24th Monthly Sankirtan Festival - Lord NrsimhaDev's Special

On Saturday May 28th, we will be celebrating our 24th Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF).

This month marked the appearance of Lord Nrsimhadev - The Divine Protector. We invite you to join the upcoming MSF and share the divine and the only ensured protection in this world of calamities, in the form of the holy name, books and prasadam! Please join us and make the most of a sunny shiny saturday, experience the pleasure of bringing smiles to some lonely lives and earn spiritual credits for eternity.

Schedule:-
4:30am Mangal Arti, Japa
7:45am Bhagavatam Class
9:15-10:00 am Building the Mood - Training & Goals
11:00am-2:00pm Street Sankirtan
2:00pm Maha-Harinama
2:30pm Lunch Prasad at the temple

How can YOU help?

1. Prepare Prasadam for distribution: From the comforts of your home prepare dry non-perishable prasad for distribution. Our goal is to distribute 5,000 pieces of prasad.
2. Package Prasadam for distribution: Friday 27th May 2011, 6:30-8:30pm
3. Stamp and pack books for distribution: Friday 27th May 2011, 6:30 PM - 8:30pm
4. Help with Logistics/Transportation: Saturday 28th May
5. Prepare Prasadam for Sankirtan team: Saturday 28th May 6:00-10:00am
6. Participate in Harinam - sing along, lead kirtan, play an instrument, hand out cookies or distribute books: Saturday 28th May; 11:00-3:00pm

Monthly Sankirtan Festival - Ramanavami Special

On April 30th, we will be celebrating the 23rd Monthly Sankirtan Festival with a very special Ramanavami Theme! When Sita was kidnapped by Ravana and was held hostage in Lanka, Lord Rama was able to rescue Sita from the evil clutches of Ravana with the help of Hanuman and his enthusiastic monkey army!

In the special mood of Hanuman and his monkey army, we will be heading out on the streets to help bring back Sita to Lord Rama and we will be doing this by sharing the love of Krsna Consciousness through kirtan, books, prasadam and a friendly smile!


There is service for everyone - help before, during or after the sankirtan festival in whichever way you like. This festival is an ideal opportunity to meditate on Lord Rama and his glories! Please join us for this amazing festival!

“Ramacandra's life… if we hear, that means we are associating with Ramacandra. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes and Himself. He's absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of Rama, see the statue of Rama, or talk of His pastimes ;it means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So we take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears and try to associate with Him. By His association we become purified.”
- Srila Prabhupada lecture, March 27, 1969, Hawaii

See you soon! Please email toronto.sankirtan@gmail.com for more information.

Schedule:-
4:30am Mangal Arti, Japa
7:45am Bhagavatam Class
9:15-10:00 am Building the Mood - Training & Goals
11:00am-2:00pm Street Sankirtan
2:00pm Maha-Harinama
2:30pm Lunch Prasad at the temple

How can YOU help?

1. Prepare Prasadam for distribution: From the comforts of your home prepare dry non-perishable prasad for distribution. Our goal is to distribute 5,000 pieces of prasad.
2. Package Prasadam for distribution: Friday 29th April 2011, 6:30-8:30pm
3. Stamp and pack books for distribution: Friday 29th April 2011, 6:30 PM - 8:30pm
4. Help with Logistics/Transportation: Saturday 30th April
5. Prepare Prasadam for Sankirtan team: Saturday 30th April 6:00-10:00am
6. Participate in Harinam - sing along, lead kirtan, play an instrument, hand out cookies or distribute books: Saturday 30th April; 11:00-3:00pm

Though the weather is improving, it is Toronto and sometimes, we are subjected to very strange weather patterns! Please bring a light jacket and an umbrella!

See you on April 30th!

22nd Monthly Sankirtan Festival - Setting the Mood

Our 22nd Monthly Sankirtan Festival which falls on March 26th, will be celebrated as Gaura Purnima Special. In the mood of Sri Chaitanya, we will all head out on the streets sharing the love and happiness that fills our lives through kirtan, books and prasad.

There is service for everyone - help before, during or after the sankirtan festival in whichever way you like. Our goal this month is to have a team of 108 devotees hitting the streets. Will you help us?

In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead. The flood of love of Godhead swelled in all directions, and thus young men, old men, women and children were all immersed in that inundation. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will inundate the entire world and drown everyone, whether one be a gentleman, a rogue or even lame, invalid or blind. CC Adi 7.23-26

See you soon! Please email toronto.sankirtan@gmail.com for more information.

Schedule:-
4:30am Mangal Arti, Japa
7:45am Bhagavatam Class
9:15-10:00 am Building the Mood - Training & Goals
11:00am-2:00pm Street Sankirtan
2:00pm Maha-Harinama
2:30pm Lunch Prasad at the temple

How can YOU help?

1. Prepare Prasadam for distribution: From the comforts of your home prepare dry non-perishable prasad for distribution. Our goal is to distribute 5,000 pieces of prasad.
2. Package Prasadam for distribution: Friday 25th March 2011, 6:30-8:30pm
3. Stamp and pack books for distribution: Friday 25th March 2011, 6:30 PM - 8:30pm
4. Help with Logistics/Transportation: Saturday 26th March
5. Prepare Prasadam for Sankirtan team: Saturday 26th March 6:00-10:00am
6. Participate in Harinam - sing along, lead kirtan, play an instrument, hand out cookies or distribute books: Saturday 26th March; 11:00-3:00pm



Please dress WARMER than you think you'll need to (it's still cold - bring gloves and caps along).

Nityananda Special - Monthly Sankirtan Festival Sat, Feb 19th

This coming saturday, Feb 19th, marks our 21st Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF).

To celebrate the appearance day of Lord Nityananda, our goal is to have 5 teams going out to distribute 108 books, one for each name of Lord Gauranga chanted by Lord Nityananda.

Please come along, there is more service for you than you can think of! Help pack books, prepare prasad for distribution, drive devotees, chant along the harinama party or distribute books.

Please email toronto.sankirtan@gmail.com for more information.

Schedule:-
4:30am Mangal Arti, Japa
7:45am Bhagavatam Class
9:15-10:00 am Building the Mood - Training & Goals
11:00am-2:00pm Street Sankirtan
2:00pm Maha-Harinama
2:30pm Lunch Prasad at the temple


Please dress WARMER than you think you'll need to (it's still cold - bring gloves and caps along).

Niagara Falls MSF - 1-year Anniversary Special

By Radhamohan das

Because of the G-20 summit in Toronto on the last weekend of June, we had to postpone our Niagara Falls special Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF) by a week. We were apprehensive about many things - new location, turnout, logistics, and above all, physical absence of Shyama-mohini dd (who was away that week attending the annual retreat with HH Bhakti Charu Swami in Vraj, USA). However, by Lord Caitanya's causeless mercy as always, everything worked out seamlessly. Shyama-mohini dd did an excellent job before leaving of planning and coordinating the prasadam with a team of devotees (both for sankirtan and devotees), and was also a constant source of inspiration and encouragement via email and phone. Devotees had their best time, were extremely inspired, enlivened and very enthusiastic to go out again!

We rented a 48-seater school bus to drive devotees to the Falls, which saved the hassles of coordinating cars and drivers. A few families drove their own cars, bringing the total participation to 55. Plan was to leave at 9am, do sankirtan from 11am to 2pm, picnic lunch 3 to 4pm, and return by 6pm. Given the 1.5 hour drive one way, we made special arrangements to make sure that devotees were on time. By Lord's inconceivable mercy, at 9:10am the bus had left downtown Toronto. The bus journey allowed devotees to bond together in an environment free from the stress of driving. There was kirtan all along, and for many this was the best part of the entire trip. We utilized the time on the bus to set the mood, bring everyone on the same page and do some training as there were some new people on the bus. We started by reading an excerpt from HG Vaisesika prabhu's email which was full of words of encouragement and inspiration. We also read a very inspiring message sent by Shyama-mohini dd. Next we discussed the "what" and "how" of book distribution based on Vasesika prabhu's instructions, assigned teams and team leaders, shared the itinerary and special instructions for the day. On the outskirts of the city, we were greeted by Mr. Sudesh Gupta, Shyama-mohini's grand uncle. He guided the bus to the best spot near the Falls, and also drove Vrndavan prabhu around later to show different spots including the park where we would take lunch.

It was the most beautiful day with thousands of people at the Falls. We found a good spot on the grass next to the side walk and made it our nucleus base, where we kept all the boxes of books, water and prasadam. Constant kirtan and dancing went on at that spot, which was a huge attraction for the tourists. They were taking pictures and many were dancing along. It also allowed devotees, especially with kids, to rest in the tree shade as the sun was scorching hot. At the same time, many devotees spread out on the side streets distributing prasadam, mantra & Rath Yatra cards, and books to the fortunate souls. Devotees had the greatest fun ever (you can read Shama Sharma's experiences - her first MSF - on this blog http://torontosankirtan.blogspot.com/2010/07/be-heard-my-first-tryst-with-msf.html). 3 hours later, devotees had distributed about 1000 pieces of prasadam, 100s of Rath Yatra cards and 82 books for ~$300 laxmi (1/3rd of which was in US$ suggesting many books went across the border!). Devotees were exhausted but no one wanted to stop. We then took few group pictures, and drove to the park for lunch prasadam, which was very elaborately cooked by a team of devotees. Devotees shared their experience while partaking in sumptuous prasadam. Around 4:30pm, we drove back to Toronto with non-stop kirtan in the bus, which heightened up as we entered downtown and neared the temple. As the final thing, devotees gathered in the temple hall and shared their realizations from the day, which brought tears in my eyes as I remembered the unlimited causeless mercy that Lord Caitanaya and the disciplic succession have showered on us undeserving souls. Devotees went home physically exhausted but spiritually enlivened and wanting more. One lady with a baby, who got Bhagavad-gita at the Falls from Sankalp and Shaun (both 14) showed up at the Sunday Feast in Toronto the next day! Few people who got festival cards at the Falls also came to the Rath Yatra festival a couple weeks later.

Be Heard - My First Tryst with MSF

Shama Sharma

It was the very first time that I participated in Sankirtan festival at ISKCON Toronto and that too at the annual big anniversary at the Niagra Falls!It was personally my third visit to the Falls but this was the first time that I enjoyed this beauty of the nature from inside out with Krishna's mercy and in the loving association of the devotees. It was huge fun sitting with so many devotees in the same bus with all of us singing, dancing, clapping, laughing and make our way to the Falls. We got very nice training and guidance during the journey from Radha Mohan Prabhu about how to have a humble Krishna Conscious mindset while distributing books.On reaching Niagara Falls, I started with participating in Kirtan and enjoying the Harinaam. People there were so attracted to the Kirtan that some of them even joined and started dancing with us. It was so fulfilling for me personally to see the big smiles on their faces which originates from the internal happiness with the effect of none other but the Holy Name!I felt so enthusiastic while distributing books because it was really a humbling experience to meet so many awesome people. I am so thankful to have so much mercy from Krishna to make it happen for me.I also realized that the guidance that we got on the way from the sankirtan team was so practical as it helped me to keep my focus during whole time while I was on book distribution.The bus tour, food, trip guidance and actually everything in this tour was so organized that I would like to convey my heartiest Thanks to the organizing members who made it a wonderful experience for all of us!

How I Came Through Srila Prabhupada’s Books – One Devotee’s Story

As compiled by Rashi Singh

One year ago, HG Vaisesika Prabhu graced ISKCON Toronto with his presence for the first time, and our temple has not since been the same. Not only had he empowered and inspired a group of devotees to form the Toronto Sankirtana Team, but by his mercy, many people are feeling the buzz of book distribution, and so many more are reaping its benefits. One such person is now a regular, valued member of the ISKCON Toronto family. At a regular Sunday feast, I have the privilege of honouring prasadam with this devotee, who explains her story to me.

About a year ago, Haleh Ashkevari was driving with her daughter in the Bloor-Spadina neighbourhood. Haleh was unassumingly parking her car, while her daughter walked into a nearby store in the trendy area. As Haleh stepped out of her car, a devotee approached her and asked if she was interested in yoga. She said yes. The devotee began showing her the pages and some pictures of the Bhagavad Gita, using the tips that HG Vaisesika Prabhu provided, that Haleh herself is now very familiar with. Intrigued, she gave the devotee $20 in exchange for the book, after which he introduced her to Vaisesika Prabhu. “Do you believe in the power of prayer?” Vaisesika Prabhu asked.“Sure,” she said.“I’m going to teach you one – repeat after me.” And then Haleh uttered the Hare Krishna mahamantra for the first time in this life. “I’ll never forget that feeling,” she remembers. “I really felt like something had taken over me. The mantra was so powerful.” Snapping her out of her somewhat bewildered and happy state, Haleh’s daughter then approached her to leave for the next store. And she did, but not before Vaisesika Prabhu invited her to the temple. She came the very next day, and gave Vaisesika Prabhu her contact information, upon his request.

For two months, she didn’t come to the temple due to a busy travel schedule, but Vaisesika Prabhu stayed in touch with her. “He was so kind, and very personal,” says Haleh. “I don’t think I knew how lucky I was!” With the encouragement of HG Vaisesika Prabhu, Haleh began coming to the temple more regularly. Although she felt it was a little scary at first, the devotees made her feel very welcome. Also at the insistence of Vaisesika Prabhu, Haleh began going out on books. “It’s been a wonderful experience. I feel that going out on books is a self-cleansing process for me. Every time I recognize things in people that are preventing them from surrendering to Krishna , I feel like I’m looking in a mirror.” At this point in Haleh’s story, I’m in awe. Was it just one year ago that Haleh came into our lives? She is such an integral part of our community, and such a warm and loving personality. And as she says something so simple, and so humble, I begin to appreciate the power of Srila Prabhupada’s books, and of Vaisesika Prabhu’s care. “I feel like going out on books allows me to meet people who remind me of what the things are that I need to work on to progress in my Krishna Consciousness,” she continues. “I’m reaching a point in my spiritual life where I’m realizing many of my faults, and my personal obstacles. I hope that going out on books will continue to purify me, and I really hope that I have the blessings and association of all the Toronto devotees to help me!” Again, I’m deeply inspired by Haleh’s humility, and the depth of her realizations. There are so many people in our city who are in desperate need of Srila Prabhupada’s books. With a little bit of courage, and a lot of mercy, we should all try to assist the Toronto Sankirtana Team as much as possible, and play a small role in pushing on Srila Prabhupada’s glorious mission here in Toronto .

Speaking to Haleh makes me realize that we really are just instruments, and Krishna will send us people who are ripe for Krishna Consciousness if we endeavor with sincerity. I also realize that book distribution is as much for our own purification than anything else. “Here I am a year later, praying for the mercy and blessings of all the vaisnavas,” Haleh says. “I am eternally grateful and indebted to HG Vaisesika Prabhu.”

April 24 (Sat) 9:00am:- 11th Monthly Sankirtan Festival

Its the last saturday of the month and time again for our Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF):(Schedule below).

MSF - Our Monthly Sankirtan Festivals are an initiative to share Krsna Consciousness in an organized manner in the association of devotees, through distributing books, prasad, holy name and warm friendly smiles!

If you've been to a MSF before, you've experienced the joy of sharing the wonderful message of Krsna Consciousness with the passersby on the streets of GTA- so you need no more convincing, and for those of you who've never been able to come out - you'll really have to experience it to know what its like!

Please bring your friends and family, you're certainly in for an unforgetable treat. And please dress warmer than you think you'll need to, given the unpredictable weather. Looking forward to serving with you.

Schedule for Sat, April 24th:-

9:00am :- arrive at the temple

9:30am :- Training on "how" and "what" of going out experience

10:30am : - Team assignments10:45am :- Drive to various locations

11:00am-2:00pm :- Harinama Sankirtan at different locations

2:00pm :- Final harinam & Wrap up

2:30pm :- Return to temple for lunch prasadam

Coming Up Next!

With the weather getting brighter and warmer, Sankirtan Activities are going to be so much more fun. Please mark your calendars for some upcoming events, because with exams out of the way, and winter not being an excuse anymore - we wont take NO for an answer :)!

- April 17th :-  CDM - Organized cleaning of the temple with a group of cleaning enthusiasts and pizza after

- April 24th :- The 11th Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF) (we hear a rumour there might be a beach sankirtan! - Stay Tuned for more info)

- June 26th :- MSF's 1st Birthday Party - Harinama Sankirtan in Niagara Falls (RSVP required)

Mar 27th (Sat) 10th MSF - Bringing Sita Back to Ram!

This coming saturday, March 27th is our 10th Monthly Sankirtan Festival and it's Ram Navami Special!

The theme for this MSF is Bringing Sita Back to Ram. In the spirit of serving our most beloved Lord Ramacandra, just as the army of monkeys and squirrels picked up boulders and stones to construct the bridge across the ocean, let's also contribute, whatever we can, to bring the most auspicious sankirtan movement in the hearts of the residents of GTA!

Our motto is A Lot of People, Each Doing a Liitle Bit!

To help us organize better we request that you RSVP no later than March 25th, thursday. Please bring your friends and family, you're certainly in for an unforgetable treat.

Looking forward to serving with you.

In your service,

Toronto Sankirtan Team

Marching towards 20,000 in 2010

Schedule for Sat, March 27th:-
9:00am :- arrive at the temple
9:30am :- Training on "how" and "what" of going out experience
10:30am : - Team assignments
10:45am :- Drive to various locations
11:00am-2:00pm :- Harinama Sankirtan at different locations
2:00pm :- Final harinam & Wrap up
2:30pm :- Return to temple for lunch prasadam