iskcon london (uk)-2011.04-april newsletter

News from ISKCON-London’sRadha Krishna Temple

April Highlights

The April Edition2011

Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna

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Hare Rama Hare RamaRama RamaHare Hare

C O M M U N I T Y

• Rama Navami

• Mayur Veeresh Mallabadi (13th March 2006 – 2nd April 2011)

• Bhakti Sastri for the Radha Krishna Temple Community

• The Friday Programme

• University Preaching

• University Chaplaincy

• Yoga Workshops

• Youth Hostel

• Outreach

• Book Distribution

• Govinda’s Restaurant

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Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna KrishnaHare Hare

Hare Rama Hare RamaRama Rama

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Devotees chanting and dancing enthusiastically

Devotional kirtan in the park

Rama NavamiOn Tuesday 12th April we celebrated the appearance of Lord Ramachandra.

A wonderful morning discourse was given by

Ramanuja dasa and in the evening we were blessed with the presence of HH Chandramauli Swami.

RadhaLondonisvara dasa led bhajans late into the night with Chandramauli Swami enthusiastically leading the devotees in dancing.



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Wonderful street kirtan

HG Radha Londonisvara prabhu

Wonderful street kirtan

Street public join the dancing and chanting



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Mayur Veeresh Mallabadi (13th March 2006 – 2nd April 2011)

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

All quotes, proverbs, sayings are best understood only when we experience the situation in our real lives.

I understood the following quote correctly when I lost my beloved son Mayur.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY, EVERYONE COMES INTO YOUR LIFE FOR A REASON AND EVERYTHING “HAPPENS” FOR A REASON!!

When I was pregnant my mother used to read Bhagavad Gita and I used to read lot of spiritual books. Little did we know that I would give birth

to a spiritual soul. He came on a journey, for a specific reason, for a specific period, met people he wanted to and visited places he wanted to.

Mayur came into our mortal world on 13th March 2006.He was the most amazing lovely child, God’s own special kid. He was born in Thiruvananthapuram, a southern state in India, the “Abode of Lord Anantha” (The temple of Vishnu reclining on serpent Shesha).

When he was 3mths old we had the naming ceremony when we named him “Mayur” (in Sanskrit Mayur means peacock) and he was very calm and happy listening to spiritual hymns, till the ceremony ended without crying or making a sound which is unusual for a baby of 3mths.

He looked normal when he was born and he even turned over when he was 3mths old. But he never gained neck control and he couldn’t do the activities of a normal child like reaching for objects, or showing interest in toys, crawling, sitting, standing etc.

The doctors in India said he was having Cerebral Palsy and he needs have regular physiotherapy and stimulation to help him progress. But nothing helped or worked. We kept on trying showing him to different hospitals, specialists, doing all the tests possible.

It was very disheartening for us to believe that we had a son who had so many complex problems. Slowly both of us understood that we need to be mentally strong and support each other to care for Mayur.

But all this did not stop him from visiting temples. Mayur visited temples of Lord Vishnu

in South India (Thiruananthapuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore).

When he was 2yrs old, he carried us along with his own journey to the UK. The doctors did all the tests possible and finally could not find any diagnosis for his terminal illness. But we came to know that his sight is poor, hearing is moderate, he can’t talk and he cannot move, sit or stand.He also had epilepsy which were controlled by

medication. He was tube fed as his swallowing was poor and was causing him chest infections.

He started wearing hearing aids and looked like he was able to hear well. He used to go to the nursery and his teachers used to come home to stimulate him in case he was unwell to go to the nursery. He was responding to his teachers than to me or my husband.



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But most of the year he had to be at home or admitted to hospital due to his condition. He used to suffer from wheeze in winter and he started getting Intestinal failures which led to long admissions in the hospital.

The only entertainment for us at home was listening to music or watching a movie. And Mayur loved music a lot. Whether classical songs, movie songs, or magic channel on radio he would listen and be quiet. Parents used to speak to us regularly to enquire about Mayur and talk to him. My mother used to sing songs through the phone and he would listen sometimes responding otherwise wondering from where the sound is coming from.

He used so many expressions always to communicate to us, if he was uncomfortable, in pain or needed to be picked up. By evening he knows his father would come back home from work and pick him up daily. If his dad was late he would not be happy until he picked him up that day. He knew both of us well by feel, touch, smell and demanded when he wanted attention.

He also knew the voices of nurses, doctors who cared for him. Mayur was the quiet, observant friend so many had. He loved everyone; he loved people around him, and meeting people, and always made it clear using some medium that he loved it. And it’s amazing how many friends he made. Everyone he met was left with a touch, a mark. He made everyone more loving, kinder. He brought about a sense of peace in everyone’s life he touched.

He loved going out, always.

He took us along to parts of Europe that he

wanted to, but then we wanted to go to Italy and some other places, he just would not go and keep making excuses, fall sick, or something! :-). He had come here to leave from here too - it was pre decided in his plans, arriving and departing from different stations. All very special. He was on his own journey, he was a visitor, he enjoyed it, and he went back home! We are just happy that he stayed with us.

And life is indeed a journey. Of joys and sorrows, Of highs and lows, Of cheers and jeers, Of belonging, Of love, Of togetherness, Of belief. That’s what Mayur brought us - enlightenment. He was blessed, and he blessed us.

Last year Mayur was admitted in Great Ormond Street Hospital, London for some investigations. I went for a walk and happened to visit ISKCON. I was so happy that the temple was very near the hospital. I met Julia Mataji and told her about Mayur being in the hospital and his condition.

She visited us at the hospital and this was the beginning of our association with ISKCON and the devotees. I believe that Mayur had started showing us the path to spirituality. We were transferred back to Chelsea and Westminster hospital.

Julia Mataji, Akarsini Mataji and few other devotees came to visit Mayur and we had a kirtan session in the playroom of the hospital. Mayur was very happy listening to their kirtan and singing. We loved to come to the temple and take part in the festivals.

While Mayur was in the hospital we attended Snan Yatra, Rath Yatra last year. Visiting the temple gave us peace of mind and happiness. Julia Mataji, Akarsini Mataji also visited us at home and we used to sing kirtan and Mayur enjoyed their singing and company. He visited the temple last year and enjoyed the kirtan on the Bank holiday.

Mayur enjoyed being read to. I used to read to him the pastimes of Krsna and he used to listen with lot of interest. He loved chanting. Well...he was much closer to God than us, always. And he got us also much closer to the spiritual world, the real world. He did not have any desires or attachment to any material objects.

Mayur was being in and out of hospital very regularly and had been serious each year. The doctors had signaled to us that Mayur is a terminally ill child and decisions have to be taken when necessary.

For the past year his admissions to hospital increased and also his Intestinal failure. This year he was again diagnosed with intestinal failure in the month of March. The doctors said there was no way out and we had to face the real situation. Mayur could not tolerate the milk feed and we tried different combinations and nothing worked. Finally it was decided that he should have what and how much he can without causing him any pain or discomfort.

So he was fine on tiny amount of Diarolyte through the day. His being comfortable was most important for us. I called Julia Mataji and was in tears explaining her Mayur’s terrible situation. She was busy and had to go for book distribution on Saturday.

But there was some problem and she immediately called me and said that Krsna has a different plan and she will be visiting us. She had understood the situation and stayed with me the whole day. The next day was Mayur’s 5th birthday. She gifted Mayur Krsna doll and I was sure that god is telling me that Mayur’s end is nearing. We can consider Krsna as our husband/



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father/son. And I could make this out. We sang the birthday song to him.

Hare Krsna to You, Hare Krsna to You, Hare Krsna to You Mayur, May you never take birth again, Hare Krsna to You.

The next day Julia Mataji brought me Ganges water to put on Mayur’s forehead daily as suggested by the priest Murli Manohara Dasa Prabhuji. Mayur was on his way to the spiritual world away from the material world. Julia Mataji visited us daily and would chant standing next to him and read Bhagavad Gita and pastimes of Krsna. She was like a member of my family and gave me moral support. She also brought us Srila Prabhupada’s Hare Krsna chanting CD. Mayur was listening to chanting now all day and night. The nurses and the people working in the hospital felt that the room was very peaceful and they all liked the chanting.

The doctors had said probably only a few weeks more he will be alive. When Julia Mataji was there with me my mind was diverted talking about Krsna, and the moment she used to leave us, mind used to be disturbed thinking of the days ahead, crying in my mind. When my husband used to visit us after work, both of us could not see Mayur’s condition or think about our life without him. But we had to accept the situation and be bold. My parents, brother, sister in law used to speak to us and give us courage and strength to face the situation. Our parents were relieved that Julia Mataji was there with us all the time in their absence.

But they were not present with us, so Krsna had sent Julia Mataji to us to make us mentally strong and give us support as a family. Thank

you so much Krsna. My family were relieved that even though they could not be with us Julia Mataji was with us.

Mayur was slowly not having any strength and used to demand for attention for me to pick him up. We felt that though he could not talk/hear properly he could understand the situation. So

we stopped talking these things in front of him.Julia Mataji brought books for distributing in the hospital. We held the book in his hands and he smiled though he was exhausted. His smile was the most wonderful smile. He distributed books and collected donation for the temple. Julia Mataji used to bring flowers and she used to keep it near his nose and there was another

smile…..he liked it very much. So though he was tired he liked the book, flower, chanting, he liked Krsna.

We moved to Shooting Star hospice for the last days. Julia Mataji accompanied me and Mayur to Shooting Star. She continued to visit us.

I was very exhausted both mentally and physically and was unwell. Mayur continued to listen to the chanting of Srila Prabhupada 24 hrs a day. The hospice nurses also loved the chanting and said it was very peaceful. There was a baby monitor in Mayur’s room so that the nurses could hear if Mayur was in distress while they were in the living room. They could hear the chanting anywhere where the baby monitors was placed. And so they were listening to the chanting always!! Later I offered them the CD to play for other children to which they happily agreed.

Mayur liked be engaged in different activities like listening to stories, visiting the sensory room, listening to music, bathing, and massage.I asked the nurses if they could read the Krsna book to him. The nurses and the teachers who visited him also read Krsna book and they liked it too. Thanks for so many people to have read books to him, especially the Krishna books and stories, which he loved and calmly listened to! He engaged so many people in Krsna consciousness.

As the days went by he was more exhausted. He did not like to move around or visit the sensory room. He even used to be tired after bath. He was only listening to chanting and Krsna story now. The nurses felt that he did not like being read to other story books. His breathing



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had increased and he was on 10L oxygen, he developed fever. Mayur’s condition deteriorated on 28th March early morning.

On April 2nd early morning the nurse woke us up saying that he was moaning and she felt that he wanted us near him. His breathing was heavy and he was hot. At 3:42am I sent message to Julia Mataji about Mayur’s condition. I spoke to Julia Mataji and told her that I can’t see Mayur suffering like this. She told me “It will be ok, he has Srila Prabhupada chanting with him and you are reading Krsna’s pastimes, so at the time of death Mayur will remember Krsna”. I remained calm.

At 6:30am I felt he was probably nearing his end. I remembered what Julia Mataji had told me. I started reading the Krsna Book till 8am.

Then I started singing songs of Krsna to him with tears flowing in my eyes asking Lord Krsna to show mercy on my son and end his suffering. My husband read him Chapter 69 of the Krsna book and after this we noticed that his breathing was slowing down a bit. We informed the nurses and we removed his oxygen mask to make him more comfortable. In his last breaths we put Ganges water in his mouth and at 8:35am he breathed his last.

We were chanting with Prabhupada’s chanting as he left us. I was relieved that his sufferings had finally come to an end. He was very peaceful. The next day, Akarsini Mataji messaged me that Mayur is with Krsna and his sufferings are finished. Julia Mataji came to see us, she was telling that on the morning of April 2nd she was dressing Srila Prabhupada 3.30am and praying to him that Mayur has suffered so much please

help him back to Krsna.

We believe that Srila Prabhupada has accompanied Mayur to Krsna. We know that even while he is by Krishna’s sides now, he will keep signaling some things to us to bring his Mother and Father more special moments, which are already enough to last us a lifetime.Mayur’s body was moved to the Hounslow Co-operative Funeral Director’s office for preparing the coffin for his size on 5th April morning.

Chanting of Srila Prabhupada continued at the Funeral Director’s office till we took him for the funeral. To leave him alone at the office till 7th April was quite difficult (though we knew he is

already with Krsna), but we had to start living without him.

The priest Murli Manohara Dasa Prabhuji, Radha Londonisvara Prabhuji and Julia Mataji came on 6th April morning and we prepared Mayur’s body for the funeral and placed him in the coffin. On 7th April the funeral was at Hanworth Crematorium at 10:00am.

Mayur’s consultants from West Middlesex Hospital, Chelsea Westminster Hospital, teachers from nursery, school, play-specialists from WMH, nurses from WMH, nurses from Shooting Star Hospice, PCT and our friends attended Mayur’s funeral.

Thanks to the doctors, nurses for their relentless, unwavering support. They were all the true stars who gave Mayur the oxygen to keep going, in every sense. Bhagavad Gita books from the temple were distributed among the people who attended the funeral.

We would like to especially thank the entire ISKCON community and devotees for making our journeys comfortable and giving us light. To the President Jai Nitai Dasa Prabhuji, The priest Murli Manohara Dasa Prabhuji, Radha Londonisvara Prabhuji, we thank you very very much. Julia Mataji, Akarsini Mataji and the devotees - who have become a member of our family now, who have given us all unbelievable support, affection, positive-energy and time, we just can’t thank you enough.

Thanks for giving me this wonderful opportunity to write about my beloved son Mayur and our association with ISKCON.

By Divya, (Mayur’s Mum)



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Bhakti Sastri for the Radha Krishna Temple Community During April we began a Bhakti Sastri course for our community members.

The course will cover the following books: Bhagavad Gita, Nectar of Instruction, Nectar of Devotion and Sri Isopanisad. Facilitated by Jai Nitai dasa, Saci Kishore dasa, Murli Manohara dasa and Sundar Nitai dasa the course will run over one year. So far there have been 35 devotees who have signed up.

The Friday ProgrammeIn April, the men’s Friday Programme explored a range of topical issues in the world from a Krishna Conscious perspective.

The main focus was the Japanese tsunami and the growing culture of global consumerism.

In addition, the group was visited by honorary guest speaker Kripamoya prabhu, with around 25 attendees.

An experiment was conducted in April where one Friday was dedicated to exploring Krishna Consciousness through the medium of the film industry. The group discussed various spiritual topics derived from selected scenes from the movie ‘The Matrix’. This event proved a huge success with many requests to regularly incorporate this approach in future sessions. Furthermore, some of the group were exposed to book distribution for the first time in March, and plans are in progress to extend this activity to a wider group of visitors.

This month also saw an extension of the administration team with the aim to expand and improve the Friday Programme going forward.

University PreachingThere were two events at Imperial University and a further two at Middlesex University during the month of March, with an attendance rate of around 10 students at each event. These were presentations from the Bhagavad Gita.

University ChaplaincyMarch was a typical month in terms of the general responsibilities connected with the role of Hindu Chaplain at the School of African and Asian Studies, Imperial College and the Arts College. These duties include counselling, spiritual guidance and support.

Yoga WorkshopsThe Yoganet School has continued to schedule Bhagavad Gita and Vedic Philosophy courses for its students as a requirement to complete their course.

There was one seminar held in March, with on-going preparations for upcoming seminars. There were 20 attendees, and they were given a summary discourse on the Bhagavad Gita, participated in their first kirtan and enjoyed their first plate of prasad. 2 groups will be visiting us in June

Youth HostelWork is on-going on expanding the accommodation facilities for students and young professionals who would like to gain further exposure to a Krishna Conscious lifestyle while maintaining their current duties as students or professionals.

At present, there is one rented apartment 2 minutes away from the Soho Street temple, accommodating 4 students and 2 professionals, with regular visitors from the Friday Programme staying on weekends.



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Outreach During the month of April Jai Nitai Prabhu took part in the following activities:

10th – Gave Sunday Feast talk in Inis Rath, Ireland.

15th – Crawley Program

17th – Began teaching the Bhakti Sastri course for our community members.

22nd – Held an appreciation sanga in Croydon

27th – Home visit with Rama and Maria

29th – Home program at Hemant and Girish Patels

30th – Home visit with Ram Charan Prabhu with an evening program at the home of Vinoda Krsna and Radha Rupa with 35 devotees in attendance.

Govinda’s Restaurant Total for April 2011:

£ 50,550.54, of this above amount:

Catering £ 290.00 and Books £ 105.00

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Total for Govinda’s restaurant

£ 50,155.54

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Notes:

* 30working days.* Average per day for restaurant: £ 1,685.02* Govinda’s restaurant made £ 8,569.48 more compared to April 2010.

Book DistributionDuring the month of April we distributed 2,462 books and collected £6,226.00 for 1,941 book points.

Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna

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Hare Rama Hare RamaRama RamaHare Hare

T: 020 7437 3662E: [email protected]

W: www.iskcon-london.org

Radha-Krishna Temple10 Soho StreetLondon W1D 3DL

International Society for Krishna ConciousnessFounder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

iskcon london (uk)-2011.04-april newsletter

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