Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

I was able to attend the Govardhana Puja celebration at New Govardhana. Giri Govardhana from the altar was taken on a bullock cart and chanting His glories everyone followed Him down the hill to the lake area. Standing on top … Continue reading →

Appearing as the son of a king, Narottama Dasa Thakura showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusa.  In school, he was a sruti dhara, able to memorise whatever he heard. Although he quickly mastered Sanskrit and the Vedas, he … Continue reading →

There are three altars at the Kanpur temple. The deities are, Sri Radha Madhava, Lalita, Visakha, Sri Sita Rama, Laksman, Hanuman and Sri Gaura Nitai. During our meeting, the anniversary of the deity installation was observed by abisekha of the … Continue reading →

The GBC has a meeting midyear and for the last 10 years it has been at one of temples in India. Devotees come from all of the world to participate in either the general meeting or subcommittee meetings. Our hosts, … Continue reading →

I had the opportunity to attend a GBC meeting at our Kanpur temple. ISKCON Kanpur’s Sri Sri Radha Madhava temple is located in Mainavati Marg, 4 km away from Kanpur. It is constructed on a fifteen acre plot on Bithoor … Continue reading →

As usual, it was standing room only at the Tuesday Govindas Asrama kirtan program. Sri Prahlada was in town and led kirtan for the first half and I took over for the second half. Everyone was clapping, chanting and some … Continue reading →

It’s been a few months since I visited Sydney temple and this time I was able give the Sunday feast class and lead the 12.30pm arati. The Sydney Management changed the timing of the program from late afternoon to midday … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada first set foot in the West more than fifty years ago, after a 35 day journey from Calcutta. The steamship, Jaladuta, arrived at Boston’s Commonwealth Pier at 5:30 am on September 17, 1965. He reached Boston’s Commonwealth Pier … Continue reading →

Thakura Haridasa was present during most of the Lord’s pastimes in Nadia, and when the Lord went to Jagannatha Puri, Haridasa also went and took up residence there. Everyday, after attending Lord Jagannath’s mangal arati, Lord Caitanya would come to … Continue reading →

Toowoomba is a small city west of Brisbane, Australia. Every year the town celebrates the spring flower festival with a carnival and parade. For the last 5 or 6 years the Bhakti Centre on the Gold Coast has entered Lord … Continue reading →

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: devi krishna-mayi prokta radhika para-devata  sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva kantih sammohini para “The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the … Continue reading →

The Seattle Rathayatra parade was on the second day of the festival. Lord Jagannatha, Balarama, Subhadra Devi rode majestically on Their cart, which was brought up by devotees from Los Angeles. I was privileged to start the kirtan and was … Continue reading →

I was able to attend the Rathayatra festival in Seattle, which went over two days. Tents, stalls and stages were set up in a park in the suburb of Bellevue and many people from devotees to casual visitors participated. On … Continue reading →

ISKCON Seattle recently purchased an acreage about an hour’s drive from the temple. This facility is mainly for our beautiful cows and bullocks and also for a Krsna Conscious retreat centre. The devotees named it New Goloka after the Lord’s … Continue reading →

Srila Prabhupada is the Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. As such, he will always hold the most prominent position in ISKCON, for grand disciples and especially for his direct disciples. I was privileged to attend his … Continue reading →

Although it was a rainy night at New Govardhana and a Monday, there were still many devotees who attended Sri Krsna Janmastami. The deities were gorgeously dressed and little Radha Krsna came out to be swung on Their swing. There … Continue reading →

Krsna Janmastami is the most important day in the vaisnava calendar. Every year devotees from all over the world come together at temples and centres to celebrate the anniversary of Lord Krsna’s appearance. This year I was fortunate to attend … Continue reading →

Adi Kesava, Syamarupa and their daughters live in Cairns and have regularly programs at their house, as well as other devotee’s houses.  They daily worship their deities, Sri Radha Syamasundara, Sita Rama Laksman, Hanuman and Gaura Nitai. I visit every … Continue reading →

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form.  Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and … Continue reading →

Of all the festivals in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna’s favourite is the Jhulan Yatra. During this season, Srimati Radharani and Krishna meet in the sylvan woods of Vrindavan, where the sakhis have prepared a gorgeous flower-bedecked jhula hanging from the high … Continue reading →

The kirtan programs at the Bhakti tree in Newcastle are going nicely.  Things kick off at 6.00pm and the crowd builds up right through till just after 7.00pm when prasadam is served. I always enjoy leading these kirtans because of … Continue reading →

Vamsidas Babaji was a Gaudiya Vaishnava sadhu who lived at Swarupa Gunj, Nabadwip during the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He was respected by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and he used to see to it that Vamsidas Babaji was provided with … Continue reading →

Raghunandan Thakur was born in Sri Khanda, West Bengal, but he was a Vrajavasi in his previous life. In fact, he was the incarnation of one of Sri Krishna’s sakhas. His father, Mukunda Das, was the incarnation of Vrnda Devi, the … Continue reading →

Lokanatha Goswami was the eldest of the Goswamis living in Vraja-bhumi. He shunned name and fame so much that he asked Krishna Dasa Kaviraja to keep his name out of Caitanya-Caritamrita. “Anyone who reads the Srimad Bhagavatam,” said Lokanatha Goswami, … Continue reading →

Gopala Bhatta Goswami (the son of Vyenkata Bhatta, a Sri Vaisnava brahmana) appeared in Sri Rangam, South India. Lord Caitanya once stayed for four months in his home and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. A boy at this time, … Continue reading →

The Bali Rathayatra was celebrated by at least 4,000 devotees who came from all over Indonesia to participate.  The parade itself was on the second day and everyone assembled in front of one of three chariots –  Lord Jagannatha, Lord … Continue reading →

The Rathayatra Festival in Denpasar was held over two days at one of the city’s main parks in the centre of town. The park was also full with people picnicking and exercising etc. The devotees organised everything wonderfully and on … Continue reading →

The ISKCON Indonesia National Council had it’s annual general meeting (AGM) in July just before the Rathayatra parade in Denpasar. This took place over a couple of days and representatives from Java, Sumatra, Lombok, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Iranian Jaya … Continue reading →

It was nice to be in Bali again. As usual, I visited the temples, gave class, led kirtan and met with the devotees. The last time I was at Jagannatha Gauranga temple, the leaders told me that the Lord Nrsimha … Continue reading →

It was in Srivasa Pandita’s house that Sri Caitanya enacted His pastimes of sankirtana. Those four brothers (Srivasa, Sri Rama, Sripati and Srinidhi) were continuously engaged in singing the names of Sri Krsna. They worshipped Sri Krsna and bathed in … Continue reading →

Sri Vakresvara Pandit was present with Sriman Mahaprabhu during His pastimes in Navadwipa and after his acceptance of Sannyasa he also accompanied Him to Jagannath Puri. During the time of the Lord’s residence in Puri he continued to live with … Continue reading →

On the full-moon day, sixteen days before Rathayatra, Lord Jagannatha is bathed. He becomes sick and is confined to rest for fourteen days. He is then offered special care until He comes out for Rathayatra. A special bath of Jagannatha takes place … Continue reading →

Bhimasena said to Srila Vyasadeva, “Only when I eat to my full satisfaction does the fire in my stomach become satisfied. Oh great sage, I might possibly be able to fast only once, so I beg that you tell me … Continue reading →

Disciples of Vedavyasapriya Maharaja organised a boat cruise for the devotees. I was also invited and more the 170 devotees booked on the boat named “The Lady” which left from Southport Marina on the Gold Coast. The cruise, which lasted … Continue reading →

Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana appeared in the 1600’s near Remuna, Orissa. In his youth, he mastered Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and logic. After carefully studying the commentaries of Sankara and Madhva he took initiation in the Tattva-vadi disciplic succession of Sripad Madhvacarya. … Continue reading →

On the last day of Purusottama month, many devotees in Adelaide assembled at the temple to worship and offer candles to the Lord. A deity of Lord Purusottama was placed on the altar and devotees came forward to worship Him, … Continue reading →

On a recent visit to New Gokula farm the devotees told me that the area was experiencing the worst drought in the last one hundred years. There had been some light rain but not enough to change the situation much. … Continue reading →

Shyamananda Krsna and family have been living in Newcastle for the last couple of years. Previously they were in Adelaide but moved when he got a new job as a lecturer at Newcastle University. The family started off in a … Continue reading →

The ancient Vedic calendar is calculated by the movement of the moon. Lunar months are shorter than solar months so every three years a month is added called Purushottama month.  Once, long ago, Sri Narada Muni reached Badrika Ashram, the … Continue reading →

The meeting of ISKCON Australia leaders takes place every year at one our temples or rural communities. This time it was held at ISKCON Mahaprabhu Mandira in Melbourne and went for three days. As usual, there was robust discussion about … Continue reading →