Guest guest Posted March 24, 1999 Report Share Posted March 24, 1999 Dear Mahrajas and prabhus, I was standing on the platform waiting for a train when who should walk along but Abhirama p[rabhu, We got into the carriage and right into discussion of sustainable toilets in Sri Mayapur. He tells me there is right now a bloodbath in India over caste issues. He said the government won't like it if you try and instigate sustainable toilets along the lines that I have suggested and what we agreed probably was the system used even in Dwaraka all those years ago. I was just coming from a conference on 'the impact of ogranic farming on the environment' when I met him. I told him that I had had good responce with discussions on gains and losses in the manure heap - in a talk given by a top soil scientist from ADAS. I had also displayed my literature on boards about the Satvik Indore Toilet of which I sold some and a book or two. The professors and doctors in attendance and other university students were in full agreement that 'human effluent is indeed the biggest missing link in the chain of recycling nutrients'. I was explaining how this simple system of thermophilic dry composting (The Indore Method) was of Indian origin and had proved one hundred percent successful in our trials over four months in India, West Bengal. They were also interested to know how this week I have an appointment with the Environment Agency in Cornwall who have studied my book and who want to look at proposed sites and planning permissions for the location of open air dry composting wind rows to cater for the vast amount of toilets that are proposed to deal with the influx of expected visitors to Cornwall this summer. The sad irony is: When we were doing our project in India we were told by some Indian devotees that they didn't want our western system of cattleshed management and organic toilets! I had been thinking how wonderful it would be, when it was agreed in the Mayapur development offices in London, that we should go to India to proceed with trials on this ancient authentic system. Now although we have our first review on the success of the system in the UK from a British hospital who have carried out a one year trial, Abhirama prabhu tells me that it looks too dangerous to try and instigate the system in India. He says where we are in Navadvip there are no Bungies to carry out the work and the people will hate you if you try to change things! I said but for a community of 500 self-sufficient devotees they could do it themselves as an example, he still said that the government wouldn't like it! Well it was a good exercise in many things and it seems the west is ready to accept such a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice more than India; although it is an Indian practice originating, tried and developed in India! Kali Yuga Ki Jai! It is probably one of the most beneficial applications in the setting up a self-sufficinet communtiy. If we want to preach self-sufficinecy it is essential as far as Mother earth is concerned and used in conjunction with all goshala waste and city refuse is the cheapest most efficient means of disposing of these problems all in one go; adding to the improved health and hygienic condition of the crops animals and devotees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 1999 Report Share Posted March 24, 1999 > > > If we want to preach self-sufficinecy it is essential as far as Mother earth > is concerned and used in conjunction with all goshala waste and city refuse > is the cheapest most efficient means of disposing of these problems all in > one go; adding to the improved health and hygienic condition of the crops > animals and devotees. In the sixties , aware, intelligent social activists dropped out of the system due to Vietnam War etc. that same pool of potential devotees today are environmentalists, or at least aware environmentally. I have seen bright young people drawn to New Vrindaban by philosophy and prasadam who came, took one look in the dumpster and saw that the community wasn't recycling, and left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 1999 Report Share Posted March 25, 1999 COM: Radha Krsna (das) ACBSP GB (Great Britain) wrote: > [Text 2183104 from COM] > > I had been thinking how wonderful it would be, when it was agreed in the > Mayapur development offices in London, that we should go to India to proceed > with trials on this ancient authentic system. > Now although we have our first review on the success of the system in the UK > from a British hospital who have carried out a one year trial, Abhirama > prabhu tells me that it looks too dangerous to try and instigate the system > in India. He says where we are in Navadvip there are no Bungies to carry out > the work and the people will hate you if you try to change things! I said > but for a community of 500 self-sufficient devotees they could do it > themselves as an example, he still said that the government wouldn't like > it! > > Well it was a good exercise in many things and it seems the west is ready to > accept such a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice more than > India; although it is an Indian practice originating, tried and developed in > India! You are correct. The existence of the modern caste system is a great stumbling block for any community trying to set up varnasrama. This is because in the modern caste system, a person gains material prestige by maintaining a contemptuous regard for persons in other classes -- reinforcing the bodily conception of life. And indeed, a casual reading of Manu-Samhita will reinforce this contemptuous regard of others, especially those in lower castes. The varnasrama system, as Srila Prabhupada wanted us to implement it is significantly different. Even as early as 1968, he was emphasizing not contempt between classes, but mutual respect. It's not that I elevate myself by figuring out how to see everyone else as inferior to me. Instead, according to Srila Prabhupada's version, I should elevate myself by seeing how wonderfully others are serving Krsna by all different occupations. With this perspective, my view should not be contempt of others, but a humble respect and appreciation of others. But, it is very difficult to implement Prabhupada's spiritual version for class relationships where a materialistic version of class relationships -- passing as religion -- is firmly entrenched. Now can everyone understand why -- even though he was in such poor health -- Srila Prabhupada put so much effort in leaving India (to go to Gita-nagari) to set up varnasrama? Setting up varnasrama in India was going to be difficult, even for Srila Prabhupada, due to a deeply ingrained contempt for the lower classes. your servant, Hare Krsna dasi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 1999 Report Share Posted March 28, 1999 Madhava Gosh wrote: > I have seen bright >young >people drawn to New Vrindaban by philosophy and prasadam who came, took >one look in the dumpster and saw that the community wasn't recycling, and >left. yes we have seen exactly the same thing here in England. Only in connection with the manure heap - this was a Bio dynamic student! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 1999 Report Share Posted March 29, 1999 >[Text 2193039 from COM] > >Madhava Gosh wrote: > >> I have seen bright >>young >>people drawn to New Vrindaban by philosophy and prasadam who came, took >>one look in the dumpster and saw that the community wasn't recycling, and >>left. > >yes we have seen exactly the same thing here in England. Only in connection >with the manure heap - this was a Bio dynamic student! Yes, garbage is very important. I have seen many devotees attracted to associating of other devotees simply to 'talk-trash' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 1999 Report Share Posted March 30, 1999 This is a very significant point of which I was not fully aware. Thank you. I would now like to send your text to Abhiram prabhu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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