TOVP Terraces, Balusters and Chatris
- TOVP.org

We like to show you a short video review of the current state of several outdoor areas of TOVP. These are the upper open terraces, which are located at the base of the Domes, Stone Balusters (railings) and spacious halls at the top of the Chatri Towers.

The terraces, located outside the domes, are extremely spacious with approximately 7500 sq. ft. of area for walking and viewing the beautiful Mayapur landscape. The pure sandstone balusters.

 

 

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So our business is simply to love Krishna
→ Dandavats

“Outside devotees, the devotees who are outside Vṛndāvana, they are studying the inhabitants of the Vṛndāvana, how great they are. But the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they don’t care to know how great is Krishna. That is the difference. So our business is simply to love Krishna. The more you love Krishna, the more you become
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The Vulture is cursing the cow
→ Dandavats

Prabhupada and the “God Is Dead” Controversy By Satyaraja Dasa Although Friedrich Nietzsche (1844– 1900) was not the first philosopher to proclaim that “God is dead” – indeed, his predecessor Hegel had used the same phrase almost twenty years earlier – it was Nietzsche who brought the idea into public consciousness. In Die frohliche Wissenschaft
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Memorial Service Held for Devotee Victims of Missile Attack
→ ISKCON News

Madana Gopal das (left) and Krishna Tattva das, who both perished when the Food for Life kitchen building collapsed, were close friends On July 22nd, a Memorial Service for Krishna Tattva das and Madana Gopal das took place. The devotees died as a result of a missile attack in Alchevsk, Donbass region. According to a […]

The post Memorial Service Held for Devotee Victims of Missile Attack appeared first on ISKCON News.

A Blissful Visit
Giriraj Swami

Yesterday my dear godbrother HH Siddhartha Swami Maharaja came to visit me in Carpinteria. He was the head pujari in Juhu for many years when I was the temple president, and we shared many fond remembrances of our time together in service to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari.

Now Maharaja is developing a huge temple complex in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. The project is 70 percent complete, and he hopes to open it next year.

Maharaja has become a learned scholar who knows many verses, mantras, and shastras. I was impressed with how, by Srila Prabhupada’s grace, he has developed in devotional service. We had a blissful time together, and I felt that mood for quite some time after he left. It was kind of him to come and visit me on his last day in LA, before flying to onward destinations.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Lord Balaram is the source of spiritual strength
→ Dandavats

The Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, situated in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan, holds a special significance for devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This grand temple represents the fulfilled dream of Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of ISKCON, who wished to construct a temple of unparalleled beauty for the worship of the
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Sunday, July 24, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Calgary, Alberta

Landing for the Lord

At security in the Saskatoon airport, just behind me, was a tall man of medium-large frame and his son in the line up. I admit I immediately judged him (the father) as a prejudiced cowboy. However, when I sat down at Gate 5, the destination for Calgary, I found the two of them, sitting across the seating aisle, to be quite kind and curious.

“What does your attire represent, if you don’t mind me asking?” inquired Mr. Cooper (not related to yesterday’s Chief of Police, Officer Cooper). That question led on to a refreshing conversation which went rather deep. Mr. Cooper, with the first name of Michael, and his son hale from Terrace, B.C., and run a farm with green-housing. They were thoughtfully interested in the book “The Saffron Path.” A sale was made along with a friendship.

“I’m in Calgary for a Chariot Fest; a re-enactment of a family and friend reunion from the time of Krishna, 5000 years ago. It involves celebratory activities,” so I explained.

I’ve landed in Calgary with a little breathing space. In-between I ended up downtown for a rather happy but crowded group of bhakti yogis, all in cheer of the Lord of the Universe, Krishna. Actually, I was quite amazed by the turnout. It is a post-pandemic burst of social interactive-ness. As usual, with such an event, there are glitches but overall it was a great success.

May the Source be with you!

3 km


 

Saturday, July 23, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Sweet Saskatoon

Two and a half hours north (by car and not on foot) is the city of Saskatoon. I made it in time for the Chariot Fest managed by a gracious couple, Vivek and Amee. They receive a lot of help from their friends. Two lovely young daughters got to the stage for a “Bharat Natyam” classical dance performance.

Ryan flew in from Toronto to play djembe to my lead on chanting. Our methodology was to get safely seated in the back of the “sound” truck and sing and play from there. Radhika from Milton was on the hand cymbals (kartals). This worked well. We were stationed with the vehicle in slow movement in front of all the chanters of which were several hundred. This provided good interaction. And from my view, if I saw one of the pedestrian chanters step over the middle yellow line on the street I used my mic to indicate, “Stay on this (safe) side of the line.” It wasn’t often but I felt I was assisting the police escorts.

Speaking of police, you will not find a cooler “Chief of Police” in Canada. Chief Officer Troy Cooper danced with us at the park site along the North Saskatchewan River. In fact, I think the “icing on the cake” to this 7th Annual Ratha-Yatra was the kirtan session at the end. People got involved with the “Swami Step” and other movements, to the rhythmic beat of the drum and after the light but tasty and well-liked, grain-free meal. Good work done! The Lord of the Universe must be pleased.

May the source be with you!

3km

Ps. I managed to grab and eat some wild saskatoon berries at the end of the day.



 

Friday, July 22, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Regina, Saskatchewan

Now After Three Years

White City, with a population of approximately 4,000 people, and growing, is an upper middle-class type of town. Many trees have been planted here and the urban green trails are plentiful. Poplar trees are indigenous to the area, as were prairie grasses and tiger lilies until European farmers cleared these areas. There are spots where you can sit, wait ’til the deer come, and enjoy some shanti (peace) as if you are plopped in the middle of tranquil Vrndavana.

It was in Regina at Retallack Street that I met members of the Krishna community as well as Sandy and Evening Star who are part of the Wellness and Healing community in the city. Evening Star is a First Nations person and has been active in native affairs. Recently she attended the local Chariot Fest.

I was impressed with some of the new people coming around and assisting at the temple. You have these younger men and women, newer immigrants with PR status, that have been most helpful in support of our aging couple who have been running the show here for years. Jagannatha, the temple president, is turning 90 soon. Cintamani, has suffered from an auto accident. Their daughter Kavita works in the nursing field and has now become quite increasingly active in temple affairs. The family has worked hard to establish bhakti in the city of Regina and region. I am inspired by them.

May the Source be with you!

3 km


 

 

Thursday, July 21, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

White City, Saskatchewan

Neat Exchanges

I was sitting next to Gil on the Air Canada flight to Regina. He explained that he and his buddies from Hamilton are off to a Metis fest to play their music. “It’s rock, Creedence Clearwater Revival music. We go all around.” Gil pointed to his t-shirt with a logo which reads, “Mystic River,” the name of their band.

Gil was just a great dude to talk to although the chat was brief, only after we landed. The flight was tough – poor movement of air as we were in the back corner and with masks on the whole time. Just meeting Gil made up for the physical discomfort.

A kind-hearted Ciranjiva, a Gujarati from birth, picked me up at the airport to bring me to the home of stalwart devotees, Jagannath, Cintamani, and Kavita, in a fast-growing town, White City. From here we drove to see a Sharma family. Together we watched the recent news coverage of the past Chariot Fest, Regina’s first. Good job done!

Once our visit was completed, we drove towards White City and I asked to be dropped off at a pharmacy to purchase new razors. I told them I would walk back to the house on my own. “You know, I have to get some walking in every day.” I made my purchase and a curious bunch of teens in the parking lot wanted to make the connection. So, they did. We exchanged fancy handshakes. I gave them new ones they hadn’t known. It blew them away. Then we did selfies. Then we chanted. One guy, Chase by name, asked if I have anything I can share, once all the frivolity amongst us was over.

“You have to balance life by giving some attention to your soul,” I said. He seemed to really appreciate that suggestion. I hope to see him in August when he comes to Toronto to watch the Blue Jays baseball game.

“Hey, the monk here is gonna treat me to a gourmet dinner in T.O.” he told his friends.

May the Source be with you!

3 km


 

Wednesday, July 20, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Ramsden Park, Toronto

The Rain Came

It works quite well for me when Gabriel takes the lead on his guitar. There were seven of us sitting on top of the mound in the park, poised to begin kirtan, when I asked him to strum away. Out of that spontaneously came a fresh new melody and then the receive-and-respond chanting process began. Oh, we had fun, and reverence at the same time. The name is non-different from the Lord.

An hour and a half lapsed and it was time to retire for the day. Rain was also about to descend. I stayed on at the mound when a younger guy, actually 42, came to sit next to me. He had questions. First of all, he had seen me around on foot in the area. A fan of the Blue Jays, he also works at Rogers Stadium and walks from there to his home.

“I had a bike. Someone stole it, so I started walking everywhere!”

His questions were going in the direction of depth, philosophically. This doesn’t happen everyday, that you meet someone like this, but he was indeed grasping the concept of matter and spirit differentiation. “Let’s put a little more energy into the soul.” We were both enjoying the back-and-forth conversation and agreed, “Let’s do more of this.”

I told him I was leaving for the Prairies early tomorrow morning. He even suggested “I’ll take you to my place. On the top of the condo building, you’ll see the real blue jays.” I extended the invitation. “That gorgeous building you referred to (243 Ave. Rd.) is my home, my temple, and it has a restaurant. Let’s get together and do a follow up with more talks.”

Then the rain came.

May the Source be with you!