Manipuri Tour of Mid-East; Nov 2000 Iskcon Manipur Temple

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

 

Pamho agtsp!!

 

SPIRIT OF INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD - MIDDLE EAST TOUR

 

Ranganiketan is the sister organization of Iskcon based in Manipur, where

even today, 67% of the population (including the Chief Minister & others)

always wear Gaudiya Vaishnav tilak as their natural culture! It was Srila

Prabhupada's great foresight to propagate the teachings of the Bhagavatam

through science (BI), art and culture (Ranganiketan) and not only through

our religious institution Iskcon, which is unacceptable to some quarters.

Srila Prabhupada entrusted this task to our beloved Guru Maharaj HH

Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami (Dr T D Singh) who is International Director

for both Ranganiketan and the Bhaktivedanta Institute.

 

I am very pleased to share with all of you the news of Ranganiketan's recent

month-long Middle East tour. We started our tour from Manipur one day

before Janmashtami, first to Delhi. On Janmashtami day, our group of 8

artistes visited Iskcon Delhi in the morning, and then went to Iskcon

Kurukshetra by taxi to perform before 5,000 devotees at the huge Pandal

there. It was a wonderful program, very well organized by HG Sakshi Gopal

Das Prabhu (TP).

 

Next morning, we started for Syria from Delhi. Our troupe included 6-year

old Tulasi das, who was the star performer. It is very difficult to travel

in this part of the world (especially at Prasadam times!!) It was a very

new experience to us to see lands and customs so different from ours. We

had all gone in under Diplomatic passports issued by the Govt of India, so

we were given royal treatment and protection all the way (although we did

run away from the five star hotel because our consideration was for

prasadam!!) During the program we made many many new friends.

 

In Syria we had 4 major performances and many house programs. There was

very high profile media coverage of all our programs there. We represented

India in the Bosara International Folk Festival there. We did Krishna Leela

dances, Martial Arts performances (ferocious sword fighting, with sparks

flying) and Flying Drummers dances along with Hari Sankirtana. We chanted

the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra during the program in our traditional Manipuri

style, and the addressed the audience as well. The crowds at our

performances ranged from 5 to 10 thousand people. They appreciated our

performances very much. There was no objection from anyone to our chanting

hare krishna (we even managed to make the audience repeat "Hare Krishna!"

after we greeted them in their tradition with "Salaamualaikum", "Ham

dulllah"! It was ecstatic - a wonderful spirit of inter-racial,

inter-religious harmony was enjoyed by everyone. There were many artistes

from other countries present as well, in a spirit of international

brotherhood.

 

This is very good in view of the forthcoming World Parliament of Religions

at which my dear Guru Maharaj will be addressing 8,000 world religious

leaders in Capetown, South Africa in Nov/Dec 99, and also in view of next

year's major event: the signing of the United Religions Charter at the UN HQ

on June 26th the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations - my

beloved Guru Maharaj is also the leader for Science and Religion in this

important endeavour. [if you are curious to know more about this event, you

may find our all details at:

 

www.united-religions.org

 

A global 3-day publicity event will take place from Fri Dec 31st to Sunday

Jan 2nd called 72 hours of peace.])

 

During this month-long tour, we performed 13 major programs in 4 countries:

Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. Our Programs were featured on national TV,

radio and many article with big pictures in the newspapers. Our child

devotee artiste Tulasi das, aged 6-and-a-half, is a full time devotee of

Iskcon Manipur. He performed 3 items which required great skill, dexterity

and stamina: Martial Arts (sword dancing), Flying Drummer dance, and

child-krishna dance. Everywhere the press men asked, "Such a little boy has

so much stamina to perform 3 difficult items for 45 minutes - what do you

eat? What is your diet?" (Tulasi is a very small built child.) (Tulasi

happens to be my son, so you can imagine how proud I am of him.) We told

them that we are very strict vegetarians and we don't even eat onions and

garlic. They were all surprised and published this in their articles. ( I

shall send you the copies by post.)

 

After every performance, young Tulasidas was always swamped by many, many of

the audience, rushing to pose photos with him, to get his autograph, and he

was smothered with hundreds of kisses, as that is part of their culture.

 

In Iraq we performed before UN Officials and diplomats from all countries at

a special private program hosted by the Ambassador for India in Iraq, Mr

Dayakar. It was simply ecstatic.

 

In Egypt, after the program, many university and college students requested

us to open up a school of martial arts and flying drummers. There is a good

chance that this proposal may come through but it is too early to say now.

 

We hope that in future we will be able to do more of this alternative

preaching where direct religious preaching is taboo. We intend to introduce

classes on Yoga, cooking, and other cultural programs in many cities of the

world. Like sports, culture seems to know no political barriers in bringing

people together.

 

Please visit our website - it is still under construction, but it has the

basic information and some nice photos of our artistes in action.

 

http://members.xoom.com/ranganiketan

 

NOV 2000 MANIPUR TEMPLE INAUGURATION

 

Manipuri culture is possibly the greatest heritage that we followers of

Gaudiya Vaishnavism have to show the world. The entire country was

Krishna-conscious historically. Many Iskcon devotees may never have heard

of Manipur nor visited because it was a restricted area for decades, and it

was not possible to visit with a normal visa. But now that has changed and

permits to visit are easily obtainable. (Iskcon has grown to be an integral

part of the country and if you approach us, we can help you secure the

required visa to visit our country.)

 

On behalf of my Guru Maharaj HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Maharaj (GBC

for Manipur & Int'l Director of Bhaktivedanta Institute) I humbly invite the

worldwide community of devotees to plan to visit Manipur, the Switzerland of

India, for the inauguration of our big, grand new temple, Iskcon Manimandir

and behold the beauty of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Krishnachandra. The

 

tentative date is 11th Nov 2000, which is the Full Moon day of Autumn,

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

the day when the entire country is plunged into festive celebration of the

Maha Rasa Leela festival, led by the King of Manipur himself. (216 gopis

below age 10 plus Radha and Krishna will re-enact the pastime.)

 

The temple inauguration will include the opening of the new University of

Bhagaawat Culture. Presently Iskcon has 7 schools in Manipur and Tripura

with total 3,500 students up to 10th standard. At the request of the

Manipur govt. this will be extended to include 11th and 12th standards soon,

and the University will make it complete. The university will teach all

aspects of Bhagawat culture: science, bhakti shastra, arts, including

dancing, cooking, sankirtana, deity worship etc etc.

 

Our nature cure hospital is already running for several years, with deities

upstairs and prasadam is served for all patients. Our doctor in charge is

one of the best in the world, and we invite all devotees to take benefit of

this facility when you need to service your material body, rest and

recuperate. The hospital is located idyllically in the countryside,

Himalayan foothills at Langol, Manipur.

 

Please come to Manipur. Thank you very much.

 

[if any devotees are interested to make any bookings for our Ranganiketan

troupe, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. Thank you.]

 

 

Your humble servant always

In service of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga,

 

Ajit Das (BSDS)

Secretary

Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe

 

Address:

Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Centre

Sangaiprou

Airport Road

Imphal - 795 001

Manipur, India

Tel: +91-385-221 084 / 231 405

Fax +91-385-225544

Email: ajit (AT) com (DOT) org