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The TOVP management Team has recently made an important decision to hire the assistance of a world-leading Project Management Consultancy (PMC) company, Cushman and Wakefield, to partner with them for the completion of the TOVP by the proposed 2022, Gaura Purnima time-frame.

This is a standard practice in the Construction industry for projects of this extraordinary size and complexity, and essential for the timely and budgeted work ahead now that the temple superstructure is finished. Cushman and Wakefield have been a household name in the Construction industry for over one hundred years with over 45,000 employees now operating in 40 offices and 70 countries around the world.

The role of a PMC is to take the lead management role in the design management, cost management and construction management of the project, acting as the extended arm and implementation team of the client for whom they are working in full cooperation to achieve their ultimate vision. A PMC offers the most efficient management solution for increasing and improving the overall efficiency and outcome of a project. This is accomplished by undertaking a planned series of synchronized and budgeted activities through well thought out planning and coordination, resulting in a highly organized, monitored and controlled strategy to produce a functionally and financially viable project that will be completed on time, within authorized cost and to the required quality standards.

After several months of rigorous research, interviews and evaluation, Ambarisa prabhu selected the best of the best, the company he felt would be the most qualified and experienced to handle the needs of the TOVP project and bring the optimal results. A company that would offer outstanding professional construction oversight, superlative financial management and timely completion of the project to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s dearmost vision of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

With the services of Cushman and Wakefield on board Ambarisa prabhu and the TOVP Team are now fully confident that our combined goal of offering Srila Prabhupada the completed TOVP will be achieved by 2022. That year will not only celebrate the Grand Opening of the temple, but the most auspicious fiftieth anniversary of the Mayapur project as well. It will be a time of great rejoicing throughout ISKCON as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s samkirtana movement reaches new heights of expansion and development that will have far-reaching effects into the future for generations to come. And the blessings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will undoubtedly be showered on one and all, as stated by Srila Prabhupada:

“If you all build this temple, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will personally come and take you all back to Godhead.”

Now is the time we need your help the most to join the TOVP MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP by 2022. The time is right, the place is right and the circumstance is right to offer your heartfelt support to establish the spiritual legacy of Sridhama Mayapur by helping to build the TOVP. If you have not yet made a pledge to support the TOVP or would like to make another, or if you can increase your pledge or your monthly pledge payments, please go to Seva Opportunities page now and do so. You and your family members for generations into the future will be the benefactors of such a seva:

“If the devotee offers something to the Lord, it acts for his own interest because whatever a devotee offers the Lord comes back in a quantity a million times greater than what was offered. One does not become a loser by giving to the Lord; one becomes a gainer by millions of times.”

Srila Prabhupada, Krsna Book, Ch. 81

Click on this link to signup for TOVP News and Updates: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/mayapur.tovp
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

Why the TOVP Needs the help of a Project Management Consultancy?

1. Project Scale and Completion Timelines: The existing scope of the Base Superstructure approximating 6 lakhs (600,000 sq ft) was executed over nine years with a single Contractor, Gammon, who were also the coordinators for other miscellaneous works executed onsite. The new phase of Interior Fit-out (Finishing) would entail involving more than 20 new contractors, and additionally the completion is targeted in less than half the above time, or 3-4 years. This would result in a shortage of specialized TOVP staff with the industry expertise since at present the supervisory staff conversant with the latest construction techniques is not available. Hence, the PMC can add this expert augmentation to the existing team to deliver this aspect of the project.

2. Project Sequencing: The TOVP Project to date has been linear and sequential in its execution mode with minimum parallel and overlapping coordinated items. To complete the interior fit-out works most of the sections of construction will have to be coordinated with parallel and overlapping timelines and appropriate multi-directional overlapping sequencing of works. Currently this is a weakness that needs to be augmented in the existing process and system of construction. The PMC would enable this new methodology by introducing a management system to organize all the multiple, dependent aspects of fit-out works, properly sequencing them, and pro-actively tracking, monitoring and controlling the schedule.

3. Project History Documentation & Audit Compliance: An institutional project as prestigious as the TOVP would need historical documentation to ensure the best governance based practice, such as PMC governance, has been appointed within the process to execute the project. This documentation would always be vulnerable to audit reviews and cross verification from within the fraternity of ISKCON as well as other statutory bodies. It is hence extremely important that the documentation process become tougher, especially with the increase in the number of sub-contractors, vendors and suppliers inducted within the project.

4. Risk Sharing & Transfer: The TOVP, despite being the owners and clients, are currently holding the entire project risks due to in-house design and in-house construction management. With the increase in the numbers of sub-contractors, vendors and suppliers it is imperative that a PMC is appointed who will be in a position to also own the risk and provide a hierarchical risk transferring structure to ensure the risk is not with the client alone.

5. Segregation of Duties: The Client (TOVP) is kept limited only to a core vision team and provides vision, strategy and direction to both the Design Consultants and the PMC to deliver the project. There is a clear role definition between the Client, the Design Consultants and the PMC within the following well-defined categories:

1. Client: The Client remains and behaves as Owners/Visionaries/Funders/Approvers of the Project.
2. Design Consultant: They remain focused on performing their role of providing creative and functional design solutions to suit the aspirations and requirements of the Client.
3. Project Management Consultants: The PMC behaves as the extended arms of the Client to Lead, Drive and Manage all aspects of the project. This would also include coordinating with all the vendors, managing the process, safety coordination, and sequencing to ensure the project is delivered on time. They would also provide peer review to the Design Consultants’ drawings for statutory & code compliances.
4. Contractors: The Contractors becomes the implementation team under the direction provided by the PMC & Design Consultant.

6. Advantages of the Full-Fledged End to End PMC Model:

• Complete sense of Ownership and Risk is transferred and shared by the PMC Firm.
• Complete ownership is taken by the PMC for cost, time and quality aspirations of the client.
• Complete Audit Compliant Independent Reporting & Documentation by the PMC.
• Connectivity, clout and reputation of the PMC within the industry and construction market will help the Client to influence the vendors/suppliers chain to provide the most competitive rates.
• Technology enabled processes and systems enabled by the PMC would be added to the existing Client systems which will allow accurate tracking, control and management procedures.
• Since the sequencing is planned there would minimized cost impact due to wastage and re-work.
• The finances and time saved by utilizing a PMC to properly direct the project would easily cover the expenditure of their services.

Visit the Masters Management Consultancy website at www.masterspmc.com for a full description of the company and their accomplishments since 2004.

The post TOVP Hires Cushman & Wakefield to Manage Completion of the Project appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

We are pleased to announce the completion of the design for the main dome coffer ceiling by Her Grace Rangavati Devi Dasi.

This is the final concept to be erected and executed by the MacCoy Company. It is a very workable and compatible design following the existing dome design and structure. Seen in the photo are the ceilings’ 36 segments with a total of 432 items.

The post Main Dome Coffer Ceiling Concept Completed appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

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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 the main stage there were speeches, kirtana and performances. The surrounding area was filled with prasadam, book and paraphernalia stalls.

The weather was perfect and by Lord Jagannatha’s mercy everyone was very blissful

[Seminar in Sydney, Australia]

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[Congregation program at ISKCON, Sydney, Australia on Bhagavad-gita 15.10-11]

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TOVP: Coffer ceiling update.
Sadbhuja Das: Rangavati d.d. has completed the Coffer Ceiling concept with its measurements for erection and execution of construction for MacCoy company. This is a final concept. It is very workable and following with the existing Dome structure, which you can’t see here. In one row this is a 36 segments and total it is 432 items.

Padayatra 2018 (Album of photos)
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The ISKCON Ministry of Education’s annual education conference was held in New Raman Reti Dhama – Alachua, Florida from June 21 through June 24, 2018. Alachua is home to two devotee run schools serving in combination 250 children from Pre-K through High School. About thirty participants attended from these schools and education programs across the USA. Many more joined on line. Continue reading "ISKCON Ministry of Education Conference Report (Alachua) Florida, USA
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Getting deeper into Krishna consciousness.
Indradyumna Swami: This is a family that has been visiting our festival in Poland every summer for 12 years. They plan their vacation around our event. After our program this evening they decided to go deeper into Krsna consciousness and bought 10 books; one copy each of Srila Prabhupada’s large size Bhagavad Gita and one copy each of a smaller version of the Gita. They also purchased 4 other books on the science of self-realization. “We have plenty of time to read them now on our vacation,” the gentleman said as they left. Srila Prabhupada must be so pleased!

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LORD SRI JAGANNATH DEV RATH MAHOTSAV 6TH DAY SWAMI BAGH ASHRAM, Iskcon Dhaka, Bangladesh (Album of photos)
A special event was held today with the part of a little student of ‘awake student society’ in ISKCON BANGLADESH. Among events was mridangam show, Vedic drama, dance, Bhajan & kirtan.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sR7CFJ

Rathayatra in Pakistan (2 min video)
The Lord of the Universe appeared yesterday in an unknown and well-protected area of Paki...

There is a worldwide campaign to increase the distribution of Srimad Bhagavatam sets. Previously, we had done this since the Bhagavatam glorifies the Bhadra Purnima. Recently, ISKCON Silicon Valley (ISV) headed by Vaisesika Prabhu restarted this initiative. * *The initiative is known as the Bhadra Campaign and based on a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam. Srimad Bhagavatam canto 12 chapter 13 verse 13 it says: If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination. The idea is to inspire persons to take a set and donate to others and receive the blessings of Sukadeva Goswami's benediction. Last year, ISV was able to distribute 112 sets, Chicago 47, Toronto 45, Naperville 42 and Juhu 35. Juhu only had two days preparation. * Continue reading "Join Bhadra Campaign 2018
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It’s always wonderful to get special visitors to Mayapur, and this time we had the opportunity to welcome again His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja’s sister, Leslie Elizabeth Bauer from the U.S.A. on July 12th.

After a grand tour of the TOVP she expressed how overwhelmed with emotion she was and moved by the sheer size of the project. Being an interior decorator herself, she was particularly impressed with our detailed workmanship overall and specifically the accuracy of the carved marble with its beautiful and colorful inlays on the interior walls of the temple.

Leslie stayed for five days, enjoying her stay in the holy dhama and pondering the glorious achievements of her older brother.

The post Jayapataka Maharaja’s Sister Visits Sridhama Mayapur appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

It’s always wonderful to get special visitors to Mayapur, and this time we had the opportunity to welcome again His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja’s sister, Leslie Elizabeth Bauer from the U.S.A. on July 12th.

After a grand tour of the TOVP she expressed how overwhelmed with emotion she was and moved by the sheer size of the project. Being an interior decorator herself, she was particularly impressed with our detailed workmanship overall and specifically the accuracy of the carved marble with its beautiful and colorful inlays on the interior walls of the temple.

Leslie stayed for five days, enjoying her stay in the holy dhama and pondering the glorious achievements of her older brother.

The post Jayapataka Maharaja’s Sister Visits Sridhama Mayapur appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

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Behind The Scenes - Summer Krishna (13 min video)
A detailed look into the activities and philosophy behind Viva Kultura’s stage show which is the very center of our festival program. Meet the actors and witness both their practice sessions and live performances on stage. The professional nature of the show, along with the devotion of the actors, combine together to enthrall audiences night after night this summer along the Baltic Sea coast in Poland. Under Indradyumna Swami’s guidance, the powerful spiritual message of India is slowly but surely penetrating the hearts of the people of this country.

Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the transcendental loving service of the Lord, it doesn’t matter whether we are working, cooking, painting, writing, chanting, or whatever; they are all the same. There are no such distinctions of higher and lower on the transcendental platform. The important thing is that we are engaging our time and energy in the service of the Lord. After all, we are so tiny, what can we do? Krishna sees simply that this time is being spent in His service. Letter to Karunamayi, February 25, 1968.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/bCWb8B

Finance Exec Talks Krishna Consciousness in the Workplace.
One colleague, saying goodbye before he left to start his MBA, asked, “Why are you always so happy?”
“Because I feel like I’ve been given knowledge that reveals the secret of happiness,” Yasoda-dulal replied. He then handed his colleague a copy of “The Journey Home,” which tells the story of how Radhanath Swami discovered that secret. The man returned four days later saying, “I finished the book. It’s mindblowing.” He has kept in touch ever since.
When colleagues have shown interest, Yasoda-dulal has also given them copies of other books like the Higher Taste cookbook and Srila Prabhupada’s “Science of Self-Realization.” He has invited some of them to kirtans, yoga or introductory talks at the Bhakti Center, where they have enjoyed the programs and connected with teachers such as Radhanath Swami and Niranjana Swami.
To read the complete article please click here: https://goo.gl/kjXfUF