Ambarisa Das, Chairman of the under-construction Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur, India, has released the following 2020 review and 2021 message regarding the TOVP:

Dear TOVP Supporters,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Hare Krishna!

The year 2020 has been one of the most unusual and difficult years in the history of modern civilization worldwide. No doubt, karma is taking its toll and we are seeing this firsthand. Unfortunately, there have also been setbacks to the sankirtan movement and the spreading of Krishna consciousness. And we also cannot bear the loss of one of our great sankirtan commanders, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja.

The TOVP also suffered great losses both in income from regular donations, as well as over eight months of a complete construction standstill. As a result, we had to reschedule the Grand Opening to 2023 and postpone the installation of the new Prabhupada murti to October, 2021. We pray there will be no further delays, and leave everything in the hands of Lord Sri Krishna.

2021 celebrates the 125th Appearance Anniversary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our eternal master and savior. As mentioned above, in October we will be installing the new, worshiping-pose murti of Srila Prabhupada in the TOVP. His presence as our watchful guide will inspire our continued endeavors to open the new home of our beloved Mayapur Deities and the most important preaching project in ISKCON in 2023. We have planned an incredible abhisheka ceremony for this purpose and set a goal for a $1 million Guru Dakshina from sponsors of the abhishekas. Click HERE to find out more.

Also of significance will be the offering of the one-of-a-kind TOVP Book of Devotion to Srila Prabhupada at his installation ceremony. This magnificent publication is being produced by the makers of the world’s largest Bhagavad Gita at ISKCON New Delhi, and contains the names of over 6,000 donors who have completed their pledges by Gaura Purnima, March 28. The deadline was officially extended recently.

While construction is not at the same pace as before, we are gradually getting back on track since resuming work in September, 2020. We encourage one and all to try and make your pledge payments this year, or give again according to your means. And I want to thank those of you who have continued to make their pledge payments and give donations through these challenging times. You can’t imagine how much this has helped us. This kind of sacrifice is most pleasing to the Lord.

Once again, I want to thank all our supporters ranging from ISKCON leadership to congregational members who have encouraged and inspired us in so many ways to continue over the last ten years. It’s been an ecstatic journey together as we work to make this combined offering to Srila Prabhupada. And the culmination in 2023 will be a most historic event, for ISKCON as well as humanity in general. The sankirtan movement will expand by leaps and bounds from that point forward and flood the world with Krishna prema. Hare Krishna!

Your humble servant,

Ambarisa das