be prepared to sacrifice to achieve this end? Thankfully though, although spiritual practice leads to maximum gain, it does not require maximum pain. The Bhagavad-gita describes the path to knowing Krishna as fully joyful, but like everything else there is a price to pay and some resolve is required. Rather than continuously indulging in sensual pleasures a determined spiritual practitioner will take the time to chant, or to hear and meditate upon divine instructions. The mind will likely rebel when confronted with this option. It would rather indulge in material gratification, but we have to ask ourselves; will that make me happy? There might be some temporary titillation but does indulging our senses truly lead to that deep sense of satisfaction we crave? Or does it leave us more agitated and desirous of still more gratification? Human life is meant for achieving the highest state of absolute happiness, and for that we must be prepared to make some sacrifices. Forswearing mundane association in favour of the spiritual as much as we can is a must if we want to progress. But though it can be difficult, choosing the spiritual way not only leads to an eventual state of pure bliss, it also quickly bestows a feeling of inner peace and fulfillment. Krishna says in the Gita, While in this body if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world. These of course are powerful urges, as anyone who has tried to check them will attest. Indeed it is impossible to succeed on our own. We frequently find our resolve melting like a chocolate biscuit in a cup of tea, and our materially inclined mind emerging triumphant in spite of our best intentions. Krishna therefore warns us that the material energy is insurmountable. Our only hope is seeking his shelter, which means constantly praying to him and doing our best to follow his directions. First though we require the resolve that the time has come, that I shall no longer be the ever faithful, hard working servant of my mind and senses. Then we just have to remember Krishna, our ever present friend and well wisher. Page 6

7 Shankar Punn Uncommon Sense? Uncommon Sense is a weekly programmetaking place at Bhaktivedanta Manor between 5pm and 7pm and is open to all youth from the ages of It is all about diving deeper into spirituality and making them habituated to broad-minded thinking. It looks over the Bhagvad Gita, an ancient Vedic text, in a modern context and the principles it teaches can be applied in our lives today. The course is taught in a in a systematic and structured way, so that they can fully comprehend the ideas and topics of this ancient philosophy. Jaanki Nath das, a monk residing at the Manor, tells us the reason for the title is that the concept of the Krishna Conscious philosophy is logical and scientifi c and yet only a few people take up to this process therefore making it very rare, thus it is Uncommon Sense. He added, the point of these sessions is also to ensure that young people have fun and relate to the topics as much as they fully can. The format of the programme is such that there is one person who facilitates the event, taking a lead on the topic that is going to be talked about. Almost everyone gets involved in the discussion, giving their own opinions on the topic and what they feel does not make sense, at which point the facilitator clears up any doubts. The sessions fi rst started in the beginning of this year itself in February for only boys. A few months later the girls version was developed, and now both programmes are running successfully with a group of 20 people going to each session. Since then, the boy s group have been on two weekend retreats, one in Wales and one in Kent, where they took part in various activities from mountain climbing, assault courses and canoeing, whilst still attending sessions learning all about Krishna Consciousness. Ghanashyam Priya Das who thought up of the original concept said It s amazing to see young people starting to take Krishna Consciousness and spirituality more seriously. He added There is a lot of potential for these young people and I just sincerely hope they continue to progress like this! BSc (Hons) MSc (AMBA) PRINCE2 Practitioner What made you start attending IPS events? A friend suggested to me that I should attend an IPS event to seek the answers about the meaning of life. Through Jammin s, retreats and the Summer Trip to Venice I fi nally felt that my answers were being intelligently addressed both on a practical and down-to-earth level. What did you initially fi nd appealing about KC? What appealed to me was the completely different dimension that could be placed on day to day life. When I was told that work isn t just a job but my duty and realised that spiritual life is full of activities, trips and most importantly provides a real purpose in life, I found it difficult to not get more involved! What services are you currently involved in? Having attended the Senagetaway trip to Venice this summer I was honoured to be given the opportunity to have a role on the trip team for next summer s trip. Thinking that my involvement could provide someone the opportunity to have the same spiritual realisations I had this summer at next years trip is defi nitely a motivating factor when taking on this service, its also a lot of fun! Interesting fact about yourself I work for Sky so get my TV, Internet and Phone connection all free! I couldn t think of anything else interesting! Page 7

8 Hungarian Ambassador Manor representatives along with Shailesh Vara MP met His Excellency Janos Csak the Hungarian Ambassador and Ms Eszter Pataki, Counsellor Press and Culture to discuss recent changes in Hungarian law. Concerns were raised with the requirement of the Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness having to re-apply to be a state church All set to break Marathon record Every December temple monks and congregation assist in perhaps the most important aspect of Srila Prabhupada s mission - - distributing his books far and wide. This year at Bhaktivedanta Manor, the team is aiming to break all records: By the end of December Sutapa das, the Manor s head of book distribution, January 2012 Sun 1st New Year s Day Wed 4th Putrada Ekadasi Mon 9th Month of Magha begins Fri 13th App of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami Sat 14th Makara Sankrati Disapp of Srila Jayadev Goswam Thur 19th Sat-tila Ekadasi Sat 28th App of Srila Raghunath Dasa Goswami Mon 30th App of Sri Advaita Acarya after having been one from The ambassador graciously received the delegation and said that he foresaw no problem with the society being registered again and that it was just a matter of protocol. The delegation left feeling hopeful but will continue to monitor the situation. hopes to be able to report that 251 participants would have taken part in this year s Winter Book Distribution Marathon! This year they are distributing new pocket-sized editions of Bhagavad Gita, The Journey of Self Discovery and the Teachings of Queen Kunti. Bhaktivedanta Manor Dharam Marg Hilfield Lane Aldenham Herts (for sat-nav only, please use postcode WD25 8DT) Please send your news, photos and comments to: Radha Mohan das newsletter@krishnatemple.com 42nd Anniversary of London s Radha Krishna deities A celebration of the 42nd Anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara at the ISKCON Soho Temple in Central London, entitled "My Sweet Lord", was held at London s Conway Hall, Many senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada including HH Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami attended, and the evening s devotional entertainment was provided by the youth of Soho Street Temple and Bhaktivedanta Manor. Poet s Corner - UNIVERSE When you open your heart and allow the love to flow, your dreams will begin to manifest by the grace of the universe, Look up often to the sky and send out gratitude for all that you have, call upon the angels to shower you with their guidance and protection, There is no greater gift than the present moment, feel the joy in your heart, feel the peace in your soul, this is the only moment to live, for, this is all we have and all that we will take out of life, Love all, appreciate often, give happiness, help others, smile equally to all from within your soul By Chandrika Rathod Page , All articles & photographs copyright of Bhaktivedanta Manor