World Hindu Federation, General Council Meeting in Mayapur - India

[Guest guest]

Attached Pictures.

 

For the Press

 

 

The World Hindu Federation General Council Meeting at ISKCON Sri Dham

Mayapur

 

The delegates arrived and registered on 4 December 2000 for the annual

General Council Meeting which was to commence on 5 December 2000. The

program included all the conventional activities as well as following our

temple sadhana /daily program. This included mangal-arati at 4:30am, morning

darshan of the Deities plus especially for this event we held a Viswa Shanti

Yajna (fire sacrifice) to create peace in the world. Immediately after that

at 10:00am the Executive General Committee members and all the Senior Guests

had a meeting in the Lotus conference room for the formation of the

resolution committee and to discuss the previous year's World Hindu

Federation General Council Meeting. The inauguration took place at 2:30pm

at the Pandal main stage which accomodated over 2000 guests and

delegates.This is where all the presentations of the leaders from all over

the world for the Hindu Sangas took place, and the internal discussiones

took place in the Auditorium of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pushpa Samadhi.

 

At this year General Council Meeting, each delegate from their particular

country gave a

speech concerning the problems that they are facing. All of them contributed

their ideas and best methods for solving these problems. They discussed how

they can work as one family to further develop the Sanatana Dharma in all

the Hindu community world wide

and how to preach to others about the Absolute Truth as presented in the

Vedas.

 

The President Shri Krishna Gopal Tandon and guests of honours were His

Divine Grace Acarya Giriraj Kishore, the Senior Vice President General

Bharat Keshar Simha. The Advisors present were - Shri Achyut Raj Regmi,

Dr. Oka Punia Atmaja, Shri Mohan Gopal Khetan, Shri Vaithilingam, Vice

Presidents - Shri Bhante Bhikshu Gyan Jagat, Shri Shanker Lal Kedia,Pandit

Narayan Prasad Pokhrel, Let-Gen Putu Soekreta Soeranta, Shri Ramesh Chand

Jain, Shri Rasik Bhai S Patel, also was present Om Prakash Ray from

Singapore & Baidya Nath Sah from Bihar. Secretaries - Col. Hem Bahadur

Karki, Sardar Jagir Singh, Shri Prem Laskari, Shri Bramha Dev Upadyaya, Shri

Ajaya Singh, Shri R. Thiagaraja and Shri Anand Prakash Harbola. The Chief

Treasurer was Shri Gopal Krishna Kharel and Deputy Treasurer was Shri

Radheshyam Thapa. There was also H.H Bhakti Swarup Damodar Swami a member

of ISKCON - GBC and Bhakti Purusottama Swami Maharaj who were there to

welcome all the delegates on behalf of ISKCON Mayapur. The Secretary

general Dr Jogendra Jha could not be present due to health problems.

 

The General Council Meeting was then held at the Srila Prabhupada Puspa

Samadhi in the auditorium. Thereafter the evening's cultural program

consisted of an Elephant procession on which the Deities Sri Radha Madhava

rode around the temple complex. There was also a drama acted out of Lord

Krishna's childhood pastimes and following this there was a traditional

vedic style meal served.

 

On the second day, 6th of December the delegates were taken on a tour of

ISKCON'S grounds, this included visiting the goshala, gurukula and Srila

Prabhupada's Samadhi.

The second part of the General Council Meeting took place in which the

internal problems were to be discussed of each and their respective

countries as well as India and Nepal.

During the final day of the General Council meeting held in Srila

Prabhupada's puspa Samadhi, the conclusion for the proposals for the

resolutions in the year to come were discussed. Therefore they had formed a

resolution committee which had several meetings to review all the proposals

for this year.

 

In closing on 6 December, the final gathering was held on stage at the main

pandal were the gifts were presented to all of the dignitaries and

honourable guests of the World Hindu Federation. To end the celebration

everyone was entertained by our local devotees stage performance on the

rasa-lila of Sri Krsna-Bhagavan.

 

On the morning of the 7 December some of the delegates went to their

respective appointments while others went on a small tour to visit some

Holy places, such as Yoga Pith which is Lord Caitanya's birth place and also

they went to Sri Jagannath Mandir, where the Deities of Lord Jagannath,

Subadra and Balaram reside.

 

To end their little pilgrimage, the guests took a bath in the most sacred

river, the Mother Ganges.

 

The main issues/agenda discussed by the delegates, was the secretary

report, the treasury report, the appointments of the auditor, the reports

from different countries, the constitutions ammendments and how to create an

international Hindu centre around the world.

 

The most improtant approved resolutions are:

 

A) Encourage all the people of the world to return to Dharma by

transforming the dharma's values into practical morality for daily life.

B) For the young generations, promoting educational programs for inner

moral strength, practicing spiritual disclipine and internal peace.

C) It's very important to build a Hindu Center in countries where a lot

of Hindu people are living. The mission of the Hindu Centers is to study the

Veda, translate Veda to national languages, studying Ayurvedic medical

systems and other spiritual and cultural activities.

D) Establishing "Dana Punya", a fund by which every Hindu contributes

in each country for purposes of Hindu based activities and sponsorship in

the respective country.

 

It's only through these efforts that we can keep the Hindu people within

this religion and not be converted.

 

2) This General Council Meeting of the WHF realising that the young

children living away from their mother countries have very little or no

opportunity to be educated in their own religion calls upon the governments

of the world to conduct Pupil's Own Religious classes in schools.

 

3) Realising in this modern world there is a need to keep pace with

proper, efficient management, and the imparting and receiving of knowledge

through Information Technology (IT), this General Council Meeting calls upon

the WHF HQ and all other affiliates to go IT by setting up their own e-mail,

websites and computerised administration.

 

4) Realising that there is a need for proper and accurate information

on all fields of Hinduism, this General Council Meeting calls upon the WHF

HQ to establish a Hindu Resource and Research Center so that all affiliates

can contribute and at the same time acquire proper information through IT

methods. At the same time facilities must be provided for extensive research

on Hinduism. Such centers should also be established in all countries.

 

5) It is resolved to support and extend international cooperation in

all respects for the development of Brijalal Kedia Hindu University Birgonig

Nepal, to achieve the objectives of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam for World Peace

and Fraternity.

 

6) Realising the need to stress the spiritual life and well being of

Hindus throughout the world, this General Council meeting calls upon the WHF

to emphasize the understanding of Dharma and propagating the Hindus to

practice it in their daily life because Dharma Raksatah and Dharma Raksitah

means that if you are practicing Dharma then you are protected by Dharma.

 

 

7) ISKCON also requested the Hindu leaders to open their loving arms

to accepting those who have returned to the fold of Sanatana Dharma and

facilitate their ability to worship Bhagavan in the Hindu Shrines of Bharat,

Nepal, and other parts of the world.

 

Other request was that the Samadhi Memorial of Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada will be a shrine to all Hindus of the world, was agreed verbaly

for the President and will be officialy approved soon.

 

 

For the Organizing Committee.

Nitai Prasada das

 

Please see attahced pictures.