By Devakinandan Das
Hare Krsna Dear Vaishnavas!
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga, the Krsna Consciousness Movement in Singapore received a big boost on 13th April 2007, when the devotees were invited by Srinivasa Perumal Temple, run by a Singapore Government–backed organization, to participate in its annual Chariot Festival. While we had been blessed the last three (3) years in singing and chanting the Holy Names of the Lord when the Chariot would stop at a large clearing in the open public residential area in Singapore, this year was special, because we were invited to conduct the entire programme where the Chariot stopped to greet the public.
Encouraged by this wonderful opportunity, the presence of H.H B.V.V Narasimha Maharaj, a team of Chinese devotees led by H.G Trivikram Prabhu from Malaysia, and devotees from Bali, the devotees worked hard and organized a full scale preaching festival programme. Almost 1000 members of the public kept streaming into the public area where the Festival was held, and devotees, young and old alike, moved around and distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books, prasadam packets, and flyers advertising the weekly programmes to the public. Their Lordships Sri Sri Madan Mohan, deities belonging the H.G Sudarshan Das Adhikari Prabhuji, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, came out to the public and gave Their darshan to all, followed by Their abhisek and distribution of caranamrta.
The Festival culminated in Lord Perumal coming in His grand chariot to greet Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohanji, and it was a sweet moment when our devotee pujaris and the temple priests exchanged offerings for Their Lordships! The Holy Names of the Lord reverberated around the housing estate and blocks of flats, as devotees kept dancing and doing ecstatic kirtan for 5 continuous hours.
The Festival has been significant for important reasons. It is the 1st time devotees could chant, dance, distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books and preach to the public without any restrictions. Just as important, devotees managed to cultivate and fan the interest of many members of the public, especially the Chinese, who are the majority in Singapore. We hope to kick-start preaching to the Chinese community on a stronger basis. Nearly a hundred of Srila Prabhupada’s books were distributed and more than a thousand packets of prasadam given out. We pray that the Vaishnava community will bless us in trying to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission and increase the fabric of our devotional service. Thank you very much!
Your servant,
Devakinandan Das
Iskcon Singapore
Haribol
I remember having visited the Singapour yatra some 20 & 10 years back and it is true that Singapore being a very orderly (and small) territory, there was no scope for not being sober and organised in the preaching, which cleverly (and confidentially) started with a restaurant, located upstairs in some building…
Coming from a recent trip to China, I could also see how there is so much in common in between Buddhism, Taoism, Confucius teachings and our Vedic & Vaishnava culture…
It is up to us to find ways to appeal to all, finding some legitimacy within the Indian community, and yet not turn Vaishnavism into an ethnic cult…
Bravo for the good move and progress
Your servant
Puskaraksa das
Hare Krishna,
This is great news. Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu sankirtana movement knows no boundaries.
It just brings to mind the struggle of one special vaishnava who had the foresight and single minded determination to sincerely spread Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s message despite the restrictions and opposition, and lack of support. Please allow me to narrate…
Around 1991 or 1992, His Grace Dina-anukampana das Brahmacari Prabhu had started this program outside the then ISKCON temple. He had established a good relationship with the trustees or managers of public Hindu temples and was given the go-ahead to start conducting programs.
He would lay out the mats, set up the book stand, set up the mike, the prasadam table and start singing kirtan, and then namaste narasimhaya, and then the prayer to the six gosvamis, read from Bhagavad-Gita As It Is and give a class, sing closing kirtan and then distribute books and prasadam to those in the public Hindu Temples. All this was done alone. Slowly, one by one, people were attracted to this sankirtan movement…and he managed to organize the first Gita Jayanti program in Singapore where everyone came together at the Srinivasa Perumal Temple to chant the whole Bhagavad-Gita and recite the translations of 18th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is..and chant mahamantra..at that event was present Srila Sripada Bhaktisvarup Damodara Maharaj and Srila Maha Visnu Gosvami Maharaj, who addressed all present. Now, Gita Jayanti is an annual event celebrated in Singapore by the recitation of the whole of Bhagavad-Gita.
Let’s thus wholeheartedly encourage everyone to participate in this glorious movement in every village and district without discrimination, and without attachment to name, fame and position. As from the example of the efforts of HG Dina-anukampana das Prabhu, we can see how a sincere desire to spread Lord Caitanya’s movement has brought many to Krishna consciousness…
Your fallen servant,
sakshi-gopal das