We sure got the crowd laughing :o)

For Rama Naumi our youth group volunteered to perform a play for the pleasure of the Lord and His sweet devotees.




It was a hectic time for me and so the bulk of the play planning and organising was left to these young members who took up the task with enthusiasm and a level of commitment that was pleasing to witness.





The result was a performance filled elements of these guys own enduring natures.




Vivek as the hot-tempered Lukshman had the crowd laughing as he portrayed Lakshman with some serious aTTiTude!





Meenal as sage Vishvamitra looked regal as she besieged Dasaratha to give Rama to him. Manoj played the part of grave, noble Rama perfectly… urm … at least until he couldn’t get his plastic arrows into his bow and then had to throw the arrows to kill Tataka!




Kamsa played by Roshan brought out more bursts of laughter from the crowd as he boasted the pride of his demon prowess. Deepan and Trusheel played there parts of kings and demons perfectly, thoroughly enjoying themselves.





Gentle Meera can’t help but look sweet even when she is playing the male part of King Janaka.





And our saving grace, Radha, who at the last moment was asked to play the demoness Tataka portrayed her part so well with only a last minute rehearsal, we will definitely be calling upon her acting capabilities again!



Jai Rama!

A special thanks goes to these 3 actors who did the bulk planning.


Manoj headed up the co-ordination of the play.



Mehul looked after the sound side of it.


Meenal took care of the props and costumes.


All glories to your service! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Lord Ramachandra!

BLUE LOTUS REPORT - TKG's DIARY

Haribol wonderful devotees
Please Accept My Humble Obeisances. All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!

What a fantastic book club meeting we had last night? It left us all inspired and high spirited. We read the book TKG's Diary" by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami. We started by singing Sapärñada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-viläpa Lamentation Due to Separation from the Lord and His Associates (from Prärthanä) a beautiful bhajan lead by Sitala Matajee who sings very sweetly and plays the mrdanga very well. Gita Govinda Matajee and Kandarpa Matajee played the kartels so melodiously not to mention little Gopi who was also playing so nicely.

All the Vaishnavis were highly inspired by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami’s dedication to Srila Prabhupada. Nayan Matajee, Daksha Matajee and Aarti matajee were feeling especially sad for Srila Prabhupada’s suffering and expressed their sincere admiration for Srila Prabhupada’s determination and high standard ensuring that everything was in order before he left his body. Gita Govinda Matajee shared her experience when she went to the Bhaktivedanta Manor in London and how by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that she actually got to see his rooms even though they are normally closed during festival time. Vishaka Matajee also described how Srila Prabhupada’s rooms are still so well preserved in Vrindavan and also made mention of how particular Srila Prabhupada was about the paintings that his disciples used to complete. Sitala Matajee was describing when she visited Srila Prabhupada’s samadi and the potency that one feels there and also made mention of the following point further elaborated by Kandarpa Matajee who read the extract where HH Tamal Krishna Goswami told Srila Prabhupada that he is a fool and Srila Prabhupada then replied to him that as long as he thinks himself a fool Srila Prabhupada can instruct him but as soon as he thinks that he knows everything then nothing can be taught. Kandarpa Matajee said we should adopt this attitude to for advancement in our spiritual lives and we all happily agreed. We also had two surprise guests which we warmly welcomed and they will be visiting our temple more often which pleased all the blue lotuses.

We all felt so blessed by HH Tamal Krishna Goswami who was so compassionate for sharing his diary with us and the entire world. Only by his mercy ordinary people like us could know the truth as it was about the greatest leader who walked on this earth, Srila Prabhupada. We were feeling so blissful and started to appreciate all of Srila Prabhupada’s amazing disciples. Srila Prabhupada was truly an outstanding spiritual father who had so many dedicated and loving sons who has followed/follows him exactly, that is why ISKCON still stands so firm with proper standards, highly maintained and always will, continually growing from strength to strength!

"Srila Prabhupada lives with those who live to fulfil his desires. We take shelter beneath the lotus feet of our beloved Guru Maharaja, whom we eternally serve" HH Tama Krishna Goswami from TKG’s diary pg 357. We see this statement is practised by all of our ISKCON leaders and we can only try to follow in their footsteps.

SRILA PRABHUPADA KI JAI!!!!
HH TAMAL KRISHNA GOSWAMI MAHARAJA KI JAI!!!
BLUE LOTUS BOOK CLUB KI JAI!

We would like to extend our gratitude to all for providing delicious prasadam.

Your loving servant
Hema Patel

For and on behalf of The Blue Lotus Book Club
(31 March 2009)

Vraja’s Goddess

kyaham parah sata-nikaty-anuviddha-cetahsankalpa esa sahasa kva su-durlabhe’rtheeka kalpaiva tava mam ajahaty upadhi-sunyeva mantum adadhaty agater gatir me

O Srimati Tulasi-devi, how low I am, my heart pierced by hundreds of offenses! How exalted and difficult to attain is my aspiration! Your causeless mercy is my only hope. It is by Your mercy that I, who am so fallen, can have these desires in my thoughts.

( Sri Sankalpa-kalpadruma,Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Srimati Tulasi devi is a dear most servant to Radha Krishna and under Purnamasi’s guidance arranges the pastimes of Radha and Govinda. For this reason she is a great shelter for devotees who are aspiring to reside and serve the Lord in Vraja. But she has another special characteristic making her mercy so freely accessible to all! And that is her form within this material world is a plant. Just by watering and singing prayers to Tulasi devi we are able to receive the highest perfection. Tulasi devi, Vrinda devi ki jai!

For such a special personality as this devotees, Mother Radhakunda and Damodara Prabhu, painstakingly over a few months arranged for a beautiful house and garden for Tulasi devi to reside in. The opening for this special place took place last weekend and the mood was incredibly sweet.

Our youth group and book club arranged the décor and assisted in the gift bags.

This here is Neha accompanied by her mum, Prabha Matajee, and aunt, Daksha Matajee.



They created a beautiful Vrinda devi backdrop for the stage.


It was very nice to be able to mediate on the different names of Vrinda devi that they had scribed to the backdrop.


Daksha Matajee also took care of the Tulasi skirts that were arranged for each and every tulasi plant.


This here is my dear friend, Hemisha, and my sweet sister, Gita Govinda devi dasi, who are also the local décor gurus.

For years they have been dedicated to the service of decorating the temple and Lord Jagannath’s cart and tent at the annual Ratha Festival in Lenasia. Their devotion and meticulous service to the Lord is inspiring.

Hema Matajee and Syamarani devi dasi prepared fancy gift bags holding ekadasi sweets, Maha Tulsi leaves, Tulasi devi info pamphlet and Tulsi book marks. All the guests so much appreciated this thoughtful gesture.

Once again the true bliss of the festival was everyone working so nicely together at such short notice on all of this to make the day special for Tulasi devi and all her guests.

We hope the Lord and devotees engage us more and more in divine service.

Thank you to all the youth group members and mothers who assisted so willing in all our endeavors.

Hare Krishna Food for Life

Last Saturday we joined the Lenasia Food for Life team in distributing sanctified food in Kliptown, an African township, a 10 minute drive from the temple.

Hare Krishna Food for Life (FFL) is different to other welfare organisations as it does not only provide physical relief but spiritual relief as well. Supplying food to the body is temporary as one again becomes hungry but by providing spiritual relief (of Krishna prasadam and the Holy Name) one is given the opportunity to never again take birth in a material body, thus providing permanent relief from the pangs of material existence.

FFL is a truly satisfying experience. We distributed at an orphanage that is part of an informal settlement. Several young kids and older ladies came inside the clean and neat dining area.

This here is Minesh Prabhu, the head organiser, getting an energetic kirtan started up.

With the enthusiastic encouragement of Sharad Prabhu and others the ladies began clapping their hands and the kids danced to the rhythms of the holy Name.



Some of the youngsters brought out their African drums taking the whole experience to another level.



While others were overjoyed to play some of our instruments



All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s perfect solutions to all troubles! Global Food for Life Ki Jai!



FFL in Lenasia takes place from the temple every Tuesday and Maha (big) FFL takes place every last Saturday of the month. You are most welcome to be a part of it!

Blue Lotuses working their magic

The Blue Lotuses were working their magic again this Monday... where we discussed Nectar of Instruction

It was a fun group of over-enthusiastic devotees.. 'some new some old'..

joined by their passion for deepening their knowledge of Krsna Consciousness

.

So what was said??

What was learnt??

.

"..this book is like a beginners manual..it tells you step by step how to learn about and attain Godhead"

.

"the book progresses from verse to verse Urging you..Instructing you to improve in Krishna Consciousness"

.

"..it was entertaining when the book described gossiping devotees as croaking frogs!!" Who wants to be a croaking frog?? :(

What is to be a confident devotee? When you know Krsna will help, protect and guide you for surrendering and serving Him

.

" Prabhupada was so merciful to us, he brought the minimum number of rounds down from 64 to 16, we shouldn't use time as an excuse, we can always make time.. get up earlier, spend our lunch time in our cars chanting..."

.

Prabhupada urges us to lift ourselves up spiritually, the power is in our hands to advance...

.

The book says.. "who in their right minds wouldn't want to be here" referring to godhead..

Are we all insane then, for not doing everything possible to advance spiritually faster???

.

We really hope to see more new devotees joining us at our next Book club, 16 March, where we will discuss: TKG's Diary

.

Your servants

Sunaina
on behalf of the Blue Lotus Book Club

.

Jai Nitai! Jai Nitai! Jai Nitai!

Man! What a festival!

Last youth group we went around asking each member what was their favourite moment in the festival hosted by our youth group. In all responses the service they performed was appreciated the most. We are servants, servants of the most amazing Lords and so we are only truly happy when we engage in His service.

Thank you dear members of the Lenasia Sri Mayapur Dham Youth Group & the Blue Lotus Book Club.

Thank you to the vegetable cutters and cooks, headed by Gita Govinda dd and Kandarpa Manjari dd

Thank you to the décor peeps, headed by Hemisha and Sitala dd

Thank you to the Prasadam serve out team, headed by Srivas das

Thank you to the welcoming party, headed by Sunaina and Syamarani dd

Thank you to the garland makers, headed by Gita Govinda dd

Thank you for working together so nicely – that was the reason for our success. And was the festival a success?? Well, a kind Vaisnava tells that he thought it was:

----------

Hare Krishna
Please accept my humble obeisance
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to all you wonderful devotees.

I just wanted to express my sincere appreciation to the team of devotees who arranged the fabulous celebration of Lord Nitiananda’s Appearance at the Lenasia Mandir.

Thank you very much.

The reception was very heartwarming.
Being greeted upon entrance and being welcomed by very young devotees was a splendid idea. The new generation were presenting themselves as future leaders of Iskcon. Their smiles of welcome spoke volumes on the ecstasy of service to the Supreme Lord.

Being offered a garland in welcome, as well as an embrace, by a very young vaisnava really stole my heart.

The temple room was absolutely beautiful. The elevated signage, expertly composed, revealed the finesse of the organizers; a whole new input of fresh ideas to capture one’s attention and induce query and appreciation.

The massive poster of Lord Nitiananda’s feet (with symbols) was very well presented. Yet again a superb example of devotional expertise!

I looked around and saw many senior vaisnavas wearing “Welcome” garlands. The senior Vaisnavis were not forgotten, and that really meant a lot to me.

Having devotees from our various temples and preaching outposts meet at one venue for this fabulous celebration was a splendid arrangement.

I loved the “report back” made to the Lordships of goals attained during the past year, as well as the commitments being made for the present term.

Overall, a most wonderful festival that brought us all together in glorious surrender to the Lordships, our beloved Srila Prabhupäda, and the warm embrace of our fellow vaisnavas in the House that Prabhupada built.

May you all be eternally blessed in your glorious service to Srila Prabhupäda.

Your servants, as always

Prabhavisnu dasa;
Premä Bhakti devi dasi.

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May we be always engaged in positive attitude in the Devine service our Lords!

Jai Nitai!

Srila Prabhupada is coming!

Haribol friends....

Book after book ... Srila Prabhupada never ceases to amaze us...

From his writings to the dear memories captured of him by devotees... We are left relishing the sweet nectar that our Blue Lotus Book Club has afforded us yet again

Yesterday evening we discussed “Srila Prabhupada is coming” by Mahamaya Devi Dasi…

What a beautiful life story that she tells with tender care and brutal honesty..

One cannot help but appreciate and admire her for having done so.

Her journey from Sin to Surrender was awe-inspiring.. she grabbed Krishna Consciousness with so much passion and enthusiasm that allowed her to overcome the darkest of times

“Try out Krsna Consciousness for just one lifetime.. What do you have to lose??”… she was told..

and so she did and gained her true purpose in life

Srila Prabhupada saved her soul… and through her story ... he continues to save us.. What a great motivational book to urge devotees to serve Krsna no matter the circumstance

We truly hope to see you at our next book club on the 16th of Feb to discuss

"Nectar of Instruction"

Hari Haribol!!!!

Your servants,
Sunaina
on behalf of The Blue Lotus Book Club

:o)

Transcendental party preparations

As you all know our beloved Lord Nityananda's party is taking place on the 7th of Feb, that’s just a weekend away and guess what?? We planning the party! From the prasadam, to temple program, to EVERYTHING!.



It’s a great opportunity to offer a really, really nice day to the Lord, if we please Lord Nityananda we'll automatically get the mercy of Lord Caitanya :o) Lord Nityananda is described as being eternally joyful and the devotees pray to Him saying that we are always unhappy but because You, Nitai, are always very happy, please make us very happy too! Haribol!

So on that note let us try our best to offer our very best to this Supremely Joyful Personality of Godhead!

So far different devotees have been heading up different areas:
Prasadam - Gita Govinda and Kandarpa
Devotee Welcome – Sunaina and Syamarani
Décor – Hemisha
Banners – Sitala

For the past 2 youth groups we’ve been doing a lot of cutting and pasting and (this last youth group) a lot of messy, fun painting!


With these creative geniuses, the banners are coming along nicely and I can’t wait to put them up!

2009 here we come!

Welcome to a new year!

Youth group ended last year with a fab Christmas Party. Check out the pics from the Christmas Party in the blog post below

Last Saturday was the first youth group gathering of the year and so we discussed what each one of us are going to do for Gaura Nitai in the year 2009. Each person was given a log sheet to track if they have done what they have promised and then at the end of the year or sometime during the year we can see how we are doing.


The idea is that we have SO much to be thankful to Gaura Nitai and so for 2009, every day/week/month, we want to do something for the Lord. It can be something simple like offering a flower every day, chanting one round, reading a book, coming to youth group every week … the opportunities are unlimited!

If you have not attended, it is not too late to get log sheets from me and to start your offering of love :o)

Next youth group this is what we going to do:

"Whacha gonna do?"
Kirtan,
Skit and Discussion,
Game of Cricket,
More Kirtan
End

Time: 4PM
Date: 10 Jan 09
Venue: Temple

See you all there!