Lord Siva Receive Abhiseka From The Head Priests
9 April 2006: For the first time, Lord Siva appeared in the form of Hamsa Vahan (Lord Siva riding on Brahma's swancarrier) in Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, the world headquarters of ISKCON.
Sri Navadvipa Mahatmya mentions Hamsa-vahana deity as Lord Siva's unusual appearance on Brahma's swan, impelled by his ecstatic attraction to Lord Caitanya. Once, Lord Siva giving lip his slow bull carrier, mounted Sri Haritsa-vahana, Brahma's swan carrier and hurried to Madhya DVipa in Navadvipa Dhama to hear the recitation of Puranas at this holy place. There, along with his followers he sang the glories of Lord Gauranga. While singing and dancing in kirtanas, the followers surrounded Lord Siva and shouting the name of Gaurahari, threw heaps of flowers all around .
The devotees in Mayapur celebrated Lord Siva's arrival by giving him a wonderful abhi,eka. After the abhiseka, devotees carried the Haritsa Vahan on a palanquin and performed a parikrama of the Deities. Lord Siva took darsana of each altar, stayed through the Gaura arati and then left for his abode in a temple in Madhya Dvipa. The deity was originally kept submerged under water throughout the year, and would be taken out for darsana only for 12 days, once in a year. However, after it was stolen some time back, the piijaris have decided to worship him in the temple throughout the year.
KAZAKHSTAN GOVERNMENT BULLDOZES HARE KRSNA COMMUNITY
25April 2006: The Hare Krsna devotees watched helplessly as state executors ordered bulldozers to demolish five residential cottages in the beautiful agricultural community on the outskirts of the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan. In a clear case of state sponsored act of injustice, devotees have been asked to vacate their legally purchased land to facilitate what appears to be a land grabbing operation for commercial greed. In 1999, devotees in Kazakhstan purchased a beautiful farm and since then developed it into a wonderful agricultural community, in addition to a home for many Vaishnavas, and a venue for a wonderful yearly summer festival attended by devotees frorn Central Asia and Russia. However, since October 2004, the Kazakhstan government has been trying to push devotees out of this property. The local court ruled that the land be confiscated from the Hare Krsnas and returned to the government. This ruling is illegal and not based on legislation. Devotees suspect that because the value of this land has increased dramatically since 1999, the powerful government land barons want to eliminate them by any illegal process so that they may possess the land again, sell it, and make astronomical profit. Devotees have reasons to believe that the local authorities are also annoyed that a Hare Krsna commune is doing so well in Kazakhstan. On April 24 late evening, the devotees were served a notification that the asramas and cottages will be demolished the next day, which is a complete violation of the legal limit of minimum five days that is given for such evacuation. The bulldozers were at work the next day. Devotees fear that more such demolitions will take place.