Author Archives: Vijay Teli

Janmastami Sponsorship Opportunities
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

Sri Krishna Janmastami, one of the biggest festivals of the year is just around the corner! Lord Krishna’s Birthday will be celebrated in a grand fashion on Wednesday, August 28th from 6pm to midnight, stay tuned for more details about the festival program. We’re always committed to make our festivals better each year. In order for this to happen we need support from the community. There are many sponsorship opportunities available for this year, please see below for details or contact Satyabhama devi dasi for more information. We hope to see you soon! 

Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra)
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

The past four decades have witnessed the Festival of India blossom into one of Toronto’s most dazzling, head-turning summer events. And last year the chariots and festivities rolled into the city for the 40th time. This year again be sure to mark your calendars and come visit the 41st Annual Festival of India (also known as Ratha-Yatra) from July 13th – 14th, 2013 for an unforgettable experience.

PARADE:
Toronto’s 41st Annual Festival of India will launch with a spectacular parade on July 13th at 11:00am that will cruise down Yonge Street, beginning at Yonge & Bloor, and make its way down to the lake. During the parade, three ornate, 40-foot tall floats will be hand-pulled by participants amidst ecstatic singing, drumming, and dancing creating a wondrous, carnival-like atmosphere.

Parade participants and spectators are encouraged to join in the excitement by singing and chanting along to the world-famous Hare Krishna mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare;
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare 

For 40 years, this annual parade has brought the splendour and tradition of India’s spiritual roots to Yonge Street, generating a vibe like no other summer event in the Greater Toronto Area.

Parade Information:
Time: Saturday July 13th 2013 – 11:00 am to 2:00pm
Location: Starts at North of Yonge & Bloor – in front of the Toronto Reference Library.
And continues south on Yonge St making all the way to Lakeshore Blvd

Centre Island:
After the parade on Yonge, Festival of India celebrations will continue for the remainder of the
weekend at Centre Island. Stay tuned for more information! Festival attendees will be treated to a sumptuous and FREE vegetarian feast along with a host of other family-friendly activities, including:

  • a massive, outdoor tented pavilion
  • acclaimed music, dance, & drama performances – Arts & Culture
  • a bustling South Asian Bazaar 
  • intriguing exhibits and seminars on ancient spiritual culture and heritage – Seminars
  • traditional face-painting
  • an outdoor yoga festival – Yoga Meltdown
  • a fun-filled and educational children’s area including yoga for children

The festival is open to and free for the all. With its diverse assortment of celebrations and activities, the 41st Annual Festival of India at Centre Island is sure to offer something for everyone! Visit www.festivalofindia.ca for more information!

Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra)
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

The past four decades have witnessed the Festival of India blossom into one of Toronto’s most dazzling, head-turning summer events. And last year the chariots and festivities rolled into the city for the 40th time. This year again be sure to mark your calendars and come visit the 41st Annual Festival of India (also known as Ratha-Yatra) from July 13th – 14th, 2013 for an unforgettable experience.

PARADE:
Toronto’s 41st Annual Festival of India will launch with a spectacular parade on July 13th at 11:00am that will cruise down Yonge Street, beginning at Yonge & Bloor, and make its way down to the lake. During the parade, three ornate, 40-foot tall floats will be hand-pulled by participants amidst ecstatic singing, drumming, and dancing creating a wondrous, carnival-like atmosphere.

Parade participants and spectators are encouraged to join in the excitement by singing and chanting along to the world-famous Hare Krishna mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare;
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare 

For 40 years, this annual parade has brought the splendour and tradition of India’s spiritual roots to Yonge Street, generating a vibe like no other summer event in the Greater Toronto Area.

Parade Information:
Time: Saturday July 13th 2013 – 11:00 am to 2:00pm
Location: Starts at North of Yonge & Bloor – in front of the Toronto Reference Library.
And continues south on Yonge St making all the way to Lakeshore Blvd

Centre Island:
After the parade on Yonge, Festival of India celebrations will continue for the remainder of the
weekend at Centre Island. Stay tuned for more information! Festival attendees will be treated to a sumptuous and FREE vegetarian feast along with a host of other family-friendly activities, including:

  • a massive, outdoor tented pavilion
  • acclaimed music, dance, & drama performances – Arts & Culture
  • a bustling South Asian Bazaar 
  • intriguing exhibits and seminars on ancient spiritual culture and heritage – Seminars
  • traditional face-painting
  • an outdoor yoga festival – Yoga Meltdown
  • a fun-filled and educational children’s area including yoga for children

The festival is open to and free for the all. With its diverse assortment of celebrations and activities, the 41st Annual Festival of India at Centre Island is sure to offer something for everyone! Visit www.festivalofindia.ca for more information!

Festival of India at Yonge-Dundas Square
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

Can’t wait for Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) on July 13-14th? No problem! Come and join us for the Festival of India launch party on Yonge-Dundas Square. The pre-festival is held on July 6th 2013, one week before the Festival of India itself.

A can’t-miss event in its own right, the Yonge-Dundas Square Festival of India Launch Party features a cavalcade of activities, attractions and performances, including a South Asian bazaar, traditional delicacies and foodstuffs, henna tattoos, face-painting, dress-in-a-sari booths, and more! Don’t forget to stop by our live art exhibit and vegetarian cooking demonstrations happening throughout the day. Yoga enthusiasts will be intrigued to discover that the event also features outdoor yoga classes given by Toronto’s prominent studios. Last year was a huge success with three packed classes, attended by regular yogis and people passing by!

Be sure to hang around towards the evening to participate in the climax of the day’s celebrations- kirtan with Madhava and many more renowned kirtaneers! Beginnning at 6 pm, the kirtan promises to transform the heart of downtown Toronto into a sublime experience! The ancient mantras (kirtan) from east will reverberate and grace the grit and steel of our downtown metropolis. With renowned singers from around the world, it can only be described as a ‘kirtan explosion’ that will certainly shake Toronto!

Everyone’s invited to come taste and participate in the mystic exoticism of the 41th Annual Festival of India at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Festival of India at Yonge-Dundas Square
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

Can’t wait for Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) on July 13-14th? No problem! Come and join us for the Festival of India launch party on Yonge-Dundas Square. The pre-festival is held on July 6th 2013, one week before the Festival of India itself.

A can’t-miss event in its own right, the Yonge-Dundas Square Festival of India Launch Party features a cavalcade of activities, attractions and performances, including a South Asian bazaar, traditional delicacies and foodstuffs, henna tattoos, face-painting, dress-in-a-sari booths, and more! Don’t forget to stop by our live art exhibit and vegetarian cooking demonstrations happening throughout the day. Yoga enthusiasts will be intrigued to discover that the event also features outdoor yoga classes given by Toronto’s prominent studios. Last year was a huge success with three packed classes, attended by regular yogis and people passing by!

Be sure to hang around towards the evening to participate in the climax of the day’s celebrations- kirtan with Madhava and many more renowned kirtaneers! Beginnning at 6 pm, the kirtan promises to transform the heart of downtown Toronto into a sublime experience! The ancient mantras (kirtan) from east will reverberate and grace the grit and steel of our downtown metropolis. With renowned singers from around the world, it can only be described as a ‘kirtan explosion’ that will certainly shake Toronto!

Everyone’s invited to come taste and participate in the mystic exoticism of the 41th Annual Festival of India at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Volunteer Opportunities at The 41st Annual Festival of India July 13-14, 2012
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!


With summer in full swing, the excitement surrounding the 41st Annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) is growing as each day passes!

The Festival of India has always relied on the power of volunteer efforts to make it the amazing success that it is today. Volunteering also means meeting incredible, new people while helping to make one of Toronto’s most astonishing summer events a reality. 

Whether posting flyers and posters across the city or helping on the days of the festival itself, the heart and soul of the Festival of India are the volunteers who make it happen! (Please note that the pre-festival event at Yonge & Dundas Square is on the Saturday, July 6th 2013 instead of Wednesday, July 10th 2013 as indicated in the volunteer sign-up form earlier. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please email volunteers@festivalofindia.ca) 

If you are interested in signing up as an official volunteer for the 40th Annual Festival of India, please visit http://www.festivalofindia.ca/ to sign up and one of our friendly Volunteer Coordinators will be in touch with you. 

For all general questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact: 
Volunteer Coordination Team
Festival of India (Toronto)
1-888-535-3378 ex: 52
volunteers@festivalofindia.ca

Volunteer Opportunities at The 41st Annual Festival of India July 13-14, 2012
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!


With summer in full swing, the excitement surrounding the 41st Annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) is growing as each day passes!

The Festival of India has always relied on the power of volunteer efforts to make it the amazing success that it is today. Volunteering also means meeting incredible, new people while helping to make one of Toronto’s most astonishing summer events a reality. 

Whether posting flyers and posters across the city or helping on the days of the festival itself, the heart and soul of the Festival of India are the volunteers who make it happen! (Please note that the pre-festival event at Yonge & Dundas Square is on the Saturday, July 6th 2013 instead of Wednesday, July 10th 2013 as indicated in the volunteer sign-up form earlier. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please email volunteers@festivalofindia.ca) 

If you are interested in signing up as an official volunteer for the 40th Annual Festival of India, please visit http://www.festivalofindia.ca/ to sign up and one of our friendly Volunteer Coordinators will be in touch with you. 

For all general questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact: 
Volunteer Coordination Team
Festival of India (Toronto)
1-888-535-3378 ex: 52
volunteers@festivalofindia.ca

The Lila Continues….
→ Arcanam: Worship of the Deity...

On the day of Diwali, my Damodar continued to enact his lila by allowing Mother Yashoda to bind him. This pastime is described by Srila Prabhupada as follows:

Mother Yaśodā chased Him to all corners, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never approached even by the meditations of great yogīs. In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is never caught by the yogīs and speculators, was playing just like a little child for such a great devotee as Mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā, however, could not easily catch the fast-running child because of her thin waist and heavy body. Still she tried to follow Him as fast as possible. Her hair loosened, and the flowers in her hair fell to the ground. Although she was tired, she somehow reached her naughty child and captured Him. When He was caught, Kṛṣṇa was almost on the point of crying. He smeared His hands over His eyes, which were anointed with black eye cosmetics. The child saw His mother’s face while she stood over Him, and His eyes became restless from fear.

Mother Yaśodā could understand that Kṛṣṇa was unnecessarily afraid, and for His benefit she wanted to allay His fears. Being the topmost well-wisher of her child, Mother Yaśodā thought, “If the child is too fearful of me, I don’t know what will happen to Him.” Mother Yaśodā then threw away her stick. In order to punish Him, she thought to bind His hands with some ropes. She did not know it, but it was actually impossible for her to bind the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mother Yaśodā was thinking that Kṛṣṇa was her tiny child; she did not know that the child had no limitation. There is no inside or outside of Him, nor beginning or end. He is unlimited and all-pervading. Indeed, He is Himself the whole cosmic manifestation. Still, Mother Yaśodā was thinking of Kṛṣṇa as her child. Although He is beyond the reach of all senses, she endeavored to bind Him to a wooden grinding mortar. But when she tried to bind Him, she found that the rope she was using was too short—by two inches. She gathered more ropes from the house and added to it, but still she found the same shortage. In this way, she connected all the ropes available at home, but when the final knot was added, she saw that the rope was still two inches too short. Mother Yaśodā was smiling, but she was astonished. How was it happening?
In attempting to bind her son, she became tired. She was perspiring, and the garland on her head fell down. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa appreciated the hard labor of His mother, and being compassionate upon her, He agreed to be bound up by the ropes. Kṛṣṇa, playing as a human child in the house of Mother Yaśodā, was performing His own selected pastimes. Of course, no one can control the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The pure devotee surrenders himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, who may either protect or vanquish the devotee. But for his part, the devotee never forgets his own position of surrender. Similarly, the Lord also feels transcendental pleasure by submitting Himself to the protection of the devotee. This was exemplified by Kṛṣṇa’s surrender unto His mother, Yaśodā.
Kṛṣṇa is the supreme bestower of all kinds of liberation to His devotees, but the benediction which was bestowed upon Mother Yaśodā was never experienced even by Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva or the goddess of fortune.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the son of Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, is never so completely known to the yogīs and speculators. But He is easily available to His devotees. Nor is He appreciated as the supreme reservoir of all pleasure by the yogīs and speculators.
 Krsna Book Chapter 9: Mother Yashoda Binds Lord Krsna