Author Archives: Thomas Haribol

A piece of ISKCON’s history continues to be lovingly restored in New York City. The ongoing renovation of the original 26 2nd Avenue temple— known as Matchless Gifts — has already transformed this modest Bowery storefront into a living museum that recr…

Bhaktimarga Swami with a group of devotees near Amsterdam. When Bhaktimarga Swami set out on his 157-kilometer Walk of Devotion across the Netherlands this October, it was more than another of his celebrated treks — it was a journey home. At seventy-th…

Mr. Chandra Shekar Gosh offering the actual cheque to Vrajavilas Das, Mayapur Co-director, in the presence of Śrila Prabhupāda and Harilila Das, Hospital Director. In a significant milestone for the Sri Mayapur Community Hospital project, Mr. Chandrash…

ESSAYS brings together over three decades of unpublished research by the late Sadāpūta Dāsa (Dr. Richard L. Thompson)—a remarkable polymath whose intellect ranged across mathematics, physics, philosophy, cosmology, and the practice of bhakti-yoga. This…

A story that will fill you with hope and remind you of the true meaning of preaching! In this interview, we meet Caitanya Priya Devi Dasi and her husband, Govinda Damodara Das, who have dedicated their lives to a unique and special form of service. The…

Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav offers a Dāmodara lamp to Lord Krsna; Sharing prasādam at Govinda’s Restaurant with ISKCON Cape Town Temple President Gokuleśa Dāsa. In a heartwarming encounter of faith and diplomacy, the Honorable Union Ministe…

A wooden cross marks a grave at the Wounded Knee Memorial on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Courtesy of Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight. A recent article from America: The Jesuit Review describes an official church statement from Bishop Scott E. B…

ISKCON Cebu Food For Life responds to devastating earthquake with timely prasadam distribution. On the evening of September 30, 2025, at approximately 9:59 PM PHT, a magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Bogo City in Cebu Province, …

Alachua Learning Academy (ALA), founded by members of the ISKCON Alachua community, has recently earned national and state honors recognizing its academic achievement and service to the community. National and Statewide Recognition U.S. News & Worl…

A few years ago, the words “Bhadra Purnima” may not have meant anything to devotees at all. Now, after seven years of organized campaigns run by the BBT Marketing, Communications, and Innovations Team, those two words remind devotees of the Srimad Bhag…

A Nrsimhadev Pavitra being gifted to Pope Leo XIV. In Rome, a special event was held in the presence of Pope Leo XIV to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the landmark declaration of the Second Vatican Council that reshaped the Roman Ca…

Bhakti Kids, an initiative of ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, invites devotees worldwide to participate in the 2025 Bhisma Panchaka Challenge, a powerful five-day spiritual intensive that promises to multiply your devotional efforts one hun…

Anuttama Dasa (center) with Archbishop Felix Machado (center left) and other event leaders. On September 15-16, 2025, Georgetown University convened religious leaders and scholars for a major two-day conference commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of…

At a national ISKCON strategic planning meeting held in Melbourne on October 11–12, leaders set a goal to increase book distribution across Australia by 20 percent in 2025 compared to 2024. According to a recent Facebook post from ISKCON Brisbane, the …

Honesty and mercy (grace) are foundational to our spiritual growth. When we cultivate these qualities, they can propel us forward on our spiritual journey; when they (kindness and compassion) are absent, our progress can be blocked indefinitely. Yes, K…

Despite recent challenges that have arisen in Bangladesh (see statement below), the Bangladesh yatra continues to do what it can to help those in need, including Food for Life programs that distribute thousands of prasadam meals to needy people and stu…

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) in Vṛndāvana has announced new seva opportunities for devotees interested in contributing their professional and devotional skills. The institute seeks qualified candidates for various educational, ad…

Melbourne youth distributing transcendental literature. The first-ever Global Youth for Book Distribution Day (GYBDD) was held on July 26–27, 2025, marking a milestone for the newly formed Youth for Book Distribution (YBD) initiative. Participants from…

As the recent festival of Diwali illuminated homes around the world, S.B. Keshava Swami invites seekers everywhere to ignite a different kind of illumination: the light of inner wisdom. Find Your Jewels is the first online course under Keshava Swami’s …

Six Temples, One Heart, One Mission This year’s offering from Pune to the World Holy Name Festival 2025 stood as a living expression of Srila Prabhupada’s vision – that the Holy Name be heard in every town and village. The Pune Padayatra, organiz…

The TOVP Management is pleased to announce that the TOVP Grand Opening is now scheduled to open in coordination with the 50th disappearance anniversary of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada during a three-month-long celebration beginning on November 1, …

Devotees participating in the Vraj Mandal Parikrama led by Deena Bandhu Das. As the sacred month of Kartik unfolds, thousands of ISKCON devotees from across the globe are walking the holy dham in Navadvip, Vrindavan, and Jagannath Puri, participating i…

The beautiful Lenasia Ratha Yatra cart. This September, South Africa witnessed a vibrant display of devotion as three Ratha Yatra Festivals unfolded across the country, each unique in its setting, yet united by the common purpose of celebrating His Div…

The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, witnessed an extraordinary gathering of over 15,000 youth for UDGAAR 2025 – The Festival of Culture and Wellness, organized by ISKCON India Youth Council (North Wing). The event brought together young people…

A major new study from Oxford University has found that no amount of alcohol is truly safe for the brain. Using data from more than two million people across the UK and the US, researchers discovered that even light or moderate drinking can increase th…

Just to let you know up front, there is no real happiness in this world. The majority of us are struggling to achieve two things: to have a vantage point to procure wealth and pleasure, and to avoid pain and suffering. Unfortunately, this is an impossi…

ISKCON Baltimore’s enthusiastic cleanup crew. For the second year in a row, ISKCON congregations around the world joined millions of other volunteers in showing practical care for the Earth—picking up trash and unwanted items from a local forest,…

The ICC Book Distribution Committee successfully organized the Bharat Sankirtan Leaders Sanga on the 23rd and 24th of September 2025 at ISKCON NVCC, Pune. Around 150 devotees — temple sankirtan leaders, senior book distributors, and preachers — gathere…

Photo courtesy of Ahimsa Goshala. ISKCON centers across at least seven countries participated in the World Cow Day 2025 celebration on September 1st, highlighting the significant contribution of cows to the welfare of human civilization. As mentioned b…

The 12th Annual Bhaktivedanta Swami Lecture (BSL), hosted in partnership between the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Africa (BBTA) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), marked a milestone in ISKCON’s academic engagement in South Africa. This year’s even…