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FOREWORD
Srila Prabhupada once commented, “we are trying to give people that happiness which will never be exhausted. That is our objective of happiness.” 50 years on, naturally that remains our objective and as the saying goes “charity begins at home.” To that end, first and foremost the happiness of our members and supporters is paramount, not least because it is only when you have something yourself that you can pass it on to others. Sharing happiness is very much at the forefront of all the activities at ISKCON-London. Each of the many festivals ISKCON-London hosts throughout the year are purely for that purpose – sharing happiness – via the mediums of chanting, dancing and honouring prasadam together. These three activities really do have everything required to bring happiness to the heart and mind, a happiness that is both infectious and free from any side effects. The pursuit of happiness is something that has driven the human race since time immemorial. There are different aspects to that pursuit (physical, mental, spiritual etc.) and we have direct experience that all of these aspects are catered for by chanting, dancing and honouring prasadam together. While a lot more could be said about the content of these activities, in a nutshell, chanting and dancing with our attention beyond the everyday in a mood of selflessness, and honouring prasadam as an act of devotion, allows us to directly experience the transcendental.
As I sit to write and reflect on 2018, once again I am amazed how dynamic this small Temple in the centre of London actually is. Such a hive of activity for bringing pleasure to the Lord and His devotees. It is dedicated to the furthering of a mission given over 500 years ago and then brought to the shores of the UK in 1969 – 50 years ago. Today, we are still coming across people searching for peace and happiness as they always have done. ISKCON-London is dedicated to assisting humanity at large to find the ever-lasting inner peace that comes from reconnecting with our eternal identity as a spiritual being, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The community here in London is so enthusiastic, inspired, capable, competent and innovative in so many wonderful ways, as you will see whilst turning each page. Every activity has required a person or team of persons to make it happen. Growing from strength to strength, the community is serving as a beacon to the world – by remaining true to the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and performing the spiritual activities he has given us, we are benefited and others are benefited. 2018 was a year in preparation and at the time of writing this, we are now in 2019, the 50th Anniversary year. We want to inspire the pioneering spirit in all our community members as we forge ahead with fulfilling the vision of our Founder-Acharya.
So in this upcoming momentous year (2019) for ISKCON-London, marking our 50th Anniversary, we will continue to promote our core activities with renewed vigour and of course, we will look back at the incredible story of how our first centre in London was established up to today – where we continue to thrive, going onto bigger and better things.
Thank you all so much for your wonderful and selfless efforts.
Your servant,
Your servant,
Praghosa dasa ISKCON UK Governing Body Commissioner
Jai Nitai dasa Temple President and Charity Chairman
May you all be uplifted reading through this Annual Review, reflecting and then projecting ahead to act, leaving a legacy for generations to come.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DEPARTMENTAL CONTACTS
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CHILD PROTECTION OFFICE
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COMMUNICATIONS
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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28 LONDON RATHAYATRA 30 OUTREACH 33 RADHA’S BOUTIQUE 33 RADHA KRISHNA RECORDS 34 REGIONAL
14 DEITY DEPARTMENT
36 RUSSIAN VEDIC SOCIETY
17 FESTIVALS
37 SANKIRTAN
20 FOOD FOR LIFE
41 SPIRITUAL MENTORSHIP SYSTEM
21 GOVINDA’S RESTAURANT
42 VOLUNTEERING
22 HARINAMA
44 HARE KRISHNA! FILM SCREENINGS
26 ISKCON EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
45 GIVING
26 LONDON COLLEGE OF VEDIC STUDIES
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46 50TH ANNIVERSARY
View the online version: www.iskcon.london/annualreview/2018
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CREDITS Editor: Devaki devi dasi Designer: Chandra Bellamy Proofreaders: Neha Bhatt, Reshma Sharma Official Photographers: David Crick, Harsh Sharma, Radha Govinda dasa, Ravi Goel and Tadas Jasaitis We would also like to thank everyone who contributed content.
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DEPARTMENTAL CONTACTS
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JAI NITAI DASA Temple President Charity Chairman Member of Management Board South Regional Coordinator UK Zonal Supervisor Mentor
BHAVA BHAKTI DEVI DASI Temple Administrator Charity Secretary / Trustee Member of Management Board South Regional Secretary Mentorship System Coordinator Mentor
JAGA MOHINI DEVI DASI ISKCON Educational Services Ladies Ashram Leader Member of Management Board Mentor
MURLI MANOHARA DASA Head Pujari Charity Trustee Member of Management Board Member of Brahmacari Council Mentor
RAM CHARAN DASA Financial Controller Member of Management Board
THIRUPATI GAURANGA DASA Govinda’s Restaurant Manager Kitchen Manager Member of Management Board
RADHA RAMAN DASA Charity Trustee Mentor
ACUTYA CHARAN DASA Food for Life Coordinator
ADI GOPI DEVI DASI Radha’s Boutique Manager
DEBASMITA FRANCIS London College of Vedic Studies Coordinator
DEVAKI DEVI DASI Community Development Coordinator Volunteers Coordinator
DHAVAL DATTANI Volunteers Coordinator
KAPILA MONET Radha Krishna Records Manager
KRISHNA KANTA DEVI DASI Food for Life Coordinator
LAURYNAS MIKALAUSKAS Head of IT Data Protection Lead
MAHA NRSINGHA DASA Festivals Coordinator
MAIRIS UŠACKIS Temple Commander
MUKUNDA KISHORE DASA Closet Krishna Manager
NAMA SANKIRTAN DASA Sankirtan Leader
NATASHA MENON Communications Secretary
OLGA DOROVKO Russian Vedic Society Coordinator
PRITESH PANDYA Child Protection Officer
PRIYA KUNDA DASA Atma Lounge Manager
SYAMA GAURI DEVI DASI Atma Lounge Manager
TITIKSU DASA UK Rathayatra Coordinator
VAYU DASA Men’s Ashram Leader
CLOSET KRISHNA
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COMMUNICATIONS
CHILD PROTECTION OFFICE
NEW LOOK-AND-FEEL WEBSITE FOR ISKCON-LONDON The ISKCON-London website (www.iskcon.london) has a new look-and-feel which was launched in June. It is the culmination of an 18-month effort from web team members – Aashish Sharma and Natasha Menon – and other contributors.
ISKCON-London’s Child Protection Office is available for guidance in responding to any child abuse concerns connected with the Temple.
The refreshed site has a modern responsive design making it easy to navigate on portable devices. The content is personalised for newcomers and community members. It aims to be a central hub of all information, providing what is most relevant to users.
Their mission is to protect the children of Srila Prabhupada’s movement from child abuse and neglect. By doing so, the future of the movement – the children – is strengthened whilst providing an example to the world of a spiritual society that practices compassionate caring and protection. For further details, visit the ISKCON Global Child Protection Office website: www.iskconchildprotection.org To write to our Child Protection Office: childprotection@iskcon.london You will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
SUPPORTING KRISHNA CLUB The Child Protection Office is providing ongoing valuable guidance and support to Krishna Club, a weekly programme for children in the community.
SOCIAL MEDIA • Govinda’s Restaurant, London College of Vedic Studies and Radha’s Boutique have had increased social media exposure • The newcomer programmes underwent a rebranding and are now promoted under the Bhakti Yoga London brand • An ISKCON-London Instagram account was introduced • Donations can now also be made via the ISKCON-London Facebook page.
Facebook social media channels (as of December 2018) ISKCONLondon
Bhakti Yoga London
Govinda’s Restaurant
London College of Vedic Studies
Radha’s Boutique
FOLLOWERS
1,368,331
800
2,372
1,500
2,234
LIKES
1,380,671
774
2,355
1,410
2,230
REVIEWS
1,465
N/A
311
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Most male and female followers are between the age group of 25 to 34, although most female followers of Govinda’s Restaurant Facebook page are between the age group of 35 to 44. 6
MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT Third-party mobile application development company, Praiya Limited, has been working with ISKCON-London to build a mobile app, My Temple Connect. The app is a revolutionary mobile platform developed for ISKCON-London with an enhanced experience both whilst physically at the Temple and away. It will provide users with: a learning experience; comprehensive view of courses, events and festivals; key dates (including Ekadasi dates); and an easy way of making donations. The app will be officially launched early 2019. The team will continue to work on new features and enhancing user experience post-launch.
• A story in the Croydon Advertiser and The Weekly Tribune on Food for Life Coordinator, Acyuta Charan dasa (Asish Soni), being honoured with a British Empire Medal (BEM) for voluntary and charitable services to homeless people • Govinda’s Restaurant featured in various rankings of best places for vegetarian food and vegan food. For the full list of press and media coverage: www.iskcon.london/press-and-media VISIT FROM REVEREND DR ADAM SCOTT ON JANMASTAMI Jai Nitai dasa, Rakesh Shah and Natasha Menon welcomed Reverend Dr Adam Scott from The House of St Barnabas (a charitable foundation based in Soho that supports London’s homeless people back into work) for his first visit to the Temple. The afternoon was spent sharing the history of both organisations, culture, and discussing the challenges faced in faith work. He was also given a tour of the Temple Room where a brief introduction was given of the Deities and Their worship. May I say thank you for the hospitality yesterday. It was good to spend time with you, to talk about God and incarnation, worship, and practicalities of running organisations. Thank you for taking time and also for the lovely food that complemented the warm welcome.” Reverend Dr Adam Scott
App Store
Google Play
Download My Temple Connect App
THE TEMPLE IN YOUR POCKET PRESS AND MEDIA Press and media coverage included: • A TimeOut interview with Jai Nitai dasa on “Things you only know if you’re a Hare Krishna devotee in London” • A TimeOut feature on “4 London days out to suit any budget” with ISKCON-London listed as a place to visit Your evening finishes on Soho Street with a visit to the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Radha-Krishna Temple. The Hindu spiritual oasis was once visited by The Beatles. Anyone is welcome at their sacred ceremonies (arati) or philosophical talks.” TimeOut 7
UK GOVERNMENT’S OFFICIAL DIWALI EVENT
INTERACTION WITH THE NEWLY APPOINTED HIGH COMMISSIONER OF INDIA
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With the Prime Minister, Theresa May, unable to attend at the last moment, in her absence her husband, Philip May, and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, hosted the event which took place at the grandeur Durbar Court at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Natasha Menon attended the event held at The India House as a representative of ISKCON-London. She had the opportunity to briefly introduce ISKCON-London’s activities and the upcoming 50th Anniversary. The High Commissioner appeared very favourable to supporting community initiatives.
n Thursday 15th November, Radhanath Swami and representatives of ISKCON-London attended the Prime Minister’s annual reception to celebrate Diwali.
n Friday 14th December, the High Commission of India invited MPs, Councillors and community leaders for an interaction with the newly appointed High Commissioner, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam.
There were over 300 leaders from the British Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities from across the UK attending the celebrations including Jai Nitai dasa, Devaki devi dasi, Ashika Patel and Natasha Menon on behalf of ISKCON-London. Radhanath Swami was invited to open the reception. He led everyone in prayer and then spoke on the importance and meaning of Diwali in our lives. Both Philip May and James Brokenshire paid a tribute to the hardworking and peace-loving Indian community. They said that the Indian diaspora has enriched Britain with their culture and is contributing in every aspect of British life. The event was a great networking opportunity.
Easy Access Bookmarks on ISKCON-London Website: Latest Updates www.iskcon.london/communitynews Daily Darshan www.iskcon.london/dailydarshan Weekly Talk Schedule www.iskcon.london/weekly-talk-schedule 8
Bi-Monthly Newsletters www.iskcon.london/newsletters
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT In addition to maintaining services to the community, including our Temple donors, guests, volunteers and the wider community at large, in 2018, the Community Development Team set up Krishna Club, a new Sunday School for children.
KRISHNA CLUB Krishna Club, a new Sunday School for children, held three taster sessions during the month of December before the official start in January 2019. It was an opportunity for parents and their children to find out more about the club and for the Krishna Club teachers to prepare for the January start.
During Krishna Club, children will: • Chant japa • Learn slokas from Bhagavad-Gita and other scriptures • Make beautiful arts and crafts • Read and bring-to-life stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam • Participate in dramas • Sing bhajans • And many other fun-filled activities!
ANNUAL PATRONS DINNER Sunday 22nd July
On a glorious sunny day in July, ISKCON-London Patrons and their guests boarded the Dixie Queen (London’s largest entertainment, conference and party boat) for the Annual Patrons Dinner. The theme was “The Great Transcendental Boat of ISKCON.” The schedule included a keynote talk by special guest, Bhakti Rasamrita Swami, kirtans by Radha Londonisvara dasa that inspired attendees to chant and dance ecstatically as the boat travelled across the River Thames, lively drama (produced by Syamananda dasa), and a succulent Italian prasadam menu.
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Community Development
LONDON MELLOWS ANNUAL KIRTAN WEEKEND Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th June
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SKCON-London hosted its third London Mellows Annual Kirtan Weekend in June.
Talented kirtaneers and instrumentalists across the UK and a special visiting guest, Lokanath Swami, were part of the kirtan line-up. Taking place in the Temple Room, which was often at full capacity, and also broadcast live, the event provided a wonderful 12 hours of kirtan each of the days. A new London Mellows album was also launched at the event, providing over 40 tracks and 24 hours of kirtan recorded live at London Mellows 2016. It was Radha Krishna Records’ first album that was presented in a light-weight slick USB card format. Purchase the album at Radha’s Boutique or www.radhakrishnarecords.com/londonmellows The London Mellows organising team, with core team members, Gopibhava devi dasi, Kancana-beli devi dasi and Natasha Menon, were supported by a team of volunteers during the lead-up and also serving at the event making sure everything ran efficiently.
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ANNUAL VOLUNTEERS DINNER Saturday 22nd September
ISKCON-London’s Annual Volunteers Dinner took place at Conway Hall. It coincided with Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s Appearance Day. The theme was “The Inner Gardener: Growing our Creeper of Devotional Service.”
As attendees entered, they were treated to welcome snacks and refreshments. The programme included:
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A beautiful rendition of two Bhaktivinoda Thakur bhajans, led by Shyam dasa and Gopibhava devi dasi
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A special appreciation of Satya Narayana dasa and Madhvi devi dasi for their decades of devotional service
A moving drama reflecting the theme of the event, directed by Syamananda dasa An interactive meditation and exercise on growing our devotional creeper, facilitated by Syamananda dasa, which resulted in attendees building a tree of prayers on one of the walls. These prayers, written on paper leaves, were offered to Their Lordships on the altar the next day to invoke Their blessings An ecstatic kirtan that got everyone dancing.
This was followed by a sumptuous South Indian feast. Volunteers were gifted with a set of two books containing a selection of Srimad-Bhagavatam verses from Cantos 1 to 12 presented in a beautiful box adorning a picture of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara and a personal message.
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49TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT Sunday 4th November
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n November, devotees gathered at University College London’s Logan Hall in central London to celebrate the 49th Anniversary of the Installation of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara. As the celebration was during the most holy month of Kartik, it was themed “Two Fingers Too Short?”, inspired by the Damodara pastime of Lord Krishna and Mother Yashoda, where Lord Krishna is tied by the rope of His mother’s love which is “two fingers too short” – representing the need for both Lord Krishna’s mercy and our own endeavour in our spiritual lives. The event showcased an array of performances and gave insight into what continues to awaken and inspire generations of bhakti
yogis. It was a spiritually uplifting theatre production that left the audience at the edge of their seats and entertained throughout. Children were kept entertained in a dedicated activity room with a magician, colouring, puzzles, play-dough, face painting and mehndi. There were also stalls selling various items including a special 50th Anniversary-themed wall calendar and gift items made from Deity maha. The Sankirtan department encouraged devotees to sign up for the upcoming Srila Prabhupada December Book Marathon. London College of Vedic Studies was also present creating awareness of courses offered and filming testimonials.
Watch highlights: https://bit.ly/49th-highlights
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COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS Want to read regular reports on activities at ISKCON-London? The bi-monthly newsletters are a useful resource if you would like to be better informed of what’s happening across the various Temple departments and ways to participate.
READ HERE: www.iskcon.london/newsletters
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DEITY DEPARTMENT
Srila Prabhupada wanted the devotees serving Deities to be trained in the art of Deity worship. He said, “This Deity worship - this is training. The same thing will continue when we go to Vaikuntha or Vrindavana.� At ISKCON-London, there are various opportunities to learn more about the process of Deity worship in order to serve Their Lordships nicely.
NEW SHORT FILM ON THE DEITY DEPARTMENT RELEASED AT THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL A short film, commissioned by Murli Manohara dasa, Head Pujari, takes a look at the inclusive model of Deity service at ISKCON-London. This film looks at the ways in which different devotees are engaged in this service and how it inspires them. Community members are encouraged to take an active part in a wide range of services to the Deities.
Watch the film: http://bit.ly/deity-worship For more information on rendering service: volunteers@iskcon.london
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DEITY WORSHIP COURSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAYAPUR ACADEMY Four devotees who serve in the Deity Department – Rupesvara Nimai dasa, Vamsi Vata dasa, Vrajkishori devi dasi and Sandhya Taninki – attended a Deity Worship course certificated by the Mayapur Academy. The course spanned across four intensive weekends from Saturday 21st July to Sunday 12th August at Bhaktivedanta Manor. It included hands-on practical teaching, equipping attendees with knowledge and skills in serving and worshipping the Lord in His Deity form. The focus of the teaching was worship of Gaura-Nitai with the offering of 16 items of worship. The course was led by Nrsimha Kavaca dasa, ISKCON Deity Worship Minister, and assisted by Gadadhara dasa and Murli Manohara dasa, Head Pujaris of Bhaktivedanta Manor and ISKCON-London respectively.
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Deity Department
PUJARI SANGAS A number of Pujari Sangas were held during the year for those serving in the Deity Department. They covered insightful and useful topics such as “bhoga offerings” and improvement initiatives in the department. In July, Nrsimha Kavaca dasa was present as a special guest. Attendees had an opportunity to share what inspires them to serve the presiding Deities at ISKCONLondon and put forward questions to him.
DEITY WORSHIP SEMINARS Murli Manohara dasa facilitated a Pujari Training Seminar explaining what it involves to render personal service to the Deities. He also delivered a seminar on Home Deity Worship. 16
I decided to attend the Pujari Training Seminar to see what happens behind those divine curtains and I found that all the pujari community is very fond of this service. Through their personal relationship in taking care of the Deities, they put into practice their love and devotion.” Angela
FESTIVALS NITYANANDA TRAYODASI
GAURA PURNIMA
RAMANAVAMI
NRSIMHA CATURDASI
SNANAYATRA
RATHAYATRA
JHULAN YATRA
BALARAMA JAYANTI
JANMASTAMI
VYASA PUJA
RADHASTAMI
GOVARDHANA PUJA
SHARAD PURNIMA
KARTIK
49TH ANNIVERSARY 17
What a blissful and wonderful day it was to serve the Lord with all His devotees...The evening ended in a colourful note, seeing the smiling faces of our Lordships showered and bathed with flower petals in different colours. It definitely felt like the spiritual abode!” Gayathri, Community member
When I arrived, the energy was already great...two hours of queueing seemed to go in seconds. It was very auspicious that the Deities actually came out to us and we got to bathe Them in a yoghurt-like juice.” Kelly, First-time visitor on the day of Snanayatra
GITA JAYANTI FESTIVAL Tuesday 18th December
Gita Jayanti has established itself as an all-day festival at ISKCON-London. The programme included a special morning class, both musical and English recitations of Bhagavad-Gita which everyone had the opportunity to participate in, and a drama titled “Bhagavad-Gita: The Life Changing Book.” Many devotees sponsored Bhagavad-Gita books throughout this auspicious day, with gifts such as Deity maha jewellery given to sponsors in reciprocation.
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Satya Narayana dasa designed Deity items made out of Deity maha jewellery which were given as gifts to sponsors
NEW YEAR’S EVE KIRTANS Monday 31st December
Thank you so much for the facilities for the kids. They had a great day and so did the parents…Also, the fact that there was space made for them at the front during the abhishek really meant a lot to them. They were so engaged in watching the abhishek.” Krishna Kanta devi dasi, Parent
On New Year’s Eve, seven hours of kirtan was held in the Temple Room, from 7.00pm until 2.00am, to set the New Year off to an auspicious start. There were a number of kirtaneers who took part in the ecstatic kirtans that got all those present chanting and dancing together. Just after midnight, sweets were distributed to all.
It was truly a blissful evening to embrace the New Year in such a special way by absorbing ourselves in the holy names.” Dhaval Dattani, Organiser
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FOOD FOR LIFE VOLUNTEERS The number of volunteers engaged in Food for Life has grown over the year. The team now has many new volunteers travelling from places far afield in order to help with the service. Many volunteers bring in their work colleagues to share the experience and parents sometimes bring in their young children. They feel a strong sense of fulfilment and satisfaction at having made a small difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS The team launched an Instagram account in order to help showcase some of the work Food for Life does to serve the homeless. This helps with publicising any fundraising activities as well as showing the positive impact Hare Krishna devotees have in society. In addition, the Food for Life Facebook page has had a boost with a number of posts. www.facebook.com/groups/foodforlifelondon www.instagram.com/foodforlifelondon
NEW CONTACT CARDS DISTRIBUTED TO THE HOMELESS
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Food for Life contact cards are now given out to homeless people in and around London to make them aware of the service Food for Life provides and when and where they can obtain free, hot, nutritious vegetarian food.
I had the most phenomenal volunteering experience with Food for Life. I decided to volunteer with a dear friend of mine who does this weekly because I love to help others and find it extremely fulfilling. The process from beginning to end is just wonderful and enriching. From arriving at the restaurant kitchen where we prepare the meal to the place where we go to distribute the food to those in need – the feeling I have in my heart whilst doing this is one of love, hope and enlightenment. I have also met the most incredible people. Thank you for including me in this lifechanging experience. I cannot wait to be back.” Keri
WARM BLANKETS AND CLOTHING FOR THE HOMELESS As the colder months started to kick in just before Christmas, some of the homeless people started requesting blankets and clothing items in order to help keep them warm during the winter months. In order to support these requests, some of the enthusiastic volunteers took on the responsibility of creating a Just Giving page to help raise funds. The team raised £854 and used that money to purchase over 200 small blankets, 50 large warm blankets, tens of jackets, jumpers, gloves and hand sanitisers. All these items were gratefully received by the homeless.
FUNDRAISING FOR A NEW VAN The Food for Life team wish to raise £15,000 for a new van with cooking facilities. This will allow the team to cook and serve hot prasadam onsite. The van can also be utilised for other needs of ISKCON-London and Govinda’s Restaurant. To contribute, please visit: www.iskcon.london/ffl-fundraiser
GOVINDA’S RESTAURANT Govinda’s Restaurant had a record number of sales in 2018, with an 11.4% increase in revenue since the previous year. The restaurant gained well-deserved recognition in a number of culinary awards and rankings over the year, in addition to ongoing positive customer feedback. In particular, with the rise of veganism in the capital, it has been recognised as a place to come and enjoy succulent plant-based food. Runner-up “Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year” at the London Curry Awards The London Curry Awards award ceremony was held on Monday 30th April at the Chak 89 venue in Surrey. 24 awards were presented at the ceremony and Govinda’s Restaurant was runner-up in the “Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year” category. Manager, Thirupati Gauranga dasa, attended and picked up the award.
SOHO FÊTE
On Sunday 1st July, Govinda’s Restaurant set up a food stall at Soho Society’s Village Fête in St Anne’s Churchyard, Wardour Street, showcasing its ethically-based karma-free food. It was a great opportunity to build relations with the local community.
CELEBRITY VISITORS
Govinda’s Restaurant had various celebrities visiting including Boy George (singer-songwriter), Murali Sharma (Bollywood actor), and his wife Ashwini Kalsekar (Indian TV show actress). London’s Best Vegan Restaurants Govinda’s Restaurant was listed as one of the best vegan food places in London in the London Evening Standard’s “Best vegan food in London 2019: The ultimate guide.” Tucked away in Soho Square, just around the corner from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, Hare Krishna restaurant Govinda’s is known for serving a wide range of delicious vegan curries. Its location makes it a pretty ideal lunch spot for shoppers in the area and the healthy, affordable menu is one to try out.”
London’s Best Lasagne The Londonist featured the restaurant in their article on “London’s Best Lasagne.”
Inner Place, a personal lifestyle concierge service, listed the restaurant as one of the top 10 vegan restaurants in London. Govinda’s is run by the Hare Krishna’s and serves an amazing array of curries, dhals, papads et al. And there’s a good chance that you’ll catch a joyful live performance to boot.” MyLondon, a website providing news from across London, also listed the restaurant amongst their top 19 restaurants for vegan food in London.
On the hunt for “karma-free” food? Who isn’t? A meal at Govinda’s will keep your conscience clear as this Hare Krishna-run, canteen-style restaurant follows a sattvic diet. This means all the dishes are meat-free, freshly made every day, and even blessed before being served. Taste the love in their vegetable lasagne portion which is an absolute steal at just £4.95 and packed full of all manner of veggies (the exact combination changes daily). We think a little more seasoning wouldn’t go amiss, but at 40 years old and one of London’s first vegetarian restaurants, we’ll defer to their superior judgement.”
Popularly known as the Hare “Krishna’s”, the restaurant is run by the Radha-Krishna Temple, so you know it’s going to be wholesome. As well as bhakti-yoga and meditation, the community practices “karma-free” cooking, which means that meals are prepared with compassion and non-violence. And they are a registered charity, so tucking into their amazing traditional Indian cooking is a selfless act, if you really think about it.” Other Awards 2018 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor for “consistent achievement of high ratings from travellers.” Eco Award from GreenGate Bio Packaging for using eco food packaging which has potentially diverted 66 kilogrammes of waste away from landfill in 2018. 21
HARINAMA PADAYATRA: PILGRIMAGE FOR PEACE The six-day Padayatra festival began in Ramsgate on Monday 20th August and ended in the picturesque town of Canterbury on Saturday 25th August. The main theme of the Padayatra was “Simple living. High thinking.” Spectators and participants were able to immerse themselves in a spiritual experience through devotional literature, music, philosophy, prasadam, and the sight of two oxen gracefully pulling the traditional carts. The Padayatra team were greeted enthusiastically by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury as well as many Cathedral officials, local dignitary members, councillors, and members of the Canterbury interfaith group. Canterbury officials spoke about “unity in diversity” and were delighted to see the Hare Krishna’s in their town and offered their support and blessings for the onward journey. The Mayor of Margate and many other esteemed guests danced in kirtan with devotees under the Margate clock tower – a historical landmark inaugurated in 1869 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. All special guests received a selection of books presented as a giftset including the following books – Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-Caritamrita and Krishna Book. Over 50 devotees actively participated in the festival and a record-breaking 1,000 books were distributed. Watch highlights: http://bit.ly/padayatra2018-highlights
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LONDON COLLEGE OF VEDIC STUDIES
London College of Vedic Studies offers a wide range of educational, spiritual and practical courses aimed at nurturing character, personal fulfilment and spiritual progression. It was very active in 2018 – 46 courses, seminars and workshops took place and there were 25 facilitators including visiting guests. Below are some of the courses that took place. Recently attended “A Healthy Diet for a Healthier Lifestyle” seminar – cannot fault it at all! I felt so nourished by the seminar, never heard anyone explain things like this speaker had done. He’s the first person to have inspired me to make permanent changes to my diet. The course was well-organised, professional and there was a lovely spiritual environment during the seminar. Will be attending more!” Course attendee
ISKCON EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
A Healthy Diet for a Healthier Lifestyle with Raghunatha dasa
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here were 20 visits to ISKCONLondon by educational institutions in 2018, two of which were by schools that have not come before. The general feel from teachers and students was that they had a wonderful experience. 39 Bhagavad-Gita and 76 Higher Taste books were given out during the visits. ISKCON Educational Services (London) Coordinator, Jaga Mohini devi dasi, also attended the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) meetings. SACRE is an independent body which considers the provision of religious education in the area under the jurisdiction of its Local Authority, advising it and empowered to require a review of the locally agreed syllabus for Religious Education. There are usually three meetings each year.
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First be Conscious, then Krishna Conscious with Mahatma dasa
The Atma Paradigm with Akhandadhi dasa
Book Distribution with Visvambhara dasa
Vanquishing the Demons of Vrindavana with Madhavananda dasa
Mysteries of the Sacred Universe with Murali Gopal dasa
Being in Harmony with the Opposite Gender with Devaki devi dasi
I recently attended the seminar on Ayurveda at the London College of Vedic Studies. Before I went, I had only a basic knowledge at best of the subject and was worried that the seminar might be beyond my understanding. What I found instead was a talk that was aimed at all levels, in language that everyone could understand, and a teacher who was willing to spend as much time as needed answering all kinds of questions on the subject. The topics discussed were really interesting and relevant and could easily be applied to my daily life. Lots of people were interested in further Ayurveda seminars and workshops and I will definitely be attending any courses on the subject that are held in the future.” Course attendee
ISKCON Disciples Course with Jai Nitai dasa
Vegetarian Cooking Workshop with Radhika Kumari devi dasi
The Home Deity Worship seminars were probably the most immersive experience I’ve had regarding the entire process of taking care of one’s home Deities. From thinking of where to place one’s altar, to the detailed “how-to” demonstrations, the seminars gave me a wonderful insight into how to bring the Lord’s form home and take care of the Lord in one’s home. The course leader, Murli Manohara dasa, really brought his experience as the Soho Temple’s Head Pujari to the table, teaching us tips and tricks to help facilitate our personal home worship. All in all, I can say that I had a great experience meeting people and learning so much about the culture and practice of worshipping home Deities and I strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in either establishing an altar at home or even anyone looking for a little more inspiration to be able to serve their own Deities at home more!” Course attendee
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t takes 250 dedicated volunteers to make Their Lordships’ special day-out possible. Months ahead, the festival route is planned. The London authorities like to take prasadam as they meet about the legalities. And in the weeks leading up to the festival, a team of volunteers meticulously refurbish and clean the Rath chariots. On the day of London Rathayatra, the chariot team load the magnificent chariots onto trucks and transport them at 4.30am. A creative team of decorators bring garlands and banners to hang on the chariots. Dedicated stewards, in bright yellow jackets, safeguard the procession and the festival. Another trained team sets up Trafalgar Square with brightly coloured tents and a stage. Many people commented on the melodious chanting and dancing displays on stage. One of the main attractions is the free vegetarian feast which is cooked off-site. The big barrels of steaming hot prasadam are transported by truck to Trafalgar Square. The serving goes on throughout the day until 5.00pm. Over 18,000 plates of prasadam were served on the day. This year, the late Parama Karuna dasa, who passed away in 2017, was remembered. He planned and arranged the set-up at Trafalgar Square for 25 years. His photo was placed on Lady Subhadra’s chariot, beside Her lotus feet.
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OUTREACH KIRTAN LONDON Kirtan London is a collaborative outreach project supported by ISKCON-London and Bhaktivedanta Manor. It hosts both regular and special events throughout the year via its different teams. Mantra Lounge, a weekly Friday evening kirtan event hosted in Covent Garden, continues welcoming on average 20 to 30 guests each session. 6 Hour Kirtan, an event that is looked forward to by many in the community, takes place four times a year, attracting 150 to 200 guests per event.
In 2018, three day retreats were held at Bhaktivedanta Manor, offering guests an opportunity to take part in workshops on yoga, creative writing and japa, and time to explore the Temple grounds and the goshalla.
In May, Kirtan London hosted the fifth annual Pop-Up Temple at the London Wellbeing Festival (Mind Body Spirit) at Olympia Conference Centre. Over 700 people participated in kirtan and japa meditation sessions over the course of four days – receiving 900 prasadam sweets, 400+ books and 300+ japa malas.
In October, Kirtan London held its annual seven-day retreat at Buckland Hall, facilitated by Kripamoya dasa. Guests took part in yoga, wisdom classes, a Deity worship workshop, walks and kirtan.
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In July, the much-loved Barefoot in the Park 6 Hour Kirtan and picnic was held in Hyde Park bandstand. Over 500 people attended throughout the day with many more passers-by enjoying the kirtans.
There were two new additions to Kirtan London’s offerings in 2018: • A monthly kirtan session at Triyoga Shoreditch, one of London’s most popular yoga studios • Bhakti Sanga, a monthly reading group facilitated by Kripamoya dasa and hosted at homes of group members. The sanga offers the community the opportunity to develop deep friendships, serve one another, and dive deeper into bhakti philosophy.
Kirtan London ended the year with a collaborative event with Humble Warrior London (Jivamukti Yoga) and Tripspace (a yoga studio in Shoreditch). More than 200 enthusiastic yogis danced and chanted in celebration as 2019 began.
The Kirtan London team look forward to another year of serving and sharing the wonderful gift of kirtan with Londoners. To volunteer, email: info@kirtanlondon.com
NEWCOMER PROGRAMMES 2018 was a new beginning for outreach at ISKCON-London. A new set of programmes have spontaneously arisen and been successfully developed.
There is no doubt that millions of youngsters out there are looking for something more in life but it’s our responsibility to learn how to speak a language that relates to them.” Sam, Organiser
Wisdom Wednesdays originated as a follow-up programme for those whom book distributors met during the two-week Gaura Purnima book distribution marathon. Since the first event, where only four people attended, the programme has continued consistently week-after-week, with 25 to 30 people now taking part weekly. There has been a continuous flow of newcomers, mainly university students, that keeps the group filled with fresh vibes of enthusiasm. Some of the attendees have become regulars. Most attendees are new to spirituality. The Temple monks running the programme, headed by Dayal Mora dasa and Sam Rizzoli, have developed increased sensibility on how to present Krishna Consciousness in a light but catchy fashion. To do so, Wisdom Wednesdays has become all about making the preaching personal, fun, and about transformation rather than information. On top of that, homemade, vegan Italian pizza has captured the hearts of many. As well as Wisdom Wednesdays, male newcomers whom have taken a keen interest are directed to the Friday night Bhakti Quest run by another Temple monk, Dan Cockram, which is specifically meant for further education in the culture of bhakti. Reading, chanting and firedup harinama, together with the option to spend a whole weekend in the ashram, have made the Friday night programme a success.
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Outreach
Ladies who take a deeper interest are directed to the Ladies Sanga which takes place Thursday evenings. The programme consists of short talks on various topics, kirtans, workshops, etc. There is also a Secrets from the East programme that takes place on Sunday afternoons for newcomers, following which they honour the Sunday Feast with the Temple residents. Some of the newcomers have turned into the current leaders of Wisdom Wednesdays, facilitating pranayama exercises and meditations.
In October, both Dayal Mora dasa and Sam also pioneered Monk Meets Punk – a series that goes live on the London College of Vedic Studies Facebook page on Mondays at 7.00pm. It provides an opportunity to reach out to several thousands of people online across the globe revealing the humorous side of the modern Hare Krishna monks’ lifestyle whilst engaging newcomers in acting, filming and playing music.
To stay updated on all newcomer events, follow the Facebook page, Bhakti Yoga London: www.facebook.com/bhaktiyogalondon
OPEN DAYS Open Days continued to take place once a month from May to September.
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RADHA’S BOUTIQUE Radha’s Boutique’s mission is to provide everything devotees need to practice spirituality. In 2018, the boutique served as a convenient “one-stop-shop” for many devotees. Based on customer feedback and demand, the boutique supplies a wide variety of devotional items that suit many needs and tastes. The management are always open to bringing in other products that customers would find useful. In December, Andrei Juchnevic took over from Adi Gopi devi dasi as the boutique manager. His aim for 2019 is to provide customers with an excellent service, extended choice of goods from regular and new suppliers, affordable prices, and new incentives. I often buy books, incense, devotional clothes, kanthi malas and other beautiful items for the altar. I am very impressed with the variety of devotional goods and buy them as presents and for my personal needs.” Customer I am very happy that you sell maha sweets which I buy on special occasions for my friends and family. The service at the shop is always polite and helpful.” Customer
A very nice shop with a great choice of goods, from beautiful paraphernalia for the Deities to natural soaps for the family. I am very grateful that there is Radha’s Boutique.” Customer
RADHA KRISHNA RECORDS Highlights from Radha Krishna Records’ activities in 2018: Recording the Mantra Lounge: Volume 3 album to be launched in 2019 as an offering for ISKCONLondon’s 50th Anniversary year.
Release of the first London Mellows album, in a slick USB format, funded by the late Janaki devi dasi and other London Mellows supporters.
Digital release of The Morning Program Songbook by Kripamoya dasa.
Release of the Joy Bliss Love single by Jake Emlyn and Sam Rizzoli which celebrated the December Srila Prabhupada Book Marathon and is a favourite amongst devotees. The music video can be watched here: http://bit.ly/rkr-joyblisslove
Music video release of the highly successful Hari Om track by Jahnavi Harrison from the Mantra Lounge: Volume 2 album. It has had over 200,000 views to date and can be watched here: http://bit.ly/rkr-hariom Radha Krishna Records continues to take pride in supporting devotee artists in professional offerings that bring spiritual sound vibrations to the whole world. As well as the UK, Radha Krishna Records’ music is popular around the world including Brazil, India, Russia, and the USA. The majority of the back catalogue is now available digitally on all streaming and downloading services. CDs can be purchased at Radha’s Boutique or the Radha Krishna Records website (www.radhakrishnarecords.com/shop). 33
REGIONAL ATMA LOUNGE
BHAKTI YOGA CENTRE
2018 saw the Bhakti Yoga Centre community in Crawley take a huge step for the future by securing the purchase of the property which has been the home of Crawley devotees since 2013. During the year, in addition to the many events and festivals that took place, the centre developed its congregational weekly programme and introduced “themed” months to systematically present various topics on Krishna Consciousness.
The Atma Lounge centre in Folkestone, which includes The Secrets of India Gift Shop, officially opened in January 2017, has seen a 30% increase in turnover in 2018 despite a very difficult retail climate. Weekly outreach programmes continued with hatha-yoga classes on Wednesday evenings, guided meditations on Saturday mornings, and a weekly Sunday Feast programme. There is also a full morning programme six days a week. In the summer, a new Meditation Garden was opened. This is a big hit with customers and spiritual seekers alike. A new meditation room and library was also opened on the second floor of the building. Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami stayed in Folkestone for three extended periods in 2018. During that time, he initiated four disciples and broadcast his readings of Srila Prabhupada’s books live on the “Daily Readings of Srila Prabhupada’s Books” Facebook page each evening. Atma Lounge has a double guest room available to book for devotees who would like a break by the sea. For more information: www.atmalounge.com info@atmalounge.com 34
There are now four weekly sanga groups. Each group consists of between eight to ten devotees who follow a structured approach to studying Bhagavad-Gita. The success of these groups is a reflection of the conviction and focus that the local devotees have in studying the bhakti scriptures. For more information: www.facebook.com/BYC2013 info@iskconcrawley.co.uk
BRIGHTON YATRA The Brighton Yatra had their ninth year of weekly public programmes taking place at the Phoenix Community Centre, often facilitated by special guest speakers. Other weekly events include prasadam distribution to the needy every Friday lunchtime on the streets of Brighton and harinama every Saturday. For many years, there has been a steady 30 to 40 attendees at the weekly “Pop-up Temple,” where kirtan, class and prasadam is experienced. This rose to 60 to 70 attendees at times, along with a couple of celebrity guests from the music industry who enjoyed the kirtan and took some of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Throughout the summer, there was a weekly “Kirtan in the Park” attracting large crowds and an annual Rathayatra on Brighton’s seafront.
Brighton sees a diverse crowd attending its events and joining kirtans, from young students to pensioners, from hippies to business people, from local families to travellers.
ISKCON CANTERBURY Devotees in Canterbury were very successful in outreach in 2018. During the final ceremony at the UK Padayatra in the summer, outside the Canterbury Cathedral gates, the Vice-Dean and Cathedral librarian, Canon Tim Naish, was presented with a Srimad-Bhagavatam set and the Lord Mayor of Canterbury was presented with a Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta set. Many other local dignitaries were also presented with Srila Prabhupada’s books en route. The Canterbury devotees also launched Margate Mantra Lounge in September, a new outreach programme in the nearby town of Margate.
For more information: www.harekrishnabrighton.com
With the support of devotees from ISKCON-London, they distributed an exceptional 2,700 books within two days to students at the University of Kent during Fresher’s Week in September. They also nearly doubled their Srila Prabhupada Book Marathon score from the previous year by distributing 3,085 books.
CLOSET KRISHNA At the end of December, the Closet Krishna charity shop in Rochester was closed down. Unfortunately, after almost five years, it was not viable to continue financially. This was sad news for all the Closet Krishna devotees, volunteers, guests who attended the regular Friday programmes, and the people of Rochester who loved the shop and the nice atmosphere it created. However, Rochester was and continues to be ripe for outreach and many people are responsive. Based on this success, a North Kent Sanga has been set up and the regular Friday programmes will continue at the new Hindu centre in Gravesend (10-12 Manor Road, Gravesend, DA12 1AA), close to the rail station and the high street. The sanga leaders hope the programmes will continue to be well-attended by Closet Krishna regulars as well as attract new people. They hope to develop the outreach across other parts of North Kent. The ISKCON-London management thank Mukunda Kishore dasa, Nandini Rasika devi dasi, Anne and Claire who spearheaded, looked after and ran the shop over the last five years.
ISKCON WIMBLEDON A team of devotees started a monthly mantra meditation and Vedic philosophy programme in the heart of Wimbledon on the last Saturday of each month. The programme is open to everyone – those who are completely new to the practice of mantra meditation as well as those who are practicing regularly – attendees have been a mix of both. The sessions have been fun and interactive, exploring mindfulness through the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, engaging in kirtan, and honouring prasadam. For more information: www.facebook.com/iskconwimbledon wimbledon@iskcon.london 35
RUSSIAN VEDIC SOCIETY
For seven years, the Russian Vedic Society has been at the heart of spiritual activities of the Russianspeaking community in London. They organise educational seminars and workshops, often facilitated by senior preachers from Russia, warmly welcoming everyone to their programmes. BELOW ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES OVER THE YEAR: The year started with a well-attended public three-day workshop, facilitated by Damodara Vijaya dasa, aimed at explaining the stages in self-realisation. Nearly 20 devotees attended a talk on dharma and religion, based on Srimad-Bhagavatam, given by the same speaker at a nama-hatta event. In July, Vatsala dasa gave a twoday public lecture on karma, followed by a seminar on the goal, meaning and practice of Krishna Consciousness.
In March, dozens of devotees and their families gathered for the Russian Vedic Society’s seventh Anniversary celebrations. The event included an interactive drama on pastimes of little Nimai and Mother Saci (Lord Caitanya and His mother), script-written and performed by the devotees. It proceeded with games, a grand feast and an ecstatic kirtan led by Ananda Monet. Also in March, Vatsala dasa gave a two-day public workshop on prayer and meditation.
In April, the devotees had the association of Dhirasanta Dasa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada disciple. 36
In November, Prabhavishnu dasa, Srila Prabhupada disciple, spoke on Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.
Bhakti Rasayana Sagara Swami and Nara Hari dasa, the leader of the Russian congregation in Mayapur, conducted several workshops in April and June on conflict resolution, cooperation between devotees, japa meditation, and the importance of having a spiritual mentor. They also gave talks on Lord Caitanya’s mission and His pastimes. In May, Jambavati devi dasi, a spiritual guide to many Lithuanian devotees, shared insights from the Ramayana and the extraordinary female characters in it. In June, devotees gathered for an energising Japa Marathon.
In December, the devotees staged an interactive public performance “The Yogic Tales” for the Russianspeaking community in London. It was so successful that there are plans to repeat the performance for a wider audience.
Gita Jayanti was celebrated with a recitation of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is.
SANKIRTAN 2018 SUMMARY
From January to December 2018, ISKCON-London:
£ Distributed 81,797 books
Collected £187,047
Achieved 75133.5 book points
Organised 8 Sankirtan Sprints, 3 Marathons and 5 Open Days
Had over 230 participants
Weekend Warriors
Held Weekend Warriors book distribution events every Saturday. During these events, over 12 different towns were visited in the South East region
Seminars and Training
Organised sankirtan seminars and training sessions with Visvambhara dasa and Temple book distributors
2018 was the biggest year since 2004, and the department is continuing the trend of increasing yearon-year since 2013.
If you would like to invite the sankirtan team to your town for book distribution, harinama and a house programme, please email sankirtan@iskcon.london
World Sankirtan Newsletter: Number One in Europe In Europe, London took the lead with 69,872 book points, just barely exceeding the score of Bhaktivedanta Manor. There is a close competition between the two Temples which are also geographically close, only about twenty kilometres apart. In 2017, the Manor ended up ahead of London by just 185 book points. So apparently London decided to not have any more of that and took a narrow lead in 2018. The Manor did 66,469 points for second place. Srila Prabhupada liked transcendental competitions.” Vijaya dasa, Minister of Book Distribution Weekend Warriors London was In the 2018 rankings, ISKCON-London was: Number 17 in the Congregational Preaching and Weekend Warriors world rankings.
#1
#6
#23
Amongst all Temples Amongst all medium Temples Amongst all Temples in Europe in the world in the world
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Nama Sankirtan dasa was Number 10 Book Distributor in Europe, with 7055.25 book points.
Source: World Sankirtan Newsletter, 2018 (based on recorded results) 37
SRILA PRABHUPADA DECEMBER MARATHON
Sankirtan
It was ISKCON-London’s biggest marathon since 1993.
AWARDS AT ISKCON-LONDON POST-MARATHON FESTIVAL
The marathon was named “The Only Shelter”
Best Book Table
Best Child (Under 16)
Best Couple
Fortunate People Party
Yamuna Rajani
Adhibhuta dasa and Visodhani devi dasi
Best Daddy
Best Family
Best Girl Group
Vamsi Dhari dasa
Vamsi Dhari dasa, Alisha Singh and Kaya Singh
Srila Prabhupada’s Mission Ladies Party
Best Mentee Group
Best Mummy
Arjuna Group
Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s Mentee Group
Vrinda Sundari devi dasi
Best Newcomer
Best Over 60
Best South Regional Centre
Antoine Bour
Sarada devi dasi
ISKCON Canterbury
Best Srila Prabhupada Disciple
Best Student
Best Temple Department
Tribhangananda dasa
Ian Nene
Russian Vedic Society
Biggest Sponsor
Most Entertaining
Most Innovative
Roshan Patel
Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s Mentee Group
Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s Mentee Group
GITA JAYANTI PROGRAMMES In December, as part of the marathon activities, Gita Jayanti programmes were held in Avanti Court Primary School (Barkingside) and Krishna Avanti Primary School (Croydon). The programmes included a fire yajna with sloka recitation from the Bhagavad-Gita.
DAILY PODCASTS DURING THE MARATHON www.sankirtan.net
Best Men’s Group
ISKCON-London’s Goals and Achievements for the Marathon ISKCON-LONDON HAD THREE GOALS:
WHAT WAS ACHIEVED:
Distribute 40,000 books Distributed 35,088 books
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Collect £100,000
Collected £97,775
Have 300 participants
Had 250 participants
TOP 3 BOOK DISTRIBUTORS IN ISKCON-LONDON: 1
Fortunate People Party (Syama Kishore dasa’s book table with book distributors including Antoine Bour, Murli Manohara dasa, and Padmavati Nitaimata devi dasi)
2
Nama Sankirtan dasa
3
Sarada devi dasi
THE SUPREME CONTRIBUTION CAMPAIGN
In December 2018, The Supreme Contribution Campaign was launched. As an offering in honour of the upcoming 50th Anniversary of ISKCON-London, the Sankirtan Department would like to: • Get sponsorship for 50,000 Bhagavad-Gita As It Is books • Place 50,000 Bhagavad-Gita As It Is books in various locations (e.g. businesses, educational institutions, health institutions, prisons, etc.) • Print a Golden Anniversary edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1 with a picture of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara on the front cover. This campaign will continue until the end of December 2019. To sponsor: www.iskcon.london/supremecontribution
Awards at the National Post-Marathon Festival
The following individuals and teams from ISKCON-London were on the national top 20 charts. TEAMS:
INDIVIDUALS (STREET SANKIRTAN):
Number 2: Fortunate People Party
Number 2: Nama Sankirtan dasa
Number 7: Bhava Bhakti devi dasi’s Mentee Group
Number 6: Sarada devi dasi
Number 8: Vamsi Dhari dasa and Alisha Singh’s Grihasta Group
Number 11: Nitya Sankirtan Yajna dasa
Number 10: Gita Jayanti ISKCON-London came second amongst all centres and Temples nationally.
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Sankirtan
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SPIRITUAL MENTORSHIP SYSTEM INITIATIONS
Dana Gati dasa (Don Sharp), who is Mukunda Kishore dasa’s Mentee, took first initiation from Kadamba Kanana Swami in North London in June.
Krishna loves His devotees dearly and so what greater service is there than to become a servant of the glorious devotees and somehow, in whatever capacity we have, care for these special souls.” Bhava Bhakti devi dasi, Mentor
Vamsi Vata dasa (Alvin Babbea), who is Murli Manohara dasa’s Mentee, took first initiation from Bhakti Caitanya Swami in Newcastle in August. Thirupati Gauranga dasa (Thiru Dhayalan), Govinda’s Restaurant Manager, who is also Murli Manohara dasa’s Mentee, took first initiation from Maha Vishnu Swami in Brighton in September.
I wanted to have direction on my spiritual journey and guidance from a senior. It was important for me to improve my sadhana, and having a mentor that I’m accountable to has helped greatly in my engagement in services as well as the attention I need to give to my overall practice.” Hanel Gir, Mentee We both enjoy the time spent with our mentors and the mentees because there is such camaraderie and willingness to help each other…If anyone desires to make progress on their spiritual path, I would recommend that they become part of a mentorship group and reap the benefits of devotee association and Krishna-katha.” Chandra Caitanya dasa, Mentee
SPIRITUAL MENTORSHIP SYSTEM RETREAT
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Spiritual Mentorship System retreat, themed “Sravanam and Kirtanam,” took place from Thursday 9th August to Monday 13th August in the beautiful surroundings of New Mayapur, France. Special guests facilitating some of the seminars and workshops were Janananda Goswami, Krishna Dharma dasa, and Cintamani Dhama dasi.
New Mayapur (three hours from Paris) is located in a castle surrounded by greenery in 86 hectares of land. This place was acquired in 1975 by disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Govinda Madhava, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama and Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai are the principal Deities. Visitors are welcome throughout the year and it is the perfect place to rejuvenate or to hold a retreat. www.newmayapur.com 41
VOLUNTEERING
I’ve been a volunteer at ISKCON-London on and off for nearly 10 years...W hat I love most about volunteering is the sense of community. There is literally a place for everyone...The sense of friendship and belonging is something I have yet to experience anywhere else. As devotees, we come from an endless number of religious and ethnic backgrounds but in the Temple we are all friends working towards a common goal – the spreading of Krishna Consciousness. The friendships I have made, the realisations and lessons learnt from volunteering, are priceless.” Channah Mace
VOLUNTEERS SANGAS
In May, visiting speaker, Chaitanya Charan dasa, facilitated an insightful three-part seminar series for Temple volunteers on the topic of “Cultivating Sensitivity in Relationships.”
In August, volunteers were treated to an excellent two-day presentation by Urmila devi dasi during her short visit. The topic was “Achieving Material and Spiritual Balance: How to balance sadhana, services, family, study, work etc.”
Want to get involved? volunteers@iskcon.london Volunteering vacancies: www.iskcon.london/volunteer 42
You are all working very hard and this will not go in vain. Whatever we do for Krishna, that is to our eternal credit. Thank you very much.” Srila Prabhupada
I am so grateful for this delightful opportunity...W hen I heard about this service opportunity, I followed my heart to the Temple. The service has been so well-organised and clearly instructed.” Natasha Minchenko It was an opportunity for all ages to be involved in a simple service. I realised that in ISKCONLondon, the opportunities to serve are endless!” Gayathri Jayanathan Many devotees from different countries, backgrounds, age groups, and material and spiritual paths came together with the same goal – to please our beloved Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara.” Katerina Romiah 43
HARE KRISHNA! FILM SCREENINGS Hare Krishna! The Mantra, The Movement, and the Swami who started it all premiered in London in April with subsequent screenings throughout the UK. Hare Krishna! The Mantra, The Movement, and the Swami who started it all had its UK premiere at Odeon Covent Garden on Monday 23rd April. The award-winning film is a documentary on the life of Srila Prabhupada, the 70-year-old Indian Swami who arrived in America without support or money in the turbulent 1960s and ignited the worldwide cultural revolution in spiritual consciousness known as the Hare Krishna movement. It received a heartfelt popular reception in the UK. Tickets to the premiere sold out within an hour of going on sale, seeing close to 400 attendees across both screens. There was a diverse array of attendees. Over 150 special guests were welcomed which included people from the music industry, education, government, interfaith, neighbours, special interest groups and over 50 Srila Prabhupada disciples and other ISKCON seniors. Director, Yadubara dasa, and his wife and CoDirector, Visakha devi dasi, were present and gave an introduction to the film and answered questions from an appreciative audience after the film. Following the premiere, there were further London screenings in Harrow, Wembley and Watford, and in approximately 20 other major locations including Belfast, Birmingham, Canterbury, Cardiff, Crawley, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, and Watford. Nearly 2,700 tickets sold out fast across the UK and Ireland. It was triumphant. It was so beautiful, I cried.” Boy George, singer-songwriter Thank you for inviting Stephen and me to the premiere showing of “Hare Krishna!” What a moving and insightful film. I learned a lot…also that age should never stand in the way of one’s destiny and service to God as Swami Srila Prabhupada has proven.” Patti Boulaye, international singer, actress and artist
Due to continued high demand in London, an additional weekend screening was arranged at Odeon Covent Garden during the early May Bank Holiday weekend. This was attended by musician and Grammy award-winning artist, Boy George, who has been a huge supporter of the film and a friend of the Hare Krishna movement for many years. The UK launch was led by Madhava Javeri and core team members Devaki devi dasi, Natasha Menon and Siddarth Vachhani from ISKCON-London and Devaki dasi from Bhaktivedanta Manor.
Watch the UK Premiere highlights: http://bit.ly/hkfilm-highlights 44
GIVING “TAP TO GIVE” DEVICES “Tap to Give” devices have been installed at the Temple Reception and in the Temple Room, offering visitors the option of making contactless donations up to a value of £30. The growth of contactless technology in the UK means cash exchanges are declining rapidly. The devices have been designed to help charities in the rise of the cashless society. DONATIONS VIA THE NEW ISKCON-LONDON APP The new ISKCON-London app, My Temple Connect, launching in early 2019, can be used to make donations up to a value of £1,008.
AMAZON SMILE DONATES WHEN YOU SHOP
You can now give back to Krishna when you shop on Amazon UK! If you are an Amazon customer, you can support ISKCON-London each time you shop via smile.amazon.com. Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon Smile purchases to ISKCONLondon. Millions of products on Amazon Smile are eligible for donations to charities by Amazon. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for smile.amazon.co.uk” on their product detail pages. www.iskcon.london/donate/amazonsmile
If you are a UK tax payer, please ensure you have enabled your Gift Aid consent from the Profile menu. This will enable ISKCON-London to claim from HMRC an extra 25p for every £1 you give. My Temple Connect will be available to download on Apple Play for Apple devices and Google Play for Android. MEMBERSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Would you like to become a regular donor at ISKCON-London and support our various activities and the worship of the Temple Deities? There are a number of different membership options, starting from only £5 a month! MAHA BENEFACTOR: £901 per month BENEFACTOR: £451 per month MAHA PATRON: £251 per month PATRON: £108 per month
HALF-PATRON: £51 per month SUBSCRIPTION MEMBER: £25 per month SUPPORTING MEMBER: £11 per month MEMBER: £5 per month
You can either sign-up online at www.iskcon.london/donate/membership or email donations@iskcon.london for a hard copy form. You can also sponsor specific campaigns at the Temple, sponsor the worship of the Deities, or sponsor a feast on a notable day in your life (birthdays, anniversaries etc.). Please visit www.iskcon.london/donate for a full list of options. 45
50TH ANNIVERSARY 2018 WAS A YEAR IN PREPARATION FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS IN 2019
A 50th Anniversary core team was formed in October 2017 who have been working away since to plan a unique offering of events for 2019 – ISKCON-London’s Golden Jubilee year – marking 50 years since the first ISKCON Temple in the UK opened its doors at Bury Place, the first home of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara. One of the team leaders, Anantacharya dasa, says: From the start, we wanted to not only celebrate but to build on 50 years, creating an opportunity to present what has been achieved and what we have to offer together, to amplify the achievements of the wider community, connect with new audiences, and present what is relevant to people’s lives. All the activities that present bhakti-yoga in London showcase what we do to bring “love and happiness” into people’s lives, not just from the philosophy but from the experience.” In this way, the vision took shape. In terms of outside events, there will be a series of Love and Happiness Events in summer 2019, bringing bhakti-yoga culture, lifestyle and philosophy through kirtan, yoga, karma-free food, wisdom talks and much more, and a Golden Signature Event in winter, on Sunday 24th November 2019, at London’s prestigious Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. ISKCON and its lineage have been built by pioneers. Srila Prabhupada was himself the original pioneer of ISKCON who empowered three couples with a dream to start a Temple in London and meet the biggest band in the world – The Beatles – to help spread Krishna Consciousness. In 2019, the team invite you all to become a pioneer and do something extraordinary together. 50TH ANNIVERSARY MERCHANDISE 50th-branded merchandise (including beadbags, hoodies and T-shirts) will be on sale from Gaura Purnima 2019 at Radha’s Boutique.
The core team, overseen by Jai Nitai dasa, consists of: Ajay Kumar Devaki devi dasi Krishna Kirtan dasa Anantacharya dasa Dhaval Dattani Natasha Menon Ashika Patel Kapila Monet Palika Raniga
BACK TO GODHEAD ARTICLE In honour of the 50th Anniversary, ISKCON-London have a special 17-page feature article in the March to April 2019 Back to Godhead magazine, which will also be available at the boutique.
Radhika Rawat Sharmila Radhika devi dasi
To volunteer for 50th Anniversary services, email: 50@iskcon.london 46
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DAILY SCHEDULE ARATI TIMES 04:30 05:00 07:00 08:00 12:30 16:15 19:00 21:00
Mangal arati Tulasi arati Deity greeting Dhoopa arati Raj Bhoga arati Dhoopa arati Sundara arati Sayana arati
These are times when items are offered for the pleasure of the Deities.
DARSHAN TIMES
CLASS TIMES
04:30 to 05:00 07:00 to 07:30 08:00 to 11:45 12:30 to 13:00 16:15 to 18:30 19:00 to 19:30 21:00 to 21:30
07:30 Srimad- Bhagavatam / Caitanya- Caritamrta 13:00 Introductory talk * 18:00 Bhagavad- Gita *
These are times when the curtains are open and the Deities can be seen.
* Excluding Sundays
LUNCH PROGRAMME (Monday to Saturday)
13:00 to 14:00 Introductory talk and lunch.
SUNDAY FEAST PROGRAMME 15:30 to 19:30 Includes arati, introductory talk and feast.
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
ISKCON-LONDON Radha-Krishna Temple 10 Soho Street London W1D 3DL
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CONTACT: T: +44 (0)20 7437 3662 E : info@iskcon.london W: www.iskcon.london
/iskconlondon /iskconlondon @iskconlondon
International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada