Author Archives: Thomas Haribol

Sandamini Devi Dasi, President of the Tucson Iskcon temple during the Sunday Feast. Courtesy Prerana Sannappanavar, Arizona Daily Star ISKCON Tucson was recently featured in the Arizona Daily Star which has a large online readership and over 230,000 pr…

Since the launch of our food truck at UCLA, Krishna Lunch So Cal is thrilled to announce that its sales have increased threefold in just six months. This remarkable growth is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, as well as the enthu…

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) is pleased to announce a series of courses for the upcoming year that will allow devotees worldwide to deepen their study of Bhakti texts. These courses offer an opportunity for dedicated sadhakas to …

Mohanvilas Das (right) among ISKCON leaders working with global leaders to achieve a nature-positive world. Govardhan EcoVillage (GEV) has been featured in a Faiths for Biodiversity report released at the 16th annual Conference of the Parties (COP16) m…

On October 13th, devotees at ISKCON Devasadan Mandir in Detroit, Michigan, celebrated the annual Dussehra festival. This event commemorates the victory of good over evil. Dussehra is the day when the evil King Ravana, who was well-known for causing atr…

Bhakti Kids, an initiative by ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (CDM), has announced the Bhishma Panchaka Challenge from November 11th to 15th. Led by Gourangi Gandharvika Devi Dasi, this event aims to engage children, youth, and families in a…

Gandharvika Prema Dasi, a member of the ECRL, speaking at the conference. The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2024, held from September 20th to October 11th in Warsaw, Poland, focused on critical human rights and fundamental freedoms across the Organ…

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kazan, Russia with over 20 other world leaders for the upcoming BRICS Summit. ISKCON devotees welcomed him with kirtan and Sadhu Priya Das gifted him with books on Krishna art and a doll made by one of th…

Guru Prasad Swami on main stage with minister, AIIMS Director, and university officials. Ethiccraft Club, a Social & Youth Wing of ISKCON, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from the Government of India, organized …

In a recent initiative that merged health care with spiritual support, Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Devotee Care Office hosted a groundbreaking Cancer Workshop. The event, which Mahimarnava Dasa orchestrated in collaboration with One Vision NPO and Macm…

Nectar Talks, a podcast hosted by devotees at ISKCON Alachua, has launched its second season following the success of its first. The podcast is dedicated to capturing and sharing the essence of devotees’ spiritual journeys.  In a recent conversat…

As part of the 2024 Bhadra Purnima campaign, the Badrinath/Haridwar Yatra distributed more than 150 Srimad Bhagavatam sets over a five-day period. It was yet another wonderful opportunity to reconnect, rejuvenate, and recommit to exploring one of the m…

Devotees successfully sharing in Hong Kong. The Damodara Outreach Program (DOP), initiated by the Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) in 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, aims to spread the teachings and love of Lord Damodara during the sacred Kart…

Sundar Caitanya Goswami offering flowers to Srila Prabhupada’s murti.  Mauritius recently commemorated the 49th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s historic arrival in the country in 1975 with a week of celebrations that honored his legacy as well …

The Better India platform shares positive stories happening across India “uncovering the tales of everyday unsung heroes, community change-makers, groundbreaking innovations, and remarkable ideas often overlooked by mainstream media.” One o…

Often when I offer a lamp in this spiritually-charged season of Kartik, I am reminded of a time years ago when I was seated next to a woman on a plane who was visibly distressed and quietly weeping. I said to her, “You seem really upset. Is there…

On October 11, 2024, a magnificent Gaur-Nitai Shobha Yatra was organized in Karnal, Haryana. This grand procession saw the participation of thousands of people, all coming together to celebrate and express their devotion to Sri Sri Gaur-Nitai. The deit…

A Message from Ambarisa Das and Braja Vilasa Das Dear Worldwide ISKCON Devotees and Congregation, Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. We would like to wish you a happy Kartik month full of divine service to Lord Damodar, and …

An online workshop called Small Is Powerful, led by Mahatma Das, will be held in two groups on November 22-23, 2024, and November 30-December 1, 2024. This workshop, offered in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Rus…

Visakha Devi Dasi with Nimai Dasi and Braja Vadhu Dasi at the Women’s Faith Forum. On October 15th, 2024, Visakha Devi Dasi, Temple President of ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor, was invited to speak at the latest event by the UK Women’s Faith Forum(WF…

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will distribute $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the second tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harr…

On October 10, 2024, Kalakantha Das, the GBC Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture, delivered an impactful presentation at the Virtual C20 Conference, a side event focusing on food systems, hunger, and poverty. He emphasized that integrating spiri…

At the temple, finally back home! It had been more than 30 years since the alumni of the Italian Gurukula had met together in Villa Vrindavana. By our great fortune, thirty years later, the mysterious plans orchestrated by Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha…

University student learning how to offer a lamp WuSA House in South Africa. As the month of Kartika approaches, devotees of Krishna around the world are gearing up for one of the most spiritually potent times in the Vaishnava calendar. Taking place dur…

On a freezing September 21st, 2024, the ISKCON Lenasia Rathayatra Festival reached a highly significant and noteworthy achievement that marks a pivotal moment in its journey—its 25th anniversary. What began as a small community event has grown into a l…

On September 28, 2004, Devotees gathered in NYC to celebrate the grand opening of the “Bhakti Loft” on the second floor of their iconic Brooklyn building.  “Over the past year, we have been busy renovating our balcony space on the sec…

ISKCON Community Life, a division of the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, recognized the outstanding contributions to devotee care of three very special individuals by giving them the following awards: Trailblazer in Community Wellness Award…

The Hindu Mandirs Empowerment Council (formerly known as the Hindu Mandirs Executive Conference) held its annual gathering of North American Hindu Leaders representing all the various Hindu Mandirs and Organizations across the region. ISKCON leaders we…

ISKCON Sacramento recently held a Devotee Care Course from September 13th to 15th, 2024, facilitated by Radha Gopinath Das and Damodar Das. The event, which was attended by 15 participants, was designed to deepen their understanding of the role of devo…

Sanga, service, and spiritual adventure awaited devotee youth in the sunny environment of San Diego. The inaugural West Coast summer retreat for The Sanga Initiative (TSI) saw 45 attendees from 24 cities across seven states join together at ISKCON San …

Youth and leaders gathered at the successful event. The ISKCON Youth Forum (IYF) Gaya, hosted its grand annual Youth Festival, “VIPLAVA – Glories of Vedic India,” on September 15, 2024, at Gaya, Bihar. Over 1,000 enthusiastic young devotee …

ISKCON Patna released the following statement to the media, “A video of some altercation at ISKCON Patna surfaced yesterday night. It is unfortunate and painful that some differences between different members of the community escalated into somet…

Popular Bhagavad-gita class. ISKCON’s Congregation Development Ministry is continually working to help temples and devotee communities grow and flourish by providing various preaching programs, such as Bhakti Vriksha, programs for children, and m…