[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]Reported by: Prafullakumar Seelam from Bangalore, India[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”10″ bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]Om Sri Surabhyai Namah.
As a part of promoting the OM Sri Surabhi Campaign, His Holiness RP Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaja, Minister for ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry (IDVM-India), made a two-day visit to Bangalore city on 11th and 12th of April.
On the first day, Saturday, with a small group of devotees, Maharaja conducted a Yatra to the Devarayana Durga temple. Devarayana Durga (Karigiri Kshetra) is a famous Dham, some 70 kms from Bangalore where Lord Narasimha Dev is the presiding deity.
Maharaja and the devotees reached the top of the hill in the early noon and took darshan of Lord Yoga Narasimha while performing Harinam Sankrtan in the temple premises. On the way down (some 250 steps), His Holiness and the devotees had a pleasant experience while observing the Dravidian style temple architecture. There were many mantapas (resting places) constructed with Vedic architecture that captured the attention of the devotees. By mid-day the devotees reached downhill and took darshan of Lord Bhoga Narasimha. Afterwards, with a group of 10 devotees Maharaja proceeded to a place called ‘Namada Chilume’ where Lord Ramacandra, during His exile, performed his transcendental pastime of piercing solid rock with his arrow to make water appear for mother Sita to apply tilak. That same water flows from that rock to this day and all the devotees honored some of the water.
After visiting the above three places, His Holiness’s keen interest to see a cow taken care of by a nearby devotee, HG Abhiram Das, brought him to Tumkur. Maharaja performed Go-puja to Mother Cow (named Subhadra) and then graced a house program and shed light on the Sri Surabhi Campaign.
Later in the evening on arrival to Bengaluru His Holiness gave a short lecture on Practical participation/involvement for city people in the Sri Surabhi Campaign at the host’s house, HG Narahari Thakura Das.
On the second two, Sunday morning, Maharaja attended the Sunday program at the ISKCON Sri Gandharvika Giridhari temple. Maharaja is extremely happy upon knowing that the temple is having a goshala and spent a good amount of the time feeding the Cows at the Goshala and inquiring about the Gomata past times there.
Later His Holiness delivered the Srimad Bhagavatam class and presented the topics related to the Sri Surabhi Campaign. Maharaja then gifted the Sri Surabhi Campaign pamphlets and DVD to the temple authorities for reference. Around 100+ devotees were present. After the lecture Maharaja interacted with many devotees and inspired them to get connected with the Sri Surabhi Campaign. A lot of demand was there for the Sri Surabhi Campaign pamphlets and many devotees personally inquired from Maharaja how they could become connected with the campaign.
After this His Holiness attended his second Sunday program at the ISKCON Sri Jagannatha Mandir and delivered the Srimad Bhagavatam class. At the end of the class, he presented the topics related to Mother Surabhi and the Sri Surabhi Campaign. Over 100 devotees were present. After the lecture Maharaja again interacted with many devotees and inspired them to get involved with the Sri Surabhi Campaign. A good number of devotees purchased Maharaja’s books related to the Varnasrama Mission and received His Holiness’s signature. Over 100 books such as ‘Make Vrindavana Villages’, ‘ Village life’, ‘Foundational Pillars of Education’ etc. were distributed, some of the stock becoming exhausted.
Many of the devotees inquired about the upcoming seminars/conferences about Mother Surabhi. Maharaja mentioned that a few devotees are getting trained for the same under IDVM-India and that soon more details will be made available. Also, Maharaja made a point saying that the practical connection and involvement of the devotees to the campaign will become more clear once the second campaign pamphlet ‘Sustainable Eco Alliance’ is released.
Later in the evening His Holiness addressed and inspired a team of devotees at the host’s house program, discussed the immediate next steps for the Sri Surabhi Campaign and concluded his agenda for the 2 day visit to Bangalore.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]
Photos
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