Moscow, June 4, Interfax - Public protest against building a religious construction for the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness was held in the Molzhaninovo District of Moscow. Residents of neighboring districts came out to demonstrate their protest with slogans "Sects destroy families," "Say "no" to Krishna center!" "Protect Orthodoxy!"
The Hare Krishnas will finally get a long-sought-after temple if Oleg Mitvol, former environmental crusader and now prefect of the Northern Administrative District, gets his way. At a meeting with Dzhkha Sandzhit, the president of the Association of Indians in Russia, Mitvol said that a Hare Krishna temple would be built in the Molzhaninovsky area, 10 kilometres outside the Moscow Ring Road in the north of Moscow.
On February, 12th and 13th ISKCON Russia celebrated its 40th anniversary. It was in the summer of 1971, when ISKCON founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) visited Moscow, and started to teach and spread the science of Krishna-consciousness in the former Soviet Union.
Five thousand devotees visited ISKCON Moscow from June 28th to 30th to celebrate 25 years since the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness—and with it, other ISKCON communities all over Russia—was officially registered in 1988. The Moscow temple is one of the most resilient and fast-growing communities in ISKCON.
The temporary site where Russian devotees of the Hare Krishna Movement pray is likely to be demolished.
The belongings of Moscow Hare Krishna Temple are packed in boxes so most treasured items can be removed "within 15 minutes if the bulldozers come."
The long-running feud over Moscow’s ISKCON temple shows the suspicion and hostility that the Hare Krishna movement still evokes in that country.
For years, the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness has endured broken promises by the Moscow City government, which has repeatedly given them land and buildings, only to evict them later. Today, with most of their center demolished, an already passed deadline from the courts to leave the premises, and no replacement temple ready, the future of ISKCON Moscow is uncertain.
A Pre-Marathon Address from Russia
A video by Shkatyavesha Avatara dasa.
Book Distribution Marathon in Russia
An inspiring video by the brachmacharis of Yurlovo ashram about the book distribution leaders in Russia.
Now and Then: Sri Prahlada and the Krishna Kids of Australia (1986)
Archival video clip from 1986: gurukula children from New Govardhana, Australia, taking part in the campaig to free the Russian Hare Krishna devotees from prison and religious persecution.
In the latest in a series of exhausting trials, ISKCON devotees have been given until March 1st by the Moscow government to move out of their temple at Dinamo. The devotee community has already found a new space to rent, and will stay there while they go to court to pursue justice.
Bukvoed, one of Russia’s leading bookstore chains, has been selling Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is from a prominent stand at one of its specialist stores in St. Petersburg since last year. The bookstore, called “The Shop of the Most Essential Books: In All Senses,” stocks about 60,000 titles, with many unique books on spiritual traditions, world religions, spiritual practices, history, astrology, philosophy, psychology, health and business.
The buildings at Dinamo where Vaisnavas worshipped Krishna for ten years have been recently demolished after the devotees had moved all their belongings to their new temple. The new rented place is spacious and beautifully renovated. But still not spacious enough to accomodate the crowd of five to ten thousand people that are expected to visit the Centre on Janmashtami.
The Hare Krishna movement has been trying to build a temple in Russia since 1990. They still don't have one. It's not for lack of funds.
Over the past few weeks the Ukrainian refugee crisis has intensified. Risking their lives, many more ISKCON devotees are trying to flee from the troubled region. One of ISKCON's refugee coordinators in the Donetsk region has been arrested by separatists.
In celebration of Shri Krishna’s birthday, ISKCON Moscow has organized a beautiful and spiritually deep cultural show in the prestigious Concert Hall “Russia” in Luzhniki, Moscow. Fabulous were not only the performances, which included singing, dancing, and theatrical acts of Krishna lilas and Vedic philosophy, but also the sound and the scene illumination.
ISKCON devotee Premamaya Vasudeva Das (Pierre Edel) has reached the third stage in Season 3 of the Russian version of TV singing competition show The Voice, an international phenomenon. At every opportunity along the way, he’s sharing what he knows about God consciousness, vegetarianism, and sacred mantras with judges, contestants, and journalists.
Moscow Vaisnavas have prepared a gift for all the Russian readers. Now A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's books are available in one of the leading bookstore chains in the country. All BBT books can be bought in 204 stores of the chain in 80 Russian cities.
Moscow’s first ever Kirtan Mela, which ran from Friday January 30th to Sunday February 1st, drew nearly 2,000 devotees from around Russia – and it was a colorfuly uplifting affair on a grand scale. The event was organized by Saraswati Dasi after ISKCON guru Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami, inspired by a “Mantra Yoga” program he attended in Moscow, expressed the desire to participate in more outreach programs there.
Pierre Edel - Jaya Radha Madhava
There were three days of unforgettable kirtans that lasted late into the night, hundreds of guests, participants and volunteers. BB Govinda Swami spoke about the importance of sharing the happiness that we experience, as “love should always be shared – such is its free nature. Love cannot be limited, we just need to become the instrument, through which love will flow further and further…”
Moscow Kirtan Mela 2015 - Aditi Dukhaha Das
Evening arati with candle offering.
Kirtan Mela in Moscow
A kirtan led by Surya Nandini Dasi.
The Flame of Eternal Love
"The Flame of Eternal Love" a documentary about Shrila Prabhupada and the development of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in the USSR. Anchor: Sofia Ignatova. Actors: Alexey Sviridov, Acyuta Priya, Nimai, Vrinda. English Anchor voice: Jaya Madhava Das. English voice: Alisa Tchebotareva. Music: Yury Dimentyev. Sound: Vibhavari das. Written and directed by: Arjuna das. Русская версия фильма: "Зажигающий сердца".
Russian devotees began their 2016 with the second annual “Our Prabhupada” festival. The first, in December 2014, saw Suresvara Das speaking about Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya. At this year’s festival from January 15th to 20th hundreds of devotees learned about Srila Prabhupada as a person from Hari Sauri Das, who personally served him for sixteen months.
After years of planning for its 50th anniversary, and nearly six months of celebrations this year so far, ISKCON is now gearing up for its Golden Jubilee Incorporation Day on July 13th, 1966. And temples, centers, and individual devotees all over the world are getting ready to do something big for founder Srila Prabhupada, whom many feel they owe their lives to.
In May 1983, Radha Damodara was arrested and imprisoned for his faith. While in prison, he had to work in dangerous conditions, which included using a poisonous glue. He also suffered from malnutrition. Nevertheless, Radha Damodar continued to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness and to preach. His health suffered, especially his lungs. Today, it is the lungs that have been affected by a dangerous disease.
Radha Damodar Das, One of the First Devotees in the Soviet Union passed away on September 3rd evening succumbing to lung cancer. ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Dasa remembers: "Radha Damodara prabhu was a true, humble and dedicated servant of his guru maharaja and Srila Prabhupada. Despite the dangers and troubles of being a Krishna devotee in the early years in Russia, Radha Damodara was fully committed to Lord Caitanya's mission."
Brahmachari Life at Moscow's Jagannath Mandir (Russian with English Subtitles)
A short film about brahmachari life at Moscow's Jagannath Mandir. Produced by Evgeny Rumyantcev, Georgy Vlasov, Danya Mogutov.
Govardhana Puja – the sweetest day of the year – celebrates the day when Lord Krishna as a young boy lifted Govardhana Hill with just His little finger, to protect the residents of Vrindavana village from Lord Indra’s furious thunderstorm. Devotees around the world pour their hearts into their own offerings for the late October festival, engaging their creativity in Krishna’s service to often astonishing effect.
One thousand Russian devotees gathered to celebrate Diwali in spectacular style in Moscow on Saturday October 29th. The afternoon was a cultural event to commemorate welcoming Lord Rama and his wife Sita Devi back to their capital Ayodhya. Hanuman, played by Jagat-Pati Das, was a particular crowd favorite. In an incredibly realistic costume, he jumped into the crowd, involving the audience. He also invited all the children onto the stage to participate in fun games with him.
“I am concerned about the complete arbitrariness of this law, which can lead to the persecution of my many fellow citizens who practice yoga and study Indian philosophy,” Ugai wrote in his blog.
Russia’s yoga lovers can sigh in relief today, following a judge’s decision in St. Petersburg to throw out the case against Dmitry Ugai, a man tied to a Krishna group charged with illegal missionary work.
Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Jehovah's Witnesses were an "extremist" organization and must disband and hand over all property to the state, local media said. The religious grouping confirmed the ruling about its "liquidation" in Russia.
Indradyumna Swami Visits Moscow
Despite bone chilling weather, Indradyumna Swami and his team's visit to Moscow was blissful due to the warm hearted nature of the devotees who love to chant the holy names and dance in ecstasy. Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Moscow in 1971 planted the seeds of Krsna consciousness which continue to grow in great proportions.
On July 10th, an official delegation of the Parliament of India visited ISKCON’s Sri Sri Dayal Nitai Sacisuta temple in Moscow. The delegation was led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. She has arrived in Russia on a five-day visit to address the Russian Parliament Duma on July 12. Among other guests of the ISKCON temple were actress and MP Hema Malini, India's Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran, as well as other deputees from different Indian states and representatives of the Russian Duma.
Gauranga Festival Near Moscow
Gauranga festival near Moscow, June 2017, featuring one of two Russian Gurus, Chaitanya Chandra Charan Das is giving initiations. He also sings in the video by Dmitry Tolkachev.
Moscow Ratha Yatra
Ratha Yatra on August 12th in Moscow's Sokolniki park as part of the celebrations of 70 years of Indian-Russian relations. Thousands of people were in attendance.
Married devotee couple Vadim Eremeev and Kira Sergeeva delivered a beautiful, soaring acoustic performance of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, the bhajan “Jaya Radha Madhava,” and the chant “Sarva Mangalam” at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Moscow this October.
