ISKCON NewsThe News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Jaipur, India – Rajmata Gayatri Devi—formerly the Queen of Jaipur, a member of India’s Parliament, and a celebrity christened one of the most beautiful women in the world—passed away on Wednesday, July 29 at the age of 90. For devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), she will be especially remembered for her hospitality to the early Hare Krishna devotees visiting Jaipur and her gift of large Radha Krishna deities to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON’s founder-acarya.

This year, as the Mayapur Institute for Higher Education and Training (MIHET) enters its tenth year, staff and students alike look back on a decade of learning, inspiration and, of course, hard work.

The seed for the project was planted between the years of 1988 and 1996, when American-born Janmastami Dasa traveled to India on seven different occasions to attend courses at the Vrindavana Institute for Higher Education (VIHE).

This August 1st to 5th, youth at ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, India organized Julan-Yatra, a traditional swing festival described by the poet Kavi Karnapura as “The perfect object of meditation for those desiring a taste of devotion.”

ISKCON of Bali, Indonesia hosted its first ever Varnashrama Global Mission seminar this August first and second. Varnashrama, a traditional Vedic social structure of natural vocations and life stages, is often confused with the birth-based caste system—which Vaishnavas consider to be a misapplication of the original ancient system.

To the delight of many devotees living in rural ISKCON communities, the GBC (ISKCON’s administrative authority) recently set guidelines instructing all GBC members to spend 10% of their time boosting farm projects.

Do any GBCs really spend 10% of their time promoting rural projects? Are the guidelines making any measurable change?

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) at Watseka Avenue here, just off Venice Blvd. conducted its 33rd Annual Festival of the Chariots Parade on August 2, which started at the Santa Monica Civic auditorium and ended on Venice Beach.

A new environmentally-friendly farm complex will be the star attraction in Aldenham next weekend for a celebration of the Hindu festival of Janmashtami.

More than 65,000 people are expected to visit Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hilfield Avenue to celebrate the birth of the Hindu god Lord Krishna.

Sometimes – but only sometimes – I like to think my interfaith credentials are all in order. I mean, as a Vaishnava I regard all religions as paths towards the same supreme Godhead. Religion is one, but the ways we do it – and the outfits we do it in – are many.

God Himself says this in the Bhagavad-gita. (That’s not the Vaishnava God as distinct from the Christian or Jewish God, but the one and only original creator and supreme person.) God says that “All are on my path, and as they surrender to me, I reward them accordingly.” That always sounded pretty fair to me.

The consolidated city of New York comprises five boroughs (each a county): Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Among these, the borough of Queens is blessed with The Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir, which stands in the neighborhood of Richmond Hill.

South India has many regional varieties of rasam. This one comes from Bangalore. Serves four.

Hearing news of the passing of Srimati Rajmata Gayatri Devi, the famous Queen of Jaipur, made me think of the significant contribution Gayatri Devi made to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In 1972 Gayatri Devi hosted His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and an entourage of ISKCON devotees at the King of Jaipur's property, which is also the estate compound where the famous Sri Govindaji, the beloved deity of Srila Rupa Goswami, resides. It was during that stay, which Srila Prabhupada utilized for a Krishna Consciousness festival program for the public, that Rajmata Gayatri Devi magnanimously gave the transcendental gift of Sri Sri Radha Govinda murtis to Srila Prabhupada.

Married people tend to be healthier than single people. But what happens when a marriage ends?

New research shows that when married people become single again, whether by divorce or a spouse’s death, they experience much more than an emotional loss. Often they suffer a decline in physical health from which they never fully recover, even if they remarry.

Adelaide clinical psychologist Rita Princi said girls and boys were being exposed to things such as sexy music videos, women's magazines and teenage concepts way too young.

This included teen-themed movies and TV shows such as High School Musical and Hannah Montana, huge among 6 to 8-year-olds, and suggestive music videos shown on weekend mornings.