Spirit-o-Gram (Jan-Feb Edition)

Bi-Monthly Community Newsletter

January-February 2023

His Divine Grace

Founder Acharya: ISKCON

AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Kirtan Mela

31st Dec 2022 & 1st Jan 2023

A wonderful Kirtan Mela was organized to welcome the New Year by remembering the Supreme Lord and chanting His Holy Names. Many visitors came and were enlivened by the mesmerizing darshans and ecstatic kirtan resounding the Temple Hall. What a better start to 2023 than this!

Special Srimad Bhagavtam class

18th Jan, 8 am

HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji, a renowned Scholar, Prolific Author and member of the Sastric Advisory Council graced

ISKCON Gurugram for a Morning SB Class. The way he explained the concepts in a deep yet interesting manner left everyone awestruck and appreciative of the jewels our Sastras have.

Pushpa Abhishek

26th January 2023

ISKCON Gurugram conducted the First ever Pushpa Abhishek of Sri Sri Radha Damodar and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai after Their Installation last year. Their Lordships looked gorgeous, dressed in beautiful flower dresses prepared by devotees. Later, they were profusely bathed with multi-coloured petals.

Our star gets recognized at Praroh

28th Jan 2023

Radhika Keshari, 15, from ISKCON Gurugram was Awarded the World Record for the Youngest Professional IndoWestern Musician by the Golden Book of Records. She sang her own composition which was a fusion of Indian Classical Music - Sri Dashavatar Strotram (10 verses in 10 different ठाठ) while playing Western Classical Music on the Grand Piano.

Nityananda Katha

1st-3rd Feb 2023

HH Bhakti Asraya Vaisnava Swami Maharaj enlightened the devotees at ISKCON Gurugram with Nityananda Katha for 3 consecutive days in the Temple Hall from 7-9 pm. Maharaj related the amazing pastimes of Lord Nityananda, enunciating His wonderful qualities, especially His magnanimity in delivering the fallen souls of Kaliyuga. Devotees felt blessed and rejuvenated.

Nityananda Trayodashi

3rd February 2023

Nityananda Trayodashi was celebrated with exuberance, joy and enthusiasm. Mesmerizing kirtan captivated everyone as Abhishek of Sri Sri Gaur Nitai was performed. It was followed by a wonderful drama on "How did Nityananda Prabhu meet Lord Chaitanya" by young Vaishnavis, directed by HH Bhakti Asraya Vaishnava Maharaj. Our latest short film, U-Turn - Change for Goodness also premiered in front of a jam-packed devotee hall of devotees

Appearance Day of 'The Lion Guru'

11th Feb, 2023

Mahashivratri

19th Feb 2023

The Appearance Day of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakur, Spiritual Master of Srila Prabhupada was celebrated. Vaishnava bhajans were sung, followed by devotees glorifying the Lion Guru. After Bhoga offering, Arati was performed and prasadam was served to all.

ISKCON Gurugram celebrated Mahashivratri to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri. Abhishekam of our Gopeshwar Mahadeva was performed with Milk, Water Flowers alongwith Blissful Kirtan. Everyone sang in joy and honored nourishing prasadam afterwards.

D.Y.P.H. Camp

26th Feb 2023

Devotees from the First and Second batches of DYPH spent an incredible day at Chandrasekhar Farms near our Temple. We had a short talk by HG Rambhadra Prabhuji followed by Ecstatic Kirtan. Devotees were awarded Certificates for completing their course. Being so close to nature brought positive vibes and smiles on everyone ' s faces. Fun games, meeting new people and Socialising were cherry on the cake.

Sohna Center Opening

26th Feb 2023

ISKCON Gurugram opened its Third Outpost Centre in Sohna. Around 350+ localites of Sohna joined in the celebrations. Abhishek ceremony of Laddoo Gopal was performed with different juices. 56 Bhogas were offered to Their Lordships and everyone chantedanddancedtotheHolyNamesofthe Lord. The centre is located on the main Rajiv Chowk-Sohna Highway and hosts daily morning,andeveningaratiandSundayLove Feast programs for the Spiritual upliftment of thepeopleofSohna.

Our President met Dalai Lama the 14th

Our Temple President, HG Rambhadra

Prabhuji met World Renowned Spiritual Leader, HH Dalai Lama the 14th.

Prabhuji presented a copy of Srimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is to His Holiness and also gave some Prasadam from the Temple. HH Dalai Lama very respectfully touched the Bhagavad Gita to his head and paid respects.

NUTSS Camp

NUTSS(Novel Understanding for Teenagers in Science and Spirituality) organized a 1-day camp for parents and kids at MadhavgarhFarms, Gurugram to give them a fun and relaxing experience. To get more info about NUTSS, visit --> https://nutss.in/

Mayapur- The Island where Magic happens

Hardik Kathuria

Sridham Mayapur is not just a place, it is an overwhelming emotion - or a flurry of emotions, which begins weeks before in excitement and ends in reminiscence and nostalgia of the days you spent over there. Mayapur enters your heart even before you enter its precincts, and does not leave even after you exit it physically. A small portion of it captures a corner of your heart and stays there forever. While you are living that experience in Mayapur, you feel transcendental bliss, as if operating in a higher realm and a slight fear sets in as the realization dawns that you will have to leave it someday soon. And when it ends, it makes us remember the Holy Dham and the wonderful time we spent over there, and the exquisitely beautiful forms of Sri Sri Radha Madhav Ashtasakhis, Sri Sri Panchatattva, Sri Sri Prahlad Narasimhadeva. The vibrance of the Temple Hall and the liveliness of the Whole Campus along with the warmth of the devotees and the grandeur of the TOVP also leave a firm impression deep inside the heart. Not to miss the sweet memories of the simply wonderful Prasadam, the divine association of senior Vaishnavas especially Srila Prabhupada Disciples, the simplicity of the whole place and the spiritual vibes it gives off, the ecstatical Kirtan and the wild dancing in the Temple hall. The list can go on and on. There's so much to miss.

Everything just adds up perfectly well- it has been designed that way- to trap us in its magic, enhancing our experience a thousand times. What was given by Srila Prabhupada as a vision (which is being fulfilled by his dear disciples),

brings us a step closer to his dream - “I want to attract the whole world to Mayapur”. Srila Prabhupada Disciples give so much of their efforts and selfless service, at an age where they could have been resting and living a normal life. They are proving by their example and motivating everyone enthusiasm to make Srila Prabhupada's vision successful makes our endeavors feel so shallow

all over the world. Their spirit and

Returning back to your normal life- the monotonous daily routine, household chores and office work makes us wonder- Where did that rich experience (of Mayapur) suddenly disappear? And most importantly, when will I get to experience it again? You lose taste in your office work. You are not able to relate with your colleagues and friends. You have so much to share but you feel that they won't understand any of it.

Everytime you hear the word “Mayapur”, it makes your mind running as it picks up a happy moment from your journey and takes you down the memory lane. And then, you become sad and wait for the next yatra to come. But one year is a long wait, so you see the photos, videos- all of this just to relive those moments again.

You don't understand it initially- what did you actually experience which made you go through this rollercoaster ride of emotions? It is only when the next Yatra comes and you take to inspiring your friend to join that, do you realize what did you actually benefit from that experience. It is then, you start thinking about it deeply. What did you gain from it? What melted your heart? That is when the effect strengthens its ground in your heart. And it becomes strong every single time you repeat any of the aforementioned steps.

That is the speciality of Sridham Mayapur- you don't get this anywhere else in the world, and you definitely can't purchase it. It is just pure blessing and mercy that only a few fortunate ones get to live (and even fewer get to relive this).

When you leave Mayapur, Mayapur doesn't leave you! It stays with you, in your heart, forever.

Art for Krishna

SmritiDhingra

Krishna Conscious Art is the window to the Spiritual World.

How I came to Krishna Consciousness? Sumit Kapoor

Way back in 2006 when I was a bachelor, I was residing in Kailash colony near East of Kailash temple in Delhi. Once, I went there with my mother. Fortunately, it was the time of the Book Marathon, and I was given a Bhagavad Gita As It Is. I kept it with myself, taking it with me wherever I traveled.In 2015, I came back to Gurugram. I noticed that the western culture influenced me like it had never before. In 2017, I actually read the book for the first time. It was the weekend after the festival of Holi, when I sat down after taking a bath and celebrating the festival with my family, when I began to skim through its pages. I read it for a few hours consecutively and then later, in the afternoon.

At some point, I got the inspiration to visit the East of Kailash temple- the place from where I had bought the book. My wife accompanied me. I attended Gaura Arti that day, and the next Sunday, I wished to go there again. But since Delhi was so far away and I couldn’t travel there every Sunday, after a little research, I found an ISKCON temple in Gurugram. When we were living in Sector 51 (Gurugram),we used to travel to the Badshahpur Temple. After we had been visiting this temple for a few weeks, I met the devotees there and saw some of them with their kids doing kirtan. Straight away, I got attracted towards kirtan.

I had been wondering for a long time what these bead bags had inside them, and how devotees had been chanting on them. I asked them about this and got to know that these bead bags had beads inside them. I asked them if I could also do the same and they agreed and showed me ways of how to start chanting. My family was shocked at how I was starting to get up early and following the rules. In a few months, I was regularly chanting the Mahamantra. I was able to progress just because of the mercy and help of devotees. I wholeheartedly want to thank everyone who helped me on my spiritual journey.