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Auckland, NZ
Amrta Pani Mataji
Two Tamal Krishna Goswami Disappearance programmes
were conducted this week, the first on the actual Disappearance day
Wednesday March, 1. This programme was held at the Auckland Radha
Giridahari Temple on a warm and clear day in the Memorial Garden
designed and built by the local TKG disciples to honour their Guru.
A structure housing Srila Gurudeva’s photograph and golden footprints
was the focus of the day with kirtana, a bhoga offering with many
delicious preparations, arati and puspanjali, and Guru-puja. The
disciples then served the fabulous feast to guests. It was expressed by
one disciple that it was just like Srila Gurudeva was actually present
with the same anxiety and pressure to have everything perfect and on
time. The cooks and helpers could feel Srila Gurudeva’s presence very
strongly.
The second programme was held at the new factory of Nimananda and
Suchitra prabhus who are the proprietors of Food for Life. They produce
packaged prasadam for distribution from the factory. While a great deal
of activity was going on in the new, scrupulously clean and efficient
kitchen, upstairs a beautiful altar was decorated by Hari Sevaki devi
dasi from China (she has taken initiation from Umapati Swami but is very
attached to Srila Gurudeva). Chandrakoti mataji prepared colourful vases
and Srila Gurudeva was in the centre wearing fragrant rose garlands. To
the right of the altar was a very large painting of Srila Gurudeva
belonging to Nimananda and Suchitra that was painted by the well known
artist Dina Bandhu who now resides at the Temple.
A kirtana lead by Sundar Gopal and then Sripati prabhus was sweet and
this was followed by Amrta Pani reading a condensed version of the
biography from Satyaraja das. Emotional homages with little stories of
pastimes were recounted and the overall mood was one of appreciation of
all our God brothers and sisters who can keep us connected to our
beloved spiritual master.
Following the homages was
puspanjali led by Sriniketana prabhu a new arrival from Fiji, arati by
Nanda Vraj prabhu and Gurupuja led by Saci Suta prabhu.
The overall co-ordinator for the day, Sudharma mataji, thanked everyone
for all they had done and invited everyone to take prasadam. There were
an amazing number of preparations cooked, and the feast confirmed the
reputation that the disciples have of being exceptional cooks.
(For more details & photos of
their program, please click
here.)
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Srila Gurudeva's
Samadhi in Sridham Mayapur
Sridham Mayapur
Braja Sevaki Mataji
The tirobhava ceremonies
here in Mayapur were, as usual, very wonderful. In the morning HH
Lokanath Maharaja sang Je Anila Prema Dhana, which was once again a
very moving tribute to Srila Gurudeva in the presence of hundreds
and hundreds of devotees from all over the world who have gathered
in Mayapur for the annual festival.
Later in the morning devotees came to his samadhi, and the disciples
started the program with their memories and glorification of
Gurudeva -- Priyavrata das, Candrasekhara das, Visvambhara das, Rupa
Raghunath das, and Guru Bhakti dasi all gathered onstage and took
turns to speak. Hari Sauri prabhu was MC, and as the Prabhupada
disciples arrived from the Srila Prabhupada Katha sessions in the
main pandal, he invited them also to speak. Gathered onstage were
Bhavananda, Mahadyuti, and Matsyavatar prabhus, and they were joined
by HH Jayapataka Swami and Jayadvaita Maharaja. One devotee filmed
and recorded the entire proceedings and will send me the DVD next
week, so I'll get that sent somehow to the right people for
distribution. Perhaps the most telling comment was from HH
Jayapataka Swami, who said, "The disciples of Tamal Krishna Goswami
should know that they are not the only ones who served under him: we
did too, and I personally wouldn't change that for anything."
Visvambhara prabhu led a very sweet gurupuja after the pushpanjali,
and then devotees went to both the Gada Building and the Lotus
Building for a feast.
Godbrothers and godsisters
of Gurudeva who were served on the Lotus Building verandah said it
was the best feast they had ever experienced in Mayapur. This was
due to the expert hands of Bhadra Caru prabhu, a local devotee who
often served Gurudeva and knew exactly his preferences in prasadam.
The feast was first class....
I was given several donations during the day from the following
devotees, who have all generously donated to Gurudeva's maintenance
fund. They are all owed a our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for
generously contributing to the
samadhi and to honoring Srila Gurudeva so nicely here in Mayapur.
Oxford, UK
Krishnabhishek Prabhu
It has been my good fortune
to organise Srila Gurudeva's disappearance day in Oxford, a place
where Srila Gurudeva was finishing one of his last services on this
planet. On the tirobhava day, we had meditative evening kirtans,
just the way Srila Gurudeva liked to do it in his room in Mayapur.
This was followed by glorification/ pastimes, narrated especially by
Saunaka Rishi Prabhu about Srila Gurudeva's academic career in
Cambridge and Oxford.
The next day, a Tamal Krishna Goswami memorial feast was hosted at
the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, which was attended by many
distinguised professors and scholars from Oxford University, many of
whom knew and appreciated Srila Gurudeva a lot. Prof Gavin Flood,
who is a very good friend of Srila Gurudeva from Cambridge, and
happens to be my academic supervisor, had commented : "One could
possibly never forget Goswami, it feels just yesterday".
By the blessings and mercy of Vaishnavas, may Srila Gurudeva's
legacy live on in Oxford forever the way it does now ! Eve yasha
gushuk tribhuvan !
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Hare Krishna Dham
Houston, TX
Sarvabhauma Prabhu
In the morning His Holiness
Kesava Bharati Goswami gave a nice class in which he spoke about Srila
Gurudeva. One of his themes was that Srila Gurudeva was unlimitedly
qualified in so many areas, but he always consulted with his godbrothers
before making decisions.
Maharaja stressed that we as disciples should not become too independent
in making decisions, but we should also consult with senior devotees. He
specifically referred to the new temple construction project in Houston
and issues such as moving the deities, etc., that senior devotees should
be consulted on that. He also stressed that we should learn to love and
respect one another and not fight.
Maharaja was scheduled to leave for Hungary and then India, but by
Krishna's arrangement he got to honor the feast for Gurudeva's
disappearance day along with Jivananda Prabhu, a senior devotee from
Dallas who had a lot of interchanges with Gurudeva over the years.
Immediately after the mid-day feast, they left for the airport.
From 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. devotees spoke about Srila Gurudeva and at
11:45 we did puspanjali and had a kirtan from 12 to 12:30, then a nice
feast.
In the evening we had kirtan, memories from many devotees including our
temple president Syamasundar Prabhu; & another feast. We had two feasts
because it was a working day and some people could only come in the
evening.
Radha Krishna Prabhu was master-of-ceremonies at the evening program,
and Jai Baladeva Prabhu was master-of-ceremonies during the noon
program. Syama Vallabhi dasi, Guru Priya dasi and a number of matajis
cooked nice feasts.
Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK
Manikundala Mataji
Here at Bhaktivedanta Manor we had a
beautiful day with Srila Gurudeva video lecture in the morning, guests
and disciples' readings and offerings followed by puspanjali, kartik, a
wonderful bhajan play on video by Jayadeva Prabhu and a great feast
which included Mother Kalangana sweets, of course!
Another feast was cooked at Syamala Sakkhi and Labanga Latika's house
and we had a more intimate meeting late into the evening.
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