Author Archives: H.H. Ramai Swami

Sri Sri Radha Rasesvara temple was opened 19 years ago just outside Denpasar, Bali. Since then the community of devotees has grown extensively with many purchasing houses in the area. Atmanivedana Swami, Bhakti Jivan Maharaja and I were invited for … Continue reading →

There are between 25 to 30 Rathayatra parades held every year in Indonesia, even though it is a predominantly Muslim country. This is because devotees work with local committees in different areas and enter as a cultural participant. Bali is … Continue reading →

Klungkung is the smallest regency in Bali, Indonesia. It has a population of approximately 200,000 people. Some years ago, the devotees purchased some land that was formerly a rice field. Now, we have a beautiful temple and asrama where Their Lordships, … Continue reading →

Indonesia has so far around twenty temples, some big and others smaller in size. In Bali there are six main temples and one is the Jagannatha Gauranga temple, which has a very sweet atmosphere. I visit regularly and it’s always … Continue reading →

Most temples around the world encourage devotees to hold programs in their homes as well as attend temple functions. These can be informal gatherings or more structured like Bhakti Vrksa programs. I attend many of these in my travels and … Continue reading →

I was invited to a new restaurant in Perth run by two of our congregation members, Ravi and Vivek. Formerly it was an Italian restaurant but now it is a prasadam restaurant. When I went I was served various preparations … Continue reading →

I was staying at our Adelaide temple for the last few days of the auspicious Kartika month. Many were coming morning and night to sing Damodarastakam prayers and offer lamps to the deities. Some devotees were following the extra vows … Continue reading →

Srinivasa Acharya is one of the most important personalities in the religious history of Bengal, perhaps the most important Vaishnava teacher in the generation immediately following Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is chiefly remembered as the illustrious disciple of Gopala Bhatta … Continue reading →

On November 14, 1977, at 7:30 P.M., in his room at the Krishna-Balaram Mandir in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada gave his final instruction by leaving this mortal world and going back to Godhead. His departure was exemplary, because his whole life … Continue reading →

The Southport Centre on the Gold Coast celebrated Govardhana puja a couple of days later on the Saturday. Devotees made preparations to put on the replica Govardhana hill commemorating the pastime of Lord Krsna’s instruction to the inhabitants of Vrndavan. … Continue reading →

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus all over the world, generally over a five day period. Depending on where in India, Kali puja is the main day, or Laksmi puja etc. Srila Prabhupada said that we as vaisnavas celebrate the festival … Continue reading →

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 →