Malaya Giri Dham Blog

Hare Krishna!

For those who are not informed, we would like to first let them know that we have launched a new and exciting project - The Malaya Giri Dham Farm Community Project in Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia.

Although still in a nascent stage and at a low profile, this project has already sparked a significant enthusiasm in the congregation members and other well-wishers and supporters. Some of them have been joining us there for the past few weekends as we were working on the temple structure. They all were very much enlivened to say the least.

Actually, we were publishing the news of this project in this page and www.krsnamandir.org. But owing to the popularity that it has gained over the past few weeks, we have decided to start this exclusive blog for disseminating news about the project. Visit the Malaya Giri Dham Blog.

Stay tuned! Haribol!

Vyasa Puja Homages Book Is Out

Hare Krishna!

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and all the devotees, we have released the Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Homages Book. This book contains the homages of all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada in the region of Singapore and Malaysia You can get a copy for yourself for $10.

Hare Krishna! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Krishna’s Swan Boat – A Special Pastime Of Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohana

We started this swan boat festival first in 1989 when our temple was located in Bencoolen Street. The festival was held way up on the fifth storey of the building. We used a children’s swimming pool, a little plastic pool for the event. It was here that Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan took Their first boat ride.

The next time the event was held was in 1992 when our temple was in Mounbatten Road. The festival was held in a slightly bigger way. We had made a bigger fiber glass pool and a little swan boat for Them. Since it was held on the ground it created a very natural effect. Our devotees were very enthusiastic in seeing Their Lordship enjoying Their water pastimes.

The event then was suspended for a few years until we moved to Norris Road. Only in the year 2004 did we again revive the event. It all happened spontaneously while we were honoring Prasadam on the occasion of Radhasthami, the Appearance Day celebration of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna. In a few hours, we somehow managed to organize the festival; the congregation devotees were taken in for a big surprise that evening as they attended the festivities of Radhastami.

The following year we wanted to make it even grander; we wanted a real big boat for the occasion. Someone donated a small boat about 8 feet in length and we were trying to build a swan over it. It seemed very difficult as it required professional assistance. We then tried to contact some design companies to see if they would be in a position to help us out.

It so happened that one Mr. Richard Tang came over to see us. On explaining the matter, he immediately agreed to make the swan boat for us for free as he saw the good work we were doing in feeding some 20,000 people with free food every month. He was overwhelmed with our good work and our serious sense of sincerity in serving the needy and unfortunate. He also remarked that were humbly serving the people without craving for fanfare. He was very happy to help. We then presented him some of Srila Prabupada’s books in Chinese as a token of appreciation.

The swan boat that he built was simply beautiful and was much bigger than anything that we ever had. This time we decided to hold the festival in a regular-sized swimming pool to accommodate the boat and all the devotees. The Jalan Besar Swimming Complex was chosen as the avenue and it proved to be a roaring success as many devotees attended the festival. Devotees from as far as Malayasia also came for the occasion. Our local MP too attended the celebration to bring the event to greater participation. It was so successful that it was repeated continuously for the past five years. In fact, it became one of our major regular festivals. One of our Guests of Honour, Dr.V.P.Nair, was so impressed with the event that he called his wife to come over although she was heading out to another function. He stayed on and was simply mesmerized by the beauty of the boat, the chanting and the devotional atmosphere. He was in ecstasy. The staff at the pool were very helpful and were also very happy in participating in the event. They said that they would look forward to meeting us every year; in fact, one of them came up to us and requested us to pray for her as she could feel the purity of the occasion and the devotees. They all enjoyed sumptuous prasadam. The crowd grew by leaps and bounds to also include many old folks from different homes.

As it always happens, success brings about enmity. We were told that this year onwards we would not be able to use the pool or any other pools for the event .It almost dealt a death blow for the Swan boat ride for Their Lordships. We were very disheartened as it was one of the festivals that most of the devotees enjoyed apart from our Ratha Yatra.

We were very worried as to what is to be done. One day, while having our Kirtan program at the beach at our regular place at the East Coast Park, it suddenly struck us as to why not we host the festival at the beach! It was definitely Krishna’s indication to us. It was a very brilliant idea and on consultation with the other devotees it was then unanimously agreed upon. We have now approached the relevant authorities for the necessary approval for the event to be schedule for the 6^th of September, 2009.

Meanwhile, as this was progressing, we had a surprise visit by our Mr. Richard Tang, the builder of the Swan boat. We had previously tried to contact him but to no avail; we had thought that he was not interested and perhaps not so keen in meeting us any more.

Mr. Richard Tang said that he was trying to meet us and had gone to our last address and was shocked to see that we had moved. He was in great dilemma as to how he could find us. On persistently inquiring from our previous neighbors, he finally got our new address. On arriving at our present temple he was so pleased to take Darshan of Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan that he dropped a $1,000 dollar bill donation into our donation box. He was very touched.

He then met us and explained that he had a dream recently about the boat and how Lord Krishna told him that the boat was not in a good condition and therefore requires a replacement. After witnessing this dream, he had frantically tried to contact us to see how he could fulfill the Lord’s desire.

We then expressed to him that the boat had suffered severe damages owing to our frequent shifting of premises; and we had difficulty in transporting and storing it as it was bulky. We actually needed a replacement but owing to the predicament that we were not allowed to use the pool we had not shown much interest in repairing it. In fact, we did not know who to turn to for help.

Mr. Richard Tang’s gesture indicates that Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan are keen in going on a sea ride on a brand new boat and have therefore arranged for Mr. Tang to come by and give them a new boat. We were all in great ecstasy to hear this from the mouth of Mr. Tang.

The Lord is certainly in control of everything. We are sometimes not too sure whether the Lord is happy with our endeavors or not. But situations like this certainly prove how their Lordships are very personal and very reciprocative. We are all now working with renewed strength to make this another successful event for Their pleasure.

Mr. Tang is currently building the new boat according to the supreme desire of Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan.

We invite all of you to come and take the mercy of the Lord in their new boat as the boat, the paraphernalia, etc. are all non different from the Lord especially so when the Lord had personally desired for this new boat.

By: Raghupati Das

Be Part Of Us – A Malaya Giri Dham Project Update

Dear devotees,

This is to enlighten you of the recent developments of our Malaya Giri Dham Varnashram project. We started by bringing a 40-foot container with 4 compartment-rooms. We then started to repair the toilet on the old building but ended up renovating the entire building. You can perhaps see the pictures of the development.

Now we are embarking on building the temple. It is to be built on the space between the old house and the 40-foot container. This requires laying of cement for the ground floor and later on, the fixing of steel rafters for the erecting of a roof for the new temple. The laying of the floor is also progressing steadily and is expected to be completed soon.We are planning to install Sri Sri Krishna Balaram deities once we complete the structure.

On the agricultural side we have now identified the site for the proposed flower garden and work has progressed steadily in clearing the land and eventually, we will be digging of a well on the site. This is to ensure that there will be a continuous supply of water for the plants. We also would need to erect a netting roof over the proposed flowering plot so as to prevent the attack of insects on the plants.

We have also marked the site for the proposed cow protection shed. Here we plan to rear cows for pleasure of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram. We already have prospective donors who are interested in donating the cows.

We are expecting the power to arrive any moment. Once this is accomplished we would then progress in completing the project rapidly. However we do require a lot of financial assistance for this glorious project of Srila Prabhupada. We do have the skilled manpower to complete the project but we are lacking financial support for the purchase of raw materials, etc. The entire estimated cost is about SGD$ 50,000.

In this material world, cow protection and brahminical culture please Krishna the most because these two activities bring about auspiciousness for the whole world. It is actually true. We can solve all the problems of the world just by introducing cow protection and brahminical culture. So anyone who takes part in this supreme welfare work is especially blessed by Lord Krishna and very soon, all his miseries will end and he will return back to the spiritual world, Vaikuntha. Therefore, we are offering a Life Membership wherein donors who donate SGD$3,001 or more, would qualify for a life time membership of the project. They would be able to stay for free in the Dham for a week in a year with food, board and lodging. Kindly lend us your helping hand in realizing this very important project.

Prospective donors who want to visit the Dham are most welcomed as we would be most glad to take you on a site tour. We do have guest house facilities for staying in; so kindly make an appointment with us and we would be most honored to host you. It would truly be an unforgettable experience that you would certainly cherish - to be living in the mode of goodness amongst the mountains, rivers and fruit orchards; and practicing spiritual life in such a peaceful environment, far, far away from the hustle and bustle of the highly materialistic urban civilization, which saps out the vital energy of human life.