Guest guest Posted July 31, 1999 Report Share Posted July 31, 1999 Dear Prabhus Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Here is the latest Sri Mayapur Project Newsletter with news of our efforts to develop Sri Mayapur. I have updated our mailing list for COM. It was a difficult process, as many devotees have changed name. Please forgive me if you are included or left out by mistake. This newsletter is sent out roughly once a month to around 1200 devotees, mostly on COM. If you wish to be off this list, or you know someone who wants to be on it, please get in touch. I hope that you find something her which you may want to share with other devotees. Please feel free to pass this on, or put it on a temple noticeboard etc. Your Servant Bhagavat Dharma Dasa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHRI MAYAPUR PROJECT NEWS. VOL. 2, NUMBER 5. July 1999. >From the Communications Office, Radlett, UK. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ adbhuta mandira ei haibe prakash gauranga nitya-seva haibe vikasa 'One astounding temple will appear, from where Lord Gauranga's eternal service will be preached all over the world'. Lord Nityananda in the Navadwip Mahatmya. --------- Contents of this edition. 1) Editorial 2) News Bytes 3) A Meeting at Highgrove House 4) Delhi Developments 5) SMVS Forges Ahead 6) Response to Some Recent Feedback 7) Acknowledgements ============= 1) EDITORIAL. ============= This is our July edition, and we've worked flat out to get it to you on the last day of July. To be honest, we're a little late. I took a break with my family, and on returning, I have been working, with a team of devotees, on a special BTG Mayapur issue, which is due out in December. In this packed issue, I have a short report from Pada-Sevanam Dasa, our chief designer, on his recent meeting with Prince Charles at Highgrove in England. I'll give a little insight into the work of the Delhi design and planning office, which is picking up speed. I've also included a recent report from Pancaratna Prabhu on the recent progress of the Sri Mayapur Vikas Sangha, the independent body, which we sponsor, in Mayapur. There are some points in our feedback section. Please get back to me on anything concerning our effort to develop Sri Mayapur. I do hope you find some inspiration in this issue. Best Wishes. Your Servant. Bhagavat Dharma Dasa Internet: bhagavat (AT) netcomuk (DOT) co.uk COM: bhagavat.dharma.mg (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se Sri Mayapur Project Temporary Web Page www.netcomuk.co.uk\~bhagavat\smp.htm ============== 2) NEWS BYTES. ============== BTG Millenium Issue. As mentioned, the Sri Mayapur Project will form the centrepiece of the millenium BTG issue, due out in December. Articles will include an interview with Jananivas Prabhu on the special pastimes of the deities, a summary of Padasevanam's recent presentation to Prince Charles, a potted history of the project and realisations from devotee residents. Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi. At a meeting in October last year in Delhi, the SMPDC agreed to work to change the frieze around Srila Prabhupada's Pushpa Samadhi in Mayapur, to include female devotees in the sankirtan procession. There are formidable difficulties to achieving this, not the least being that the kilns for baking the clay were long ago dismantled. A devotee from Boulder, Sanandananda Manjari dasi, after an inspiring visit to Mayapur, has kindly stepped forward to lead this effort. She writes: 'I am wondering who out there is also interested in helping. I am not just looking for female devotees. I am asking everyone to help. I am starting by requesting help in getting cost estimates. After I get some idea of how I might get started, I will set up a fund and solicit donations. If all of you will "chip in", it may only cost us a few dollars each'. The Mayapur Project will also help with costing and provide some funds. Sanandananda Manjari Dasi is meeting with Abhirama Dasa this weekend. Please contact her if you can help. Her email address is smanjari (AT) ecentral (DOT) com GBC Mayapur Office. One of the concerns voiced at this year's GBC meetings was the need for a permanent office, active throughout the year. Recently, Bhakti Caru Maharaj responded to this concern and kindly donated his suite of rooms at Mayapur for the use of the GBC, along with a generous start-up grant. Kalakantha Dasa is coordinating the development of this office, and will go to Mayapur in October to take the first steps. Any devotees who are interested to help with this work should contact Kalakantha ACBSP on COM, or kalakantha.acbsp (AT) bbt (DOT) se from the Net. Fundraising Meeting. The first in a series of fund-raising meetings, for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will begin in London on August 12th, chaired by Abhirama Dasa. The meeting will map out a campaign to gather donations for the commencement of construction of the temple in the first years of the new millenium. SMP Website. Our humble website, which contains no frames and no Java, (not yet anyway...), is slowly growing. We've recently added a Mayapur Desktop Wallpaper section, whereby you can download inspiring scenes from Mayapur and photos of Srila Prabhupada direct to your computer desktop. As I write this, I'm in the process of scanning some photos of the models being made for the seven-foot deities of Sri Panca Tattva, who will grace the alter in the TVP. Please bookmark us at: http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~bhagavat/smp.htm =============================== 3) A Meeting at Highgrove House Padasevanam Dasa =============================== On the 13 June, 1999, selected past and present Ph.D. students from the 'Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture' were invited to meet with Prince Charles at his private residence, Highgrove, Gloucestershire. The plan was for the students to meet for a day to discuss their work and to hear the Prince's future vision and idea for creating a core group of architects to initiate a new direction in environmental design and 'place-making'. The group was greeted in the epitome of the beautiful English summer countryside. A small musical ensemble, consisting of a cello, harpist, flautist and percussionist played traditional Irish folk music, whilst morning tea was offered. Shortly after tea, I had the opportunity to present His Royal Highness with a 24-page presentation on the 'Temple of the Vedic Planetarium', which also covered the Temple in context to the future township and surrounding region. It was specifically designed, written and beautifully hand-bound for this important event. The presentation was well received by the Prince and again he reiterated his enthusiasm to visit Sri Mayapur Dhama to see the site of the temple once construction has started. The guests stayed for lunch. The Prince later informally invited the participants to wander his sculptured gardens, which were divided and designed in various themes. A selection of brushes and paints were provided for those who were inclined to do some watercolour painting. After an inspiring afternoon, with fascinating exchanges on architecture and philosophy taking place, afternoon tea was served. As the sun began to set we departed for our homes, and I made plans to travel back to our office in Delhi, inspired to know that our efforts are being noticed in a way which I think would have pleased Srila Prabhupada very much. ===================== 4) Delhi Developments ===================== The Delhi office has moved into full swing, in order to complete and freeze the temple design by the end of this year. GRUP India, our project management consultants have now taken responsibility for the output for both temple design and master planning. Chief designer Pada-Sevanam Dasa continues to direct the design, and Gaura Sakti Dasa oversees the engineering works for the temple design and master planning, and plans ahead for construction. "Advertisements are now running and we expect to have a full team in place by the first of August", says Gaura Sakti, "The team will include 4 architects, 4 experts in urban design/planning and master planning, a CAD draftsman, and a model maker". "We are currently working on a sewer system for the community and a new deep-water tube well for the grhastha area, so all residents there will get arsenic-free water from their taps. We are also building new residential housing, which will be sold by Sadbhuja das. If you have an interest, please contact him via COM". Senior master planner, Dhiraj Narayan, has moved on to further studies in the US. He made a solid contribution to the master plan over three years and his perceptive and cheerful presence will be missed. "We are fortunate to have the input of another senior planner, who we hope to hire full-time shortly. We expect that she will then hire her own staff, and take responsibility for all the master plan activity', said Gaura Sakti. Current master plan tasks include the completion of the detailed designs for Phase 1 of the entire master plan area. This covers the entire western section of the area (the Ganga side), from north to south. This will include concept designs for flood protection, area drainage, transportation issues, sewage disposal and treatment, and electrical distribution. Some of these areas will progress into the detailed designs during this period as well. ==================== 5) SMVS Forges Ahead Pancaratna Dasa ==================== The Mayapur Project helped to set up the Sri Mayapur Vikas Sangha (SMVS), as a non-governmental organization, and continues to offer financial sponsorship for the Sangha's ongoing work. It is the conviction of the SMPDC and ISKCON Mayapur that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to act sensibly and to show responsibly in the Mayapur region. He wanted us to build good relations with the local people and their leaders. Through our continued sponsorship of the SMVS, we feel that Srila Prabhupada's goal is being realized. The following is a report from Pancaratna Dasa, director of the SMVS. June 1999 Report. ----------------- So much has happened in the last few months that I am compelled to make a comprehensive report. Village Health Things have been most active in this area. Our new medical co-ordinator, Dr. Kavita Maity, is settling in very well and has made many improvements in the operations in the field. During the last two months she established eight village clinics covering nearly our entire village health program area. These are all homeopathic clinics with an emphasis on mothers and children. Arsenic free water The India Canada Environment Facility (ICEF) has finalised their project and moved through all the various government and internal sanctions that are required. They are presently setting up the project office in Calcutta and we expect to begin implementing the project in our area within several months. This will be a major expansion of our operations. Livelihoods There are now seven self-help groups formed and another 14 groups are in the process of formation. Our field workers are confident that this program will expand rapidly. One of the aims of mobilising self-help groups is to provide a foundation for introducing income generation programs. One area that we have been looking at it is production of jute based handicrafts. We were getting ready to start our own training program with funding from NABARD (the development bank), when some representatives of the government Jute Commission came to Mayapur offering to conduct a training program. Somehow communications got a bit crossed and they showed up several weeks earlier than we had planned. We had hoped to recruit trainees from our self-help groups but since there was no time we hastily pulled together some ladies who were interested from Ballaldighi and Bamanpukur. Despite the confusion the program was a great success and 26 ladies were trained in producing attractive handicrafts from jute. We are now putting together a production program for these ladies so that they can begin utilising their skills for supplementary income. We will try to market these products through the various ISKCON outlets here in Mayapur as well as in Calcutta, etc. We have also made some progress in the agriculture side of our livelihoods program. ISKCON Mayapur has given us two acres of land for a demonstration unit. This is now under soil preparation. Education In mid-April we held our second annual function at the Ballaldighi school. To make the event more constructive we held a workshop on the problems of primary education in our area. The workshop was attended by more than 15 teachers and educators including the principal of the local Bhaktivinode Thakur high school. The chief guest was the District Inspector of Secondary Schools, a very influential person in education in our area. He spoke highly of SMVS and ISKCON and offered to help us in any way he could. We have also expanded our program of non-formal education and now have three village teachers who are conducting specialised classes for school dropouts. There is much more we would like to do in the area of education and we are now considering bringing on another professional to be a full-time project co-ordinator. Regional planning For several months, we have had a new District Magistrate in Nadia. He is an important figure in the local government. Several weeks ago I went to visit him to introduce SMVS. I introduced one of our local planning consultants to him, but he wasn't so impressed. He wanted a regional planning proposal from SMVS directly. I was able to enlist the help of well-known and innovative planner Romi Khosla, from Delhi, who is working with the Mayapur Project office there. Romi has drawn up a plan, and we are waiting to find out how the DM feels about our ideas. Conclusion As well as the work mentioned above, our ongoing work on the UK Govt. sponsored Community Sustainable Development Indicators project and planning of the UNDP Country Cooperation Framework for Health is proceeding. More news about these later. These are the highlights of developments over the last few months. I hope to be able to produce regular reports from now on to keep everyone up-to-date. ==================================== 6) RESPONSE TO SOME RECENT FEEDBACK. ==================================== I have no specific letter to include this month, but I did want to record some issues from recent correspondence, which may stimulate some further discussion. a) A devotee wrote with concern that Mayapur would take resources from world-wide temples. I hope we can clarify this. We really don't expect temples to change or curtail their own plans for development in order to fund Mayapur. We do, however, need the well-wishes and understanding of the Vaishnavas and some co-operation. We expect that much of the funding will come from India, as Srila Prabhupada has suggested. b) We do feel that the very nature of the Project, as a world center for the glorification of Lord Chaitanya suggests engagement for devotees and pious souls throughout the world. We see that their contributions could include offering special prayers, writing out the Maha-mantra for installation in the foundation of the TVP or making small or large donations, perhaps for bricks and various facilities for the Temple. We also want to create opportunities for volunteers to take part in the construction. Several temples have already come forward to offer their co-operation. We hope that others will feel inspired to do so. c) We feel that co-operating around a core project, which is so important to Srila Prabhupada, will benefit all the participants. We see that such co-operation can only strengthen ISKCON as a whole. d) We are not building a shopping mall. We feel unhappy to hear the criticism that no one will benefit by putting up another pile of bricks and that ISKCON should concentrate now on improving the welfare of devotees. Such welfare, we believe, can only come from following the example of our founder-acharya, who worked hard to push on Krishna Consciousness. We see that a well-founded collective endeavour to build Mayapur, as Srila Prabhupada desired, can bring health, happiness and strength for devotees, and can be a step towards a resolved ISKCON. Please get back to us on any of these points above. I don't normally address rumours, but I feel it is important in these days when stories can spin out of control, to stop one right at the start. Please know that Abhirama Dasa, the Chairman of the SMPDC does not receive any salary from the Mayapur Project. He is an independent person who gives his time and energy as a volunteer. He did in the past receive some help when he gave up his professional career to work full time. He is no longer in receipt of any payment. ==================== 6) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ==================== I would like to thank the following devotees who helped with this issue: Padasevanam Dasa, Pancaratna dasa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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