The Conch (Jan 2015)

January 2015 The Conch krishnafarm.com www.conch.org.au “Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna blew their celestial conches to rally and enthuse the devotees.” Newsletter New Govardhana Community Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Holiday Issue

ISKCON TURNS other promotional materials to help Photo: www.facebook.com 50! the temples with celebrating this grand event. ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace Preparing for the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 50th anniversary of ISKCON temples worldwide are now ISKCON working on how they will celebrate Srila Prabhupada Uvaca this special occasion. It is a great time By Damodara Pandit dasa to celebrate what has been achieved Prabhupada: Now you all together and share it with the wider society. make this Vedic planetarium very The preparations for the nice, so that people will come celebration of ISKCON’s 50th year In Australia, all the centres are now and see. From the description of incorporation in 2016 are well planning what can be achieved. of the Srimad Bhagavatam, you underway all over the world. Brisbane Temple is looking at prepare this Vedic planetarium. inaugurating their Vedic Temple as How do you like this idea, Vedic Various events are being planned in a 50th celebration event. Pratapana planetarium? major cities of the world, such as New dasa and Jaya Sri dasi in Sydney are Ambarish: It seems like a very Delhi, Kolkata, New York, London, etc. sponsoring a new cinema quality nice idea. This will include a seven day mega film, “Acharya”, on the life of Srila Prabhupada: You also like? So padayatra in 2015 from Mayapur to Prabhupada. This film will be made finance this project. (laughter) Kolkata dock where Srila Prabhupada by Yadhubara dasa and will tour Vedic planetarium. boarded the ship, Jaladuta, and began Australia in 2016.    Ambarish: Where will this be? his journey to the west. Prabhupada: Mayapura. My idea There will be an upcoming movie ISKCON Australia Communications is to attract people of the whole on ISKCON and a special magazine Officer, Bhakta dasa and his wife world to Mayapura. So we are just showcasing ISKCON’s activities over Bhakti dasi, visited New Govardhana trying to acquire three hundred the last 50 years, along with several from November 28 until December 5 fifty acres of land from the to help inspire local devotees to get government. It is going on under ready for the celebration. consideration. Some men are against and some are in favor. ButPhotography: www.facebook.com those who are against, they have counted ninety? Where it all began. Srila Prabhupada at Srila Prabhupada celebrates ISKCON’s ten Hari-Sauri: Ninety against, two the Sri Sri Radha Damodara Temple in year anniversary. thousand for. Vrindavana, India. Prabhupada: Yes. Pusta Krishna: In Mayapura itself.Image: tovp.org Hari-Sauri: The local farmers. Prabhupada: So all of you now make a complete idea how to make Vedic planetary, planetarium. Room Conversation 15 June 1976, Detroit The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur, India. Front cover artwork: Urvasi devi dasi.

Dining with Prime Ministers Reported by Damodara Pandit dasa ISKCON Australia’s Communications On Wednesday 19 November Officer, Bhakta dasa. Bhakta dasa, ISKCON Australia’s “I could read their lips . . . ‘What’s Communications Director, was a Hare Krishna doing here?’ They invited to a luncheon event attended were more perplexed to see that by Australian Prime Minister, Tony the Victorian politicians who were Abbott, and the Indian Prime there had such a friendly relationship Minister, Narendra Modi. with me, what to speak of my Below is an account of the event as Hindu business friends who warmly told by Bhakta dasa. welcomed me. They were very “I was invited to the luncheon by appreciative of the fact that Mr. Modi Prime Minister Tony Abbott to received Srimati Radharani’s mercy commemorate the visit of the Indian here in Melbourne.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I was able to garland Mr. Modi with Srimati Radharani’s garland organised by Acintyarupa Prabhu.All photographs supplied by Damodara Pandit dasa Prime Minister Modi received Srimati Radharani’s garland at the recent lunceon commemorating the Indian Prime Minister’s visit. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. block of land to build a Vedic School Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. “I was also able to give him a letter managed by ISKCON.  requesting that he petition the “Mr. Modi was a gentleman; he came Australian Government to grant over, bowed respectfully to receive the Hindu community of Victoria a the Maha garland and sincerely said “Hare Krishna”. I was so focused on getting the garland to him that I didn’t organize anyone to take a photo. “Later that evening we had a dinner with hundreds of Australia’s most prominent people. Gina Reinhart, Bill Shorten, all manner of politicians and business people, movie stars, sports heroes like Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Kapil Dev, to name but a few.  And in amongst all of them, there I was, a 6ft 5in HARI!  SUBMISSION GUIDELINES the photographer. Anonymous EDITORIAL BOARD: submissions will not be published. Damodara Pandit dasa, Govardhana Seva dasa, The Conch is your community Deadline is the 12th of each Krishnarupa devi dasi (ACBSP), newsletter, and we invite you to month. Occasionally a submission Mandakini devi dasi, Urvasi devi dasi (layout submit articles for publication. could be held over to a later and graphic design). Articles should be 300 words or edition. All submissions may be For enquiries, comments or suggestions, less and supplied in MS Word via edited, proofread or rejected contact: [email protected] email to newgovconch@gmail. without notice. com. Photographs must be in JPG format. Please provide the name of the author and

Upcoming Events His Grace Nirantara Prabhu Her Grace Narayani Mataji (ACBSP)New Govardhana Summer Narayani deviFestival: It’s Natural Nirantara dasa, dasi will visit who lives in New GovardhanaFriday 9, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11, California, was 6 – 13 JanuaryJanuary 2015 initiated by Srila and then 19Friday, 9 January from 6.00 pm Prabhupada in – 27 JanuaryGurukula Hall 1974. He is a very 2015. She willDevotee Talent Night & Art Expo active preacher attend the NewIncluding special guest performance and excellent Govardhana Summer Festival and willby Nirantara Prabhu and band. To musician. be presenting a new seminar entitledenter or more information contact Brahma’s Prayers for Mercy.Parama Karuna 0439 280 362. In 2005 he was awarded theSaturday, 10 January from 6.00 pm prestigious “Global Excellence Award” Gitanjali devi dasiGurukula Hall for congregational preaching services Recently returnedUnder the Palms from ISKCON. from tours ofFeaturing Nirantara Prabhu, plus He is visiting New Govardhana from China and India,Gitanjali and friends 7 – 16 January and will feature in the Gitanjali, pioneerSunday, 11 January New Govardhana Summer Festival. of the modernSPECIAL SUNDAY FEAST with music, Australiandrama, farm tours, cooking demo, Bhaimi Ekadasi “kirtanabutter churning, cow feeding, face Friday, 30 January movement”,painting. Live music by NirantaraPrabhu, Gitanjali and friends. Fasting till noon on Friday, 30 also tours nationally, as well as January, thereafter ekadasi participating in major ISKCON festivals Harinama prasadam the rest of the day. and retreats around the world. We Sankirtana ki jaya are very pleased to announce she is Varaha Dvadasi joining us for the Summer Festival. Saturday, 31 January Jayadeva dasa 7.00 am Darshan Arati 7.30 am Class Jayadeva and 9.30 am Bhajanas The Mantra 10.30 am Class/Drama Choir will visit 12.00 noon Arati and kirtana New Govardhana 1.00 pm Feast Sunday, 25 January 2015. Come join this global phenomenon. January Calendar (from Vaishnava calendar www.vaisnavacalendar.com) 1 Thu Fasting for Putrada Ekadasi 2 Fri Dvadasi break fast 5.52 am – 10.31 am 10 Sat Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami – AppearanceWednesdays 10.30 am 11 Sun Sri Jayadeva Gosvami – Disappearance 12 Mon Sri Locana Dasa Thakura – DisappearanceByron Bay harinama at the park 17 Sat Fasting for Sat-tila Ekadasiopposite the Post Office. For 18 Sun Dvadasi break fast 6.05 am – 8.39 amfurther details and transport 25 Sun Srimati Visnupriya Devi – Appearanceinformation, contact Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura – DisappearanceParama Karuna dasa Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi – Appearance0439 280 362 Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami – Appearance 26 Mon Sri Advaita Acarya – Appearance (Fast today)Friday Evenings 6.30 pm 28 Wed Sri Madhvacarya – Disappearance 29 Thu Sri Ramanujacarya – DisappearanceBhakti Centre Surfers Paradise 30 Fri Half day fasting for Bhaimi Ekadasibhakticentregoldcoast.com.au 31 Sat Dvadasi break fast 10.01 am – 10.45 am Varaha Dvadasi: Appearance of Lord VarahadevaSunday Mornings (Fasting is done yesterday)Northern NSW & Gold Coast © 2015 The Conch copyright of New Govardhanafolkrishna.com/program.htmIsvara dasa 0411 825 549