ISKCON’s Tribal Care Initiative

ISKCON’s Tribal Care Initiative

The recently formed ISKCON Tribal Care Initiative, headed by GBC Bhakti Puruñottama Swami and chief coordinator Sridhama Govinda Dasa, is reaching out to the numerous tribal communities located in forests and remote areas of East and Northeast India. The Initiative is currently focusing on the Munda and Sauntala tribes of the state of Orissa, the Karbi and Dimasar tribes of Assam, the Riang and Tripuri tribes of Tripura, the Mizo tribes of Mizoram, and the Naga tribes of Nagaland. It is also visiting tribal people in the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Meghalaya, with a long term goal to provide them not only spiritual, but also emotional, health and educational care.

Krishna -Balarama Mandir to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Krishna Balarama Temple

At least one hundred Prabhupada disciples, including several who helped build Krishna -Balarama Mandir, are expected to attend the epic five-day celebration of the Vrindavan temple’s 40th anniversary from March 24th to 28th 2015.

Instituto Jaladuta Improves Scriptural Knowledge in Latin America

Instituto Jaladuta Improves Scriptural Knowledge in Latin America

Established and run by Dhanvantare Swami, the Instituto Jaladuta, or the Jaladuta Institute, is set in an “urban ranch” in Campina Grande, a college city in the state of Paraiba, Brazil. Twenty-two students – twelve male and ten female – reside there from March to October every year to take the onsite Bhakti-sastri course.

TOVP Announces the Radha Madhava Brick

TOVP Announces the Radha Madhava Brick

Mayapur, WB: The TOVP Fundraising Team announces yet another opportunity to help build the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: The Radha Madhava Brick. By donating $2500 towards a Radha Madhava Brick you can now help to build Their new altar. Like the Nasimha Tile and Golden Brick, the Radha Madhava Brick will have your name inscribed into it and will be placed under the marble surface of the Deities altar, there to remain for thousands of years. We will produce 1008 of these bricks, so there is a limited supply. Act now before they are all gone. To purchase your Radha Madhava Brick go to: http://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/.

Worldwide Ratha-yatra Celebrations

Worldwide Ratha-yatra Celebrations

Batam, Indonesia: Batam is the largest island in the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia and is mainly made up of Muslims. The city was holding a Cultural Parade in commemoration of its anniversary. The devotees used this opportunity to hold the Festival of Chariots.

Taipei, Taiwan: On December 13, devotees organized the very first Ratha-yatra festival here. The kirtana party consisted of His Holiness Giridhari Swami Maharaja and His Holiness Niranjana Swami Maharaja.

New Year Intensive Sanskrit Course in Vrindavan

New Year Intensive Sanskrit Course in Vrindavan

Vrindavan, UP: The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) course covers the most important sutras of the Sri Harinamamata Vyakarna, Srila Jiva Gosvami’s complete Sanskrit grammar, a work that contains around 3200 sutras or grammatical rules. Out of these, the course shall cover the 800 most essential ones. By the end of the course students will be able to directly read and understand the Sanskrit verses and commentaries on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad- Bhagavatam, along with several other writings of Vaishnava acaryas.

The course is divided into two semesters.