Author Archives: Admin108

HH Giriraj Swami / Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day (video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xveKAz

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Balarama’s Appearance Day Observers Pray for Spiritual Strength
Following a spiritual lifestyle requires strength. Strength to hold off the advances of a world intent on selling you products and life choices you don’t need. Strength to aspire for goals of the spirit, outside this body of flesh and blood that we inhabit. Strength to aim for a spiritual destination despite the seeming pleasures of this world. It’s hard. You know it, and I know it. Anyone who is trying to live a spiritual life knows it.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/F8MJ03

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Hare Krishna! Activities and stories about Lord Balarama for children aged 2-18
Urmila Devi Dasi: Activities and stories about Lord Balarama! Lots of fun things to do for children aged 2-18. Here are many stories about Balarama, along with activities about the stories. The story activities were created by the Hare Krishna School in Auckland, New Zealand, under the direction of Prana dasa. There are also dozens of Balarama-centered activities in the areas of scripture, Deity worship, devotee association, holy places, and Balarama’s holy name. Have some transcendental fun!
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=6201

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Hare Krishna! Uniting Devotees: Balarama’s Appearance
Giriraj Swami: In every sphere of activity in the material world there is deterioration; everything in the material world declines. A new house, for example, is very nice, but it gradually deteriorates, and eventually, when too old, it has to be rebuilt. In the same way, our performance of spiritual duties deteriorates, whether we are individuals, families, communities, or a society. And so the Lord comes repeatedly to reestablish religious practice. He appears in order to establish religious principles (dharma), but over time religious practice declines, and so He manifests Himself again and again. We all know how prone we are to allow our practice to deteriorate. Thus, on auspicious occasions like today, Lord Balarama’s appearance day, we can pray to the Lord to manifest Himself and help us to become reestablished in our religious principles and practice.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9797

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Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day.
The primary expansion of Krishna is said to Sankarsana, the infinite snake Ananta on which the Lord rests. Sankarsana beholds all universes and maintains everything united. The descended form of Sankarsana is Lord Balarama, who appeared as the elder brother of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna and Sankarsana are originally one, although they appear different to the external eye. Lord Balarama assists Lord Krishna in His glorious transcendental lilas. Lord Balarama appeared as the younger brother of Lord Ramachandra by the end of treta-yuga and He appeared as Nityananda Prabhu to distribute the mercy of Krishna to people with Caitanya Mahaprabhu five hundred years ago.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9803

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Celebrating Lord Krishna’s Birthday party in the City
ISKCON Leicester is currently the only temple in Leicester who observes the festival through to midnight—the time of Lord Krishna’s descent into this world, over 5000 years ago.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19396

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Beautiful collection of drawnings and paintings from the Vraja-lila period of Lord Krishna’s pastimes. You may have never seen many of them!
See them here: https://goo.gl/IJwpdE

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Splendid Bhakti Sangam Festival (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: In a country with political instability, fighting on the eastern front and an economic crisis, Ukrainian devotees are taking shelter of Krsna’s holy names at the Bhakti Sangam Festival in the countryside near Shatsk. Their mood of devotion and surrender were especially evident during Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja and Srimad Bhagavatam class this morning.
See them here: https://goo.gl/z3jkaZ

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Hare Krishna! Muslim Devotees of Krsna – Book Distribution Update
The book – “Muslim Devotees of Krsna” launched during Baroda Ratha Yatra festival on 18th July, 2015, was distributed at the iconic Anand Bookstores, opposite SGS Mall in Pune. 25 copies were distributed on 22nd August, Saturday, among the general public. The book contains synopsis of biographies and works of thirty Vaisnavas from Islamic background. This book has been reviewed by Srila Chandramauli Swami, Srila Hanumatpresaka Swami, HG Urmila devi dasi, and other eminent devotee and Islamic scholars.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19393

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Hare Krishna! Temple welcomes red-letter day
HARE Krishna devotees from all over the world are expected to converge at Seberang Jaya’s ‘Streets of Harmony’ for the opening of the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding tomorrow. Ceremonies will begin at 6am with 15 teachers and students from the International School of Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) headquarters from Mayapur, West Bengal, India, performing rituals at the three-storey octagonal-shaped temple. ISKCON national general-secretary Simheswara Dasa said fire sacrifices and prayers would go on for three hours, to be followed by the bathing ceremony of Lord Krishna and the sanctifying of the three chakras. “The opening of the building, touted as the grandest Krishna temple in the country, is an auspicious event and we have ISKCON members from all over the world coming to witness the ceremony and take part in the festivities,” said Simheswara to newsmen during a tour of the temple at Seberang Jaya yesterday.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19385

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Hare Krishna! New Krishna Temple Adds Another Landmark For Penang
SEBERANG JAYA (PENANG) (Bernama) — There maybe many Hindu temples in Malaysia yet the newest one the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding is in its own class when comes to temple design and function. The RM10 million three-storey octagonal-shaped temple with 16 chatris (ornate dome-shaped pavilions) is the first of its kind in the country and is set to enter the list of landmarks in Penang. It is now undergoing the final touches before the consecration (kumbabeseigam) ceremony on this Saturday, Aug 29. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) national general secretary Simheswara Dasa said the temple was designed after two famous temples in India, namely Jagannath in Puri and Krishna Balaram in Vrindavan.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19382

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Hare Krishna! Challenges in Leadership
Class by Nityananda dasa (video)
The pure devotees of the Lord, like Brahma and persons in the chain of disciplic succession, do not do anything to instruct their subordinates without acting accordingly themselves. (SB 2.9.40) The dress or style of royal order does not count. It is one’s actions which are counted. (SB 1.17.4) Do not think in this way of big corporation, big credits, centralization—these are all nonsense proposals….Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. (Letter to: Karandhara – Bombay 22 December, 1972)
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19379

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Hare Krishna! Expanding both Book Distribution and Harinam!
Class by Vaisesika dasa (video)
Practically, books are the basis of our movement. Without our books, our preaching will have no effect…” (SPL to Mandali Bhadra, January 20th, 1972) Print books, distribute profusely, and that will be the best preaching work. What will your three minutes preaching work—But if they buy one book, it may turn their life. (SPL to Bhagavan, 5th November, 1972) This sankirtana and Back to Godhead distribution is our main business and you should give as much energy in this direction as possible. (SPL to Nityananda and Kanya, August 26th, 1971)
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19376

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Delink life from ups and downs of sensitive index (Sensex)
Gita advises us to shun greed because it is gateway to hell (Bhagavad Gita 16.21) and asks us to embrace simplicity, a godly quality. It is also verily said that Lord has provided sufficient fo… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! ISKCON Patna, organizes event in free school for visually impaired girls
Antarjyoti Girls School, is a free school for visually impaired girls, run by a local NGO, Bihar Netraheen Parishad. The school is located in Kumrahar region of the state capital. ISKCON Patna devotees organised an outreach program here on 20th August. They performed harinam sankirtan, in which all the students, teachers and staff members participated enthusiastically. This was followed by a short talk about holy name, by Jagdish Shyam Das, from ISKCON Patna. The event concluded with distribution of prasad or sanctified meal, by temple’s ‘Food for Life’ department. It was relished by all, and they appreciated the special taste of it. The teachers of school thanked ISKCON for the event, and said that it benefited not just the students, but them, and the staff as well.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19370

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Harinama during the Street Festival in Prague, Czech Republic (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this age, hearing is more important than thinking, because one’s thinking may be disturbed by mental agitation, but if one concentrates on hearing, he will be forced to associate with the sound vibration of Krishna. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.24.35)
See them here: https://goo.gl/bbIynO

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Hare Krishna! Vaisnava Etiquette: The Refined Ornament of a Leader and of a Follower
Video of a class given by Romapada Swami recently in Chicago during the North American GBC-EC meetings. Sanatana Gosvami then requested the Lord, “Please personally tell me how I can write this difficult book about Vaishnava behavior. Please manifest Yourself in my heart. If You would please manifest Yourself within my heart and personally direct me in writing this book, then, although I am lowborn, I may hope to be able to write it. You can do this because You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Yourself and whatever You direct is perfect.”
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19363

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Hare Krishna! GBC as the Ultimate Managing Authority
Letter to: Upendra — Los Angeles 6 August, 1970 70-08-06 …Now I have set up the Governing Body Commission to handle management, questions of philosophy, and personal problems. …So far your question, how far should the orders of my duly appointed officers like GBC, etc., be obeyed and followed, the answer is that they must always be followed exactly as he says. Have you not heard me on this point? Why these questions are repeated again and again?
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19359

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Is There a Magic Formula for Happiness?
People often wish, naively though, for a life free of problems. Our desire for eternal happiness is not unnatural; the soul is by constitution, sat cit Ananda – eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. However our a… Read more ›

ISKCON UK National Convention (Album with photos)
Taking place in ISKCON Leicester’s magnificent Grade II listed building in the city centre, hundreds of devotees took part in a day of collaboration and learning, and celebrated the successes and new developments taking place in the UK today. This was the first time in the history of ISKCON UK that a maha sanga was organised on this scale. Inspiring presentations were delivered by many senior devotees, including HH Bhakti Charu Swami, who spoke about unity in diversity in ISKCON. In addition, devotees heard from GBC HG Praghosa Das, who spoke about HDG Srila Prabhupada and celebrating the successes of ISKCON UK, and from GBC Minister for Communications HG Anuttama Das, who delivered a talk on ISKCON being 50 years young and roaring on. There were also a number of exciting workshops delivered by devotees from across the UK; HG Jahnavi Harrison discussed kirtan yoga, HG Visnu Murti Das ran a deity worship workshop, HG Visvambhara Das spoke about the art and science of book distribution and HG Sutapa Das discussed sankirtan and outreach. It was an inspiring day that really fostered a sense of unity and positive communication, and celebrated the wonderful achievements made by ISKCON temples from across the UK.
See them here: https://goo.gl/XeBEZW

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New Hollywood film features Hare Krishna temple, ceremonies and devotees.
It’s called 10,000 Saints and stars some of the biggest names in Hollywood right now – Ethan Hawke, Emile Hirsch, Hailee Steinfeld, Asa Butterfield. It also happens to star a bunch of the devotees from the Bhakti Center in New York – Doyal Gauranga, Chaitanya Kapadia, Vinay Vanodia, and a bunch of other handsome and beautiful devotees of Krishna. I play the illustrious role of, “Hare Krishna priest” smile emoticon and I get to live out one of my long-time dreams of chanting mantras about Krishna in a Hollywood film. I chose to sing the prayers of Lord Brahma (also called the Brahma Samhita) where he describes the supreme beauty and attractiveness of Govinda and his spiritual world.
Read more: https://goo.gl/7zJSRE

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God – Out And About, In The Streets Of The World
But here is a breaking news! God has been spotted in the streets of the world. God is reportedly out in search of man, in the boulevards and thoroughfares of the world. He is a wide-eyed God, looking with dismay at the prevalent insanity. He is looking with dismay at what the man has done to this world and how far he has strayed away from Him. He is looking at the office workers, giving Him a cursory glance, before continuing on with their chores. He is looking at the cabbies, cursing Him for blocking their way in the late morning rush hour. He is looking at the tall offices and plush malls, wondering why do they need all this! He is wondering about the business of busyness, from early morning to well past midnight. His eyes become wide out of loving concern, out of fond apprehension. He is almost sad, His large eyes reflecting the pain of His suffering man, who is too busy to realize his own predicament.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19352

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Hare Krishna! Succumb to maya?
Romapada Swami: We know from Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 1.2.6) that there is no material force that can stop the flow of pure devotional service – it is ‘ahaituki apratihata’, causeless and uninterrupted. It is the characteristic of one who is in the steady stage of pure devotion that they are not swayed by any material influences or circumstances – this was exemplified in Srila Prabhupada’s life. Conversely, unsteadiness in our execution of Krishna consciousness is caused by lack of maturity in our faith & devotion, thus permitting impediments or “unwanted things in the heart” (anarthas) to prevail. For sadhakas, or those of us in the practicing stage of devotion, as long as unwanted residual desires (anarthas) are present in the heart, there is experience of unsteadiness and struggles.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1457

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Hare Krishna! Be humbler even than a blade of grass
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura: The holy command of Shri Guru has been that we shall serve Godhead in association with one another. By the word ‘we’ he did not mean any one individual. There are many persons who are very selfish, indeed. They say, ‘I alone shall serve. It is incumbent on me alone. No one else has any claim to join me in my service of Godhead.’ But the kind heart of Shri Gurudeva says, ‘Come, let all of us jointly worship Godhead by giving up malice.’ The service of Godhead is the highest of all functions. My Gurudeva does not say that others will be unable to do the work because it happens to be the highest. Neither does he say that he will not allow any other person to serve Godhead, on the ground that it is the highest of all functions. The chant of Hari-Nama that is performed jointly by all persons is Sankirtana. ‘That Kirtana which is performed by many jointly is alone Sankirtana.’ Prayer, praising Godhead, is included in Sankirtana.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1454

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Hare Krishna! Urgency of Surrender to Krishna
Radhanath Swami: “Srila Prabhupada stressed the urgency to surrender to Krishna. Every line of his books, every sentence of his tapes, you would hear him urgently, just pleading with you and me, to take Krishna Consciousness seriously. Death, tragedy can come at any moment. And the greatest tragedy is that our faith is stolen away by maya and her various representatives which can come in many forms. There is no comfortable position when we are secure in material existence. We are like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Our life is compared to that. Our position in society, our health, our family members, our friends, everything in this world that exists is like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. It is going to fall and we don’t know when. It often happens at the least expected moment.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1460

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UK Students Get Immersive Experience on Senagetaway
With the help of a European Union grant for building youth relations, about 175 European youth received an immersive experience of Krishna consciousness on the Senagataway retreat at ISKCON’s beautiful Radhadesh community in Belgium from August 1st to 10th. The event was organized by the Pandava Sena, a UK-based organization that helps youth apply Vaishnava wisdom to their practical everyday lives, and has organized summer retreats at ISKCON temples around Europe for the past decade.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/Cvjh2r

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Tamal Krishna Goswami Academy: Training the trainers.
I find it refreshing and enlivening to be sitting behind the “bench” of a student. “Good students make good teachers”, they say. Teachers are usually in the position of giving, of instructing, but they, too, are continuously learning, growing, developing. This summer TKG Academy staff had the good fortune of participating in professional development organized by ISKCON’s Ministry of Education in Houston, TX. We had the honor of attending classes by teachers such as Prana Prabhu, a very experienced educator and curriculum developer, Subhra Mataji, the principal of Goswami Academy, and others. We reviewed concepts such as Inquiry Learning, The Reflective Teacher, Assessment, Storytelling in the Classroom, Teaching in Multilevel Classroom, Early Childhood Growth and Development, Vedic Math, Restorative Practices and more.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/LT5eP8

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Through Practice We Develop Our Inherent Abilities
Radhanath Swami: A little child wants to walk, but first the child has to learn to crawl. Do you remember when you were learning to crawl? It was very difficult. When you had finally learned to crawl you saw everyone around you walking, and you wanted to be like them! So you tried to walk, and your father, your mother held your finger. You fell down. Every time you tried to walk you kept falling down. But through the process of practice you gradually developed the strength and the wisdom to walk. And now how many of you think about it when you are walking? This is absolutely natural! But to come to that natural spontaneous state of walking, you actually took a lot of failed attempts. But you didn’t give up? So similarly, we chant the holy names, we try to live a spiritually devotional life, and it may be difficult at times. But if we just keep trying sincerely, and try to associate with people and read sacred books that give us strength, then gradually wisdom and realization will come. And then spiritual life is just like walking. It becomes natural to us. The reason the child is able to learn to walk is because the ability is inherent within him or her. If the ability to walk was not inherent within the child it would never be able to learn walking. But through practice we develop our inherent abilities. And that is the way of spiritual life too. To become peaceful and happy and to take shelter of the holy name even amid trying circumstances is actually inherent within the soul. But it takes practice. And along with practice, two qualities are very important: perseverance and patience. We must be enthused to persevere. But it may take some time. So we must persevere with patience.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/q9so48

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Bhakti Sangam Festival in Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If with the arrow of chanting the holy name of the Lord one pierces Lord Vishnu’s lotus feet, by dint of performing this heroic activity of devotional service on receives the benefit of returning home, back to Godhead. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.42 Purport)
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San Francisco (northern California) Ratha Yatra 2015 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When the living entity understands the target of his life, he takes the arrow of his purified life, and with the help of the bow – the transcendental chanting of pranava, or the Hare Krishna mantra – he throws himself toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.42 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/TYB6Pq

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Holi celebrations by PALESTINIANS – In Ramallah Read more ›

Hare Krishna! The Art of Krishna Conscious Parenting
The goal of our educational system is to inspire our children to become devotees of Krsna, while living in this world like perfect, responsible ladies and gentlemen. We see such example in the life o… Read more ›

The “Secret Weapon” revealed! (8 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: One time Srila Prabhupada described prasadam as Lord Caitanya’s ‘secret weapon.’ When properly cooked with love and devotion, prasadam has an amazing ability to purify the heart and awaken love for Krsna. On our festival tour in Poland this summer we focused on preparing first-class foodstuffs for our guests who purchased them from our restaurant each evening. By the middle of the tour the prasadam was in such demand we had to double up our efforts!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/lofchS

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Harinama in Moscow (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Krishna conscious process… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! ISKCON50 Launch at ISKCON-London
On Thursday 13th August, ISKCON-London officially launched their year-and-a-half long celebrations across 2015 and 2016 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON by holding a festival to mark 50 years since Srila Prabhupada departed from India to the US aboard the Jaladuta. The festival started with an Adivasa Ceremony led by Head Pujari, HG Murli Manohara dasa, and included themed classes from senior Srila Prabhupada disciples, HH Janananda Gosvami and HG Adi Karta dasa. Attendees also experienced an ecstatic maha-harinama and in the evening, there was a full Temple Room with devotees singing Yadi Prabhupada Na Hoite – a bhajan composed by HH Jayapataka Swami. No festival is complete without a sumptuous prasadam feast also being served. Attendees were treated to a special Vyasasana display showing Srila Prabhupada boarding the Jaladuta.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19331

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Bhakti Sangam Festival in Ukraine begun! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Myself and Bada Haridas prabhu arrived in Shatsk, Ukraine just in time to attend the first evening kirtan with several thousand devotees at the Bhakti Sangam Festival. Over… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Everything for Krishna and nothing for me
After hearing so many complaints from so many devotees, Srila Prabhupada called a meeting of all the devotees. Practically all the devotees in the temple came into Srila Prabhupada’s room, and he listened very sympathetically to what every devotee had to say, and he was really concerned and wanted to improve things. At one stage the GBC for India protested: “Srila Prabhupada, my only intention was to execute Your Divine Grace’s will.” And Prabhupada replied a little sarcastically, “Is it My Divine Grace’s will that the devotees should be disturbed?” And he made a system. He named certain leaders—Tamal Krishna, Yamuna, me—and said that they should get together every week and discuss the problems, and whatever they decided they should write down in a minute book, and they should all sign and then do what they agreed.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19328

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**Janmashtami Special Edition** NBS#19: Birth Of The Unborn
On the auspicious occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami and the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada, we wish to humbly offer this special edition at Their lotus feet.
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New Jersey Church-Turned-Temple to Get Three Day Grand Opening
ISKCON of Central New Jersey will celebrate the grand opening of its new 18,000 square foot temple in Plainfield – a converted church – with a three-day weekend festival from August 28th to 30th. Close to 10,000 people, including devotees, members of the Indian community, and other locals are expected to attend at the height of the festivities. Plainfeld Mayor Adrian Mapp has confirmed his attendance, while ISKCON has also invited local pastors, rabbis and mullahs in attempt to develop good interfaith relationships.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/TCmTfl

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The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine
KK Bindu #357: Topics include, “A Wheel for Krishna” a picture poem by Keshava Kashmiri, and more …
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19322

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