Dear devotees,
SRILA GURUDEVA’s SANGA MEETING at the MASONIC HALL 14th April 2012
The following points were written on the white board during the meeting:
The Aim is of this meeting is to develop a loving mood for the collective service of Srila Gurudeva. Read more
Dear Devotees,
Being the 4th Sunday of the month, there will be the usual harinam gathering at Burleigh Heads beach today. We will meet at the usual place, next to the playground at the southern end of the beach. There won’t be a program at Dr T’s afterwards, as Tridandi Maharaja is giving classes is Brisbane. I expect there will be lots of people out and about because of the holidays, and hope that some of you can come for this joyful service.
your servant
Subal Sakha das
Haribol Prabhus and Didi’s,
Here is the latest schedule for Sripad Tridandi Maharaja’s programs in Murwillumbah and Gold Coast for this weekend. More programs are being arranged by the Gold Coast devotees for next week.
FRIDAY NIGHT 8th APRIL
Mahaprabhu’s house, starting at 5pm, bhajans and class, light supper provided. Maha: 0413630400.
SUNDAY MORNING 10th APRIL
Subal Sakha’s flat, bhajans and class starting at 10am. light lunch provided. Subal (Soolaba) 02-66724752
Flat C, 155 Murwillumbah St, Murwillumbah.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON 10th APRIL (cancelled if raining in Burleigh)
Burleigh Heads beach harinam, Hare Krishna kirtan by Tridandi Maharaj and Subal prabhu, start 3pm till 5pm. Subal (Soolaba) mob: 0427746495
SUNDAY NIGHT 10th APRIL
Tulsi and Chandramukhi’s house at Tweed Heads, bhajans and class 5:30pm, light supper provided. Tulsi mob: 0409966734, 07-55232262.
your servant,
Subal Sakha das
BURLEIGH KIRTANS: 13th March & 27th March
Dear Prabhu’s and Didi’s,
for those of you who are not away in India, I would like to invite everyone, including my usual kirtan party, to attend Madhava’s kirtan program at the Burleigh Heads Masonic lodge instead of harinam on the beach. Below are the details:
MADHAVA AND HIS KIRTAN PARTY WILL BE PERFORMING AT BURLEIGH HEADS.
FREE ADMISSION, SPONSORED BY LOKESH AND THE MEMBERS OF SURFERS PARADISE BHAKTI YOGA CENTER
Masonic Lodge Burleigh, 7 First Ave, Burleigh Heads, Sunday, March 13th 3:30pm – 6:30pm (QLD)
Harinam on the beach at 3pm (QLD) will be as usual on the 27th of March.
Your Servant, Subal Sakha das / Soolaba.
I am extremely indebted to all the following devotees who kindly came together to glorify our most beloved Gurudeva by distributing his books and singing the Lords names with great enthusiasm to all of Krishna’s lost sheep at Burleigh; Rishikesa prabhu, Sanatana prabhu, Brajaraja prabhu, Mic, Paramananda Puri prabhu, Braja Kishori didi, Mathuranatha prabhu, Candrakala didi, Atri didi and her daughters Nila and Sundari didis.
Special thanks to Rishikesh and Anuradha didi, who first gave me the idea to organise this harinam, Subal Krsna, who supplied the books for distribution, Sanatana, who personally handed out so many books, to Brajaraj, who took an hour off his very busy New Years Eve work schedule to come and chant with us, and to Mathuranath and Candrakala, who came and chanted so enthusiastically after leading their own kirtan through the streets of Murwillumbah that same afternoon.
By the merciful arrangement of Srila Gurudeva, many Iskcon gurukuli’s had also decided to gather at Burleigh for New Year’s Eve. They all blissfully smiled and some danced as they passed by. After immersing ourselves in ecstatic kirtan for 4 hours, the gurukuli’s graciously invited us to take Ekadasi prasad and join their party for kirtan.
Accepting their offer was a wonderful opportunity to set them up on the magic carpet with the facility of microphones and PA system for the benefit of the inquisitive souls who had gathered to hear the chanting. I’m very grateful for Mic’s help in setting up the PA and arranging for it all to be packed up so quickly after midnight. A special thanks also to Achintya Govinda , for filming the event and supplying enough power leads to make the PA possible.
In a delightful gathering of more than one hundred devotees, many sweet kirtan melodies were led by Rupa das, myself and several others for another 4 hours until midnight. A special moment for me was when Damodar das began singing the ‘Australian tune’ very expertly, which was like their unknowing offering to the passing of Srila Gurudeva.
When a huge crowd of onlookers had gathered, I placed the remaining books, ‘Way of Love’ and ‘Undiscovered Self’ next to my “take a free book” sign. With great happiness I saw all those books disappear within seconds by the influence of the gurukuli’s melodious kirtan.
The build-up to midnight reached a climax with a kirtan led by a gurukuli, Mic and myself. By the combined mercy of Srila Prabhupad, Srila Gurudeva, and Srila Govinda Maharaja, hundreds and hundreds of people received the benediction of the holy name at this most heart-felt time, the end of an era, the disappearance of one so dear to Srimati Radhika, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja.
Rishi rang me Sunday morning and suggested we do Harinam at Pottsville Markets. I happily agreed and quickly rang around to see who else could come. We picked up our drummer, Mic, on the way and arrived at the markets at 11 o’clock. Madhava, who was busking with his puss-in-boots puppet, suggested we approach the organizer about sitting down and chanting with free books to give away.
With the go-a-head, we set up with the harmonium, mrdanga and cartals on a rug and began chanting the Lord’s names. We had a very nice response from passers-by and many of the younger people took Gurudeva’s books.
After an hour or so, Malati, Damadar-Priya, Chris and Pushpa, sat down and joined us, along with Narahari Prabhu and Anuradha Didi. Several people came and asked us about the philosophy, some thanked us for the “uplifting singing”, around 50 books were distributed, and we made plans for the following Sunday at Burleigh.
Word had gotten around via Facebook and Candramuki’s emails that myself and Giri Maharaj were going to lead the chanting at Burleigh. So it was no surprise when around twenty devotees gathered at the picturesque beachside setting.
On a shady patch right next to the busy path, looking out to sea, myself and Giri Maharaj took turns at leading the kirtan. Quite a large crowd of onlookers congregated to hear the melodious chanting. It gave so much joy to all our hearts when we saw how eager some people were to take the free books, while others hesitated to overcome their inhibitions before taking them. I estimate about 100 booklets were distributed.
This was the largest Harinam to date, I would like to thank all the devotees who came for their support and encourage them to invite their friends and to all come every fortnight to this ecstatic yajna for the pleasure of Srila Gurudeva and Sri Gauranga.
It was a spontaneous suggestion by Giri Maharaj at lunchtime on Tuesday to take to the streets of Murwillumbah with harmonium, cartals and Sri Nam. To our delight, Caitanya Prabhu arrived on our doorstep and accompanied us to the busking spot near the bakery. We all took turns at playing the harmonium and singing our favourite tunes, first Giri Maharaj, then Caitanya and myself. Achintya arrived and filmed an Islamic council-worker who sat down and sang a song with an identical melody to a familiar Mahamantra tune. We all then sang the Mahamantra while he played.
As always, there was a mixed response in Murwillumbah. Many smiles (by devotees and feast-goers), ignored by the local farmer types, and saw quite a few pensioners passing by, nodding their heads to the beat. One man came up who had listened the whole time from the other side of the road. He thanked us so much for “totally uplifting his soul.”
In the service of Sri Guru and the Vaisnava’s, Subal Sakha das
