HH Jayapataka Swami in Pune

BY ABHIJIT TOLEY
PHOTOS BY TUSTI MOHAN KRSNA DAS

PUNE,INDIA – Applause. The kind that bursts out from the hearts of the audience after a moment of stunned silence. The kind that seems to last forever. The kind that no one wants to ever end. The kind that follows a moment that everyone wants to etch into their memories for all time to come. The kind that typically follows an awesome performance that touches the hearts of the audience very deeply. Today, I was part of one such applause.

Ushering the Year the Ox

Source: savethecows.wordpress.com

Happy New Year!

January 26, 2009 marks the beginning of the Chinese year 4707. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, this is the Year of the Ox. The Ox, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, symbolizes prosperity through hard work, resolve, and tenacity.

While economists hope this fortells a bullish financial market, we at Save the Cow see it as an opportunity to increase and improve our service to Lord Krishna’s beloved cows and oxen. This auspicious opportunity is open to all and depends upon your generous contributions. Let’s work together to make this Year of the Ox one of wonderful progress in the cause of go-seva, cow protection.

Gaura Purnima Festival 2009 in Mayapur

BY HH BHAKTI PURUSOTTAMA SWAMI
Source: Mayapur.com

We take pleasure to invite devotees from all over the world to celebrate Gaura Purnima 2009 festival in Mayapur. The highlight of this year’s festival will be Maha Abhisheka to big deities of Sri Panca Tattva on 25th February 2009. Don’t miss it! The next Maha Abhisheka will take place only after another five years i.e. in the year 2014.

A Spiritual Juggernaut in Kuala Lumpur

BY UTTAMA CAITANYA DASA

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Most of the times we don’t know what in store for us. It was virtually pouring cats and dogs from early morning of Saturday, 3rd January. The was no sign of the sun. A dreary change of weather from the previous sunny days. Is the 28th  wet affair? Many feared so.

Reaching out to Single Mothers

BY UTTAMA CAITANYA DASA

KLANG,  MALAYSIA – The Social and Welfare Wing of Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) in collaboration with The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Taman Sentosa, Klang, organised a one-day seminar for some 30-odd single mothers of the Taman Sentosa residency.

Krishna Pushya Abhishek in Klang

BY JEYANTHY PILLAI

KLANG, MALAYSIA – As the full moon cast its rays, devotees in ISKCON Klang showered the gorgeous deities  Sri Sri Radha Govinda with rose flower petals to celebrate the auspicious Pushya Abhishek festival.  Srimati Radharani had the most captivating smile as though she was simply delighted with the whole affair.

Its flowers, flowers and only flowers: Pushya Abhiseka Purnima Darshan !

BY GOPIJANA
Source: www.mayapur.com

MAYAPUR, INDIA – Sri Sri Radha Madhava are offered a flower outfit today on the occasion of Pushya Abisheka Purnima. Darshan Arati was at 8am as deity dressing is elaborate, with flowers. It is not an ordinary task to design, sew flower patterns and make flower crown, flower bracelets and ornaments for Sri Radha Madhava and Astasakhis and the small deities of Sri Radha Madhava in a very short time.

Things to look out if you are a vegetarian

BY JEYANTHY PILLAI

I came across this information from the Vegetarian Society website recently, and I thought it will be best for devotees to be aware of this as well.

Did you know that Gardenia bread produced in Malaysia contains Vitamin D3 and it is obtained from fish oil or the wool of  the sheep called lanolin?

Watch out for the E numbers in the ingredients of some biscuits and ice-creams. Not all are vegetarian. E120 is made from crushed insects.

Most of the pills and some chewy sweets are made of gelatin. Some low-fat yoghurt and jellies contains gelatin as well. Most gelatin is obtained from the hooves of the cow!

Chewing gum often contains glycerin, a product that is obtained from animal fat. Wrigleys use vegetable glycerin. Glycerin is also fround in many toothpastes, body creams as well as soaps. You can find alternatives from ‘Body Shop’ which don’t use products from animals.

Whey and whey powder are usually by-products of the cheese making process which mainly uses animal rennet. Rennet is an enzim from the calf’s stomach. Whey is used in many biscuits. However, whey that is produced from the cottage cheese (panir) which we make at home is fine.

Magical Mayapur

BY DR AMIR SHAIK
Source: thestar.com.my

A gathering in India of different religions and different people offers hope for the unity of religions.

PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA – I recently spent nearly two weeks as a vegan, interfaith explorer and peace-pilgrim at the world headquarters of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement) at Sri Mayapur, West Bengal, India.