Vrndavana Samadhi 2004

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Srila Prabhupada Samadhi Mandir,Vrndavana

 

 

May 22, 2004

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada.

Once again, I wish to extend my thanks to so many of you who were

inspired to come forward this year to help build the Samadhi Maintenance

Fund Fixed Deposit as well as the working account. It is certainly

Krishna's blessing to have so much international participation in this

wonderful service in Vrndavana Dhama.

We will reciprocate with you by keeping you informed of our

activities and organizing special gifts. If I missed someone, kindly let me

know loud and clear.

 

**Many thanks to our many spontaneous donors as well as to those who have

honored their yearly pledges: Udayananda das, Lila Madhuri devi dasi, H.H.

D. Swami, Devahuti devi dasi, Dayananda das, Laxman das, Pyasvini devi dasi,

Madhavananda das, Mahamayi devi dasi, all the devotees from Baharain and

elsewhere in the Middle East, Gopal Bhatta das, Balarama das, Doru Krishna

das, Krishna Charan das, Rishab Miralal, Madri, Madhavi, Tadit devi dasi,

Bindu Badhava das, Dravida das, Kesava das, Labangalatika devi dasi,

Ashokamrita das, H.H. Rtadvaja Swami, Tirtharthi das, Wallace Dorian,

Daivashakti devi dasi, Krpa Mayi devi dasi, Rangavati devi dasi, Devananda

Pandit das.

 

**Special recognition this year for service beyond the call of duty by:

Udayananda das, Mahamayi devi dasi, Jayadvaita Swami who inspired all the

devotees from Baharain and elsewhere in the Middle East, Gopal Bhatta das,

Daivashakti devi dasi, Krpa Mayi devi dasi.

 

**So far:

1. With continual vigilance, the pigeon problem inside the Samadhi is still

pretty much under control. If they are born in here, they become really

attached. The secret is simply to keep chasing them out to make them

uncomfortable to nest. (Herding the pigeons of Vrndavana!) We're also

looking for attractive for squirrels and sparrows to stop nesting!

2. Though we have plenty of other pests, which are temporary and really not

too much of a menace, the mice, cockroaches and termites have been

eliminated.

3. No bats in the belfry, but some of these tiny little creatures managed

to squish behind the huge Rathayatra painting behind the altar. We're

clearing them out.

4. Last year we had much better result with the flower beds under the

staircases. This year, however, the weather was just so severe and the

nurseries gave such junk, it wasn't possible to maintain very much for very

long. But, looking on the bright side, because the beds are filled in with

SOMEthing, no one was peeing in the area.

Since we did install an underground 1500 litre tank @$100 for sweet

water for the gardens, the plumeria (frangipani), shrubs and other surviving

greenery have thanked us for it. This year, I will organize large orders of

colorful flowers with the more reliable nurseries seasonably, ahead of time.

Last year, I experimented with Freesias in my own garden, and they

were gorgeous and fragrant the first year, but didn't yield much result the

following year. Nevertheless, it would be fantastic if someone wants to

arrange to bring over (please do NOT mail or ship) up to a few hundred

bulbs, especially of the yellow, white, blue and red. Apparently the bulbs

are available in August or September, though I found some plants in

California in May and June. I think it depends on where you live. Best

time for planting here is October, November or December.

Also, if there is anyone out there who has experience with these

bulbs in climates similar to Vrndavana (if there is such a thing), let me

know how you take care of them, especially when they are finished. Some say

the staying power of these bulbs is not good. Otherwise, it appears we might

have to plant new ones every year.

5. Wall and ceiling fans were installed strategically both in the Samadhi

and Museum for the pleasure and relief of the devotees and our summer

pilgrims. Our costs were @$900.

6. Spotlights now highlight the dioramas upstairs in the Samadhi. This was

only $20.

7. One Museum diorama was renovated for @ $200. And there are no rats in

the docks!

8. Some Museum walls and the ceiling were repaired and partially repainted

upstairs and down after the water damage problem was under control. We had

to keep repairing until we finally discovered the root of the problem (after

the brahmacari bathroom leaking was rectified a few times) was a drainage

area from the roof which had never been sealed when the construction was

"finished". So we had to reconstruct and reseal the shaft from the roof

down to the ground for about one week. This all cost @ $250.

9. Upstairs in the Museum, we replaced 8 huge photographs which had been

hopelessly damaged by the above leaking, and have remounted them keeping a

hollow space in case it happens again. We also replaced Bhaktivinode

Thakur's picture and he is now chanting with his right hand (because 10

years ago the developers had reversed the negative!), and Srila Prabhupada

is now in the strangely empty space in the parampara group of pictures.

There are two more empty spaces which would be perfect for Gaura Nitai, when

I find the suitable negatives. This was around $1500 so far.

10. We called craftsmen from Makrana to carve the missing knobs and peacock

heads broken off the staircase railings, and the missing pigeons which had

dropped out of the sky from the balustrades. They also repaired and

re-anchored a few of the menacing-looking ornaments on the overhangs. That

work only cost around $350.

 

**Next few months we can accept inspired donations for the following

projects:

1. The entire dome right up to the flag at the top is now in scaffolding

for polishing the marble (with special stones) and filling in the seams with

white cement before the rains set in. Because of the heavy exposure and the

extremes in temperatures during the year, there has been quite a lot of

separating of the marble tiles. The completed top part is already

sparkling. So it wasn't for naught. It hasn't been done since it was

built, partially because it costs up to $4500 to do it... At least it won't

have to be done again for another 15 years.

2. The hung ceiling on the inside of the Samadhi will be repainted. Again,

this will require a lot of scaffolding. We will also do the final

repainting and repairing of the walls and ceiling on the Museum side. It

should all be done in under $2400.

3. If we have a donor for a DVD projector, we will be able to show videos

all day and night in the Samadhi Museum on the silver screen. That's around

$5-6,000 for the appropriate projector, the computer and the DVD's. Once

this preaching begins, we can maintain the program by distributing the DVD's

and Srila Prabhupada's books.

 

**There is still urgent work which needs to be done:

1. Loose marble slabs outside and inside the Museum should be replaced @

$1000. This is in addition to the work being done on the dome.

2. Two little strips of walls inside of the Samadhi altar room must be

finished with black granite-@ $1000

3. English and Hindi captions are still needed in most of the Museum

exhibits--@ $200

4. In the Museum downstairs the large color photos damaged by water leaks

and/or sun exposure for the last 10 years must be replaced soon--@

$2000-$3000.

5. The two large paintings behind the altar must be replaced by bronze bas

relief-@ $10,000 each. If this is going to take too long, we are

considering replacing them temporarily with good paintings--@ $1000 each.

6. Our yearly maintenance and puja--$10,000-- is not yet fully covered by

donation box collections and interest from the Fixed Deposits.

 

**ANNUAL INCOME**

1. The Vrndavana Samadhi Maintenance Fund now has about $35,000 in fixed

deposit.

These donations perpetually serve Srila Prabhupada with the interest.

2. Many devotees donated for special projects. See above under "So far".

3. Hundi donations @ $2,000. Adding this to the $2,100 FD interest gave us

$4,100- 40% of the annual minimum costs. This year the interest rates

dropped from 10% to 6%.

 

**INCOME NEEDED**

1. To do the immediate summer work we need $12,000 now, $25,000 soon.

2. We aim to build up a fixed deposit of $200,000 to use the interest for

expenses in addition to the donations. This will cover inevitable costs and

give an increased cushion for future surprises in the aging structure.

 

 

 

**WHAT YOU CAN DO**

Srila Prabhupada's Vrndavana Samadhi Maintenance Fund needs you now!

All participation is welcome. No donation is too large or too small. Please

choose a convenient method for your personal service to Prabhupada's Samadhi

Mandir:

1. Annual commitments to the Fixed Deposit presently vary from $108, $501

to $1,001.

2. One-time donations are really needed for the Fixed Deposit to reach the

goal:

A. $1,000 (50 donors are needed in this category)

B. $5,000 (20 donors are needed in this category)

C. $10,000 (7 donors are needed in this category)

3. Substantial donations to any of the above on-going projects.

 

**HOW TO HELP**

Whether you wish to give to the Vrndavana Samadhi Fixed Deposit, or

to some specific project of the Samadhi, contact me please

(parvati.acbsp (AT) pamho (DOT) net) here in Vrndavana. I will let you know the

easiest and least complicated way to send your donation, and will be very

happy to answer any other questions you may have. There is probably one of

our reliable representatives near you who can carry your generous donations

directly to Vrndavana.

International money orders (personal checks entail a very long

process), bank drafts of foreign money (made out to ISKCON, account # 321,

State Bank of India, Pratap Bazaar, Vrndavana, U.P., or bank transfers using

ac/#210321 and routing code 2502), or Traveler's Checks and cash sent by

hand reach here more reliably than something sent through the mail. Drafts

in rupees may be made out to ISKCON ac/#208, SBI ISKCON Ext. Counter,

Vrndavana. However you do it, communicate it to me so I know to look for it

in case of technical delays.

To insure appropriate handling, address your envelope to Samadhi

Maintenance Fund, attention Parvati devi dasi WITH A COVERING LETTER. Please

state your name, address and the purpose of the donation, so proper

documentation can be made and receipts can be sent.

I thank all of you for helping me to serve the Samadhi better and

beg to remain

 

Your servant,

 

Parvati devi dasi, Samadhi Office