ToVP to Present a “Credible Scientific Alternative”
Mayapur, WB: Construction work on ISKCON’s flagship temple the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) is continuing, with an expected 2016 grand opening, in honor of ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Fifty engineers, 800 laborers, and dozens more team members are hard at work on the project, which will feature a 300 foot-high dome inspired by Washington D.C.’s Capitol building.
ISKCON New York Celebrates 40th Anniversary
New York: The devotees of ISKCON New York had a ten-day festival of Sri Sri Radha Govinda celebrating the 40th anniversary of establishing the temple.
Ratha-yatra Celebrations
Dhaka, Bangladesh: For nine consecutive days, from June 21–29, ISKCON celebrated the festival here with over 60,000 people participating in it. Mr. Obaidul Kader (Minister of Railway and Communication), Mr. Mizanur Rahman Khan Dipu and Sri Biren Sikder (members of Parliament) inaugurated the Ratha-yatra procession.
Toronto, Canada: Holding the first festival held in 1972, ISKCON Toronto celebrated the festival for the 40th year.
Bronx, New York: On May 20, Bronx residents celebrated the Festival of Chariots for the third time. There were three chariots, one each for Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra .
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration
London, UK: Srutidharma Dasa and Radha Mohana Dasa represented Bhaktivedanta Manor and the wider Hindu community at the Service of Thanks giving for the County of Hertfordshire to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen.
Ritual Ceremony Relocated Due to Protests
Moscow, Russia: On June 7, there was a ritual ceremony in honor of starting the construction of the new temple here. However, the devotees had to change the venue, as the land was occupied by several hundred protesters.
The ceremony was held in the Hare Krishna Temple in Moscow. Anjai Malhotra, the Indian ambassador to Russia, who visited the event, expressed his hope that in the future the Vedic Cultural Center in Moscow will become “one of the landmarks of the capital.”
London’s Ratha-yatra Echoes Olympic Spirits
London, UK: The Festival of Chariots held in the British capital on June 17 echoed the Olympic spirits known for uniting nations. Pilgrims and faith leaders from all over the world hand-pulled the three 40-foot-high colorful chariots.
No Further Appeal Against Bhagavad-gita Translation
Tomsk, Russia: Russian prosecutors have decided against taking forward their case seeking a ban on a translation of Bhagavad-gita , bringing to end an issue that had enraged Hindus worldwide and even threatened to strain Russia’s ties with India. State prosecutors in the Siberian city of Tomsk will not challenge a lower court decision to refuse to declare the translation of the Hindu scripture as “extremist,” RAPSI news agency reported.
New Zealand PM Visits ISKCON
Auckland, New Zealand: At a visit to the New Varsana community here on June 21, New Zealand Prime Minister John Keys asked deep questions and expressed a lot of appreciation for ISKCON.
Bahadurgarh, Haryana: Renowned yoga teacher Swami Ramdev visited the ISKCON temple here on May 29-31, May 2012. During his stay, he chanted and danced in harinama-sankirtana. The temple president, Prabhu Caitanya Rupa Dasa, presented him with a copy of Srila Prabhupadas Bhagavad-gita As It Is and a picture of Lord Krishna.
Karachi, Pakistan: Devotional satsanga programs are being conducted in many cities across Pakistan including Mirpur, Khass, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Bhawalpur and in Quetta. Devotees are also planning to hold Ratha-yatra s in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Dallas, Texas: On June 24, Tamala Krishna Goswami’s PhD thesis, A Living Theology of Krishna Bhakti, published by Oxford University Press in New York, was posthumously released here. Subtitled “Essential Teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,” the book presents the unique contributions of ISKCON’s founder in a “carefully conducted theological study” that can be seriously considered and appreciated by the academic world.
Contributed by Madhava Smullen, Radha Mohana Dasa, and Olessia Potdzerob.