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July 2023
ISKCON of Arizona Newsletter
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Despite the heat, beauty abounds at our temple oasis in the desert. Above, our lily pond makes a gorgeous offering. | |
Greetings & Namaste,
Every summer, in many major cities around the world, Sri Krishna's devotees stage huge chariot parades, celebrating the Lord's festive incarnation as Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe.
If you've ever attended one of these parades, pulling the ropes of the Lord's chariot and chanting Hare Krishna, you've tasted the bliss of Ratha-yatra, "the emotional process of taking Krishna back to Vrindavan," His eternal home in the spiritual world.
From Thursday, August 3rd through Monday, August 7th, most of our Tucson devotees will be attending our Los Angeles community's Ratha-yatra festival, the largest in the Western USA, so our Govinda's restaurant will be closed during those special days.
Please mark this on your calendar and consider attending yourself. For details you may write me at the address below.
Yours in service,
Sandamini Devi
[email protected]
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Best July Days for
Meditation and Fasting
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Purnima - Full Moon
Monday, July 3rd
Kamika Ekadasi
Thursday, July 13th
(fasting from grains & beans)
Pursottama Month Begins
Tuesday, July 18th
Special "leap month" on the Vedic Calendar (falling every 2 to 3 years), a good time to deepen our spirituality.
Padmini Ekadasi
Friday July 28th
(fasting from grains & beans)
| Our love birds in our aviary awaiting their daily meals | |
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Our Twice Monthly Outings to Beat the Heat and Chill with Nature
People who think ashram life is dull and flat should visit ISKCON Tucson. Mountains, lakes, forests--we visit them all during the summer months.
Reconnect with nature and join us.
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Honoring Srila Bhaktivinoda at
Mantra Oasis
To honor Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, whom Srila Prabhupada called the pioneer of Krsna consciousness in the West, devotees gathered at Mantra Oasis, Tucson's East Side Center, to chant, dance, and feast for hours together, exactly as the Thakura predicted we would over 130 years ago.
To taste the timeless bliss of hearing, chanting, and feasting on krsna-prasadam, come to the Oasis any Saturday at 4:30pm. For more programs during the week, please visit MantraOasis.com
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Death-defying
palm-tree trimming
We take upkeep and maintenance very seriously here at the temple. So each year we have our 20 palm trees trimmed, sometimes in very risky conditions. Shown here is one of the trimmers perched precariously near the top of our tallest tree. Hang on, Dude!
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Architecture Design Ready for Pre-approval Permit | |
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The design is "Rajasthan meets the Southwest," by
the renowned architect
John Maddocks.
| Click HERE to see the new temple Brochure (there was a glitch last month, but this link should work) | |
ISKCON Tucson's ten-thousand-square-foot temple, pure veggie prasadam restaurant, boutique, dining patio, and gardens will manifest by the contributions of all devotees. To donate to this amazing project, please see below. | |
Temple's Next Major Holiday: | |
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Sri Krishna's Birthday Celebration
Two celebrations this year!
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A Grand Public Celebration on
Sunday, September 3rd from 5 to 8 pm
with dances, live music, entertainment, sacred bathing, kids activities, food booths, a big feast served & more.
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Then, on Wednesday, September 6th...
An Intimate Celebration on
Sri Krishna's Actual Appearance Day
A more internal gathering of the faithful with bhajan, readings, classes, drama, dance, abhisheka, fasting & feasting & more.
Also see our Events Webpage - iskcontucson.org/events
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Feeding guests prasadam
(food offered to God) benefits everyone!
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Sunday Feast Sponsorship
Sponsoring our Sunday feasts is a wonderful way to receive the blessings of
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Your sponsorship may honor a loved one, mark a birthday, an anniversary, or another special occasion.
To make an offering, use the link below to identify who or what you're honoring
plus the date of your sponsorship.
Your donation is tax deductible.
Click Here To Sponsor
the Sunday Feast
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The Sunday Feast & Festival | |
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Join us each Sunday for an evening of musical meditation, topical philosophy, an ancient worship ceremony, and an
8-course vegetarian feast.
ALL FREE!
5:30 pm - Bhajans
6 pm - Topical talk
6:30 pm - Worship ceremony
7 pm - Announcements
7:10 pm - Feast
July Sunday Talk Lineup:
July 2nd - Suresvara Prabhu
July 9th - Sandamini Devi
July 16th - Song & Dance
Duet by Raj & Chandini
July 23rd - Dhiro Datta Das
July 30th - Jivananda Prabhu
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Krishna's Home
News Update
Please take a look at our latest one-page newsletter to see the home's progress. With the inside nearly done, we are focusing on furnishings and the outside.
Click HERE to read.
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To get Krishna's Home up and running, we gratefully accept your kind donations.
Krishna's Home Care Tucson 514 E. Blacklidge Dr. (just one block west of the temple across 1st Ave) Krishnashome.org
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Feeding the Unhoused on Tucson's Southside | |
Govinda's Vegan/Veggie Restaurant | |
New arrivals in the boutique Get your summer wardrobe now. | |
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Govinda's Self-Serve
All-You-Care-To-Eat Hours:
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Lunch - Wednesday through Saturday 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner - Tuesday through Saturday
5 pm to 8 pm
Sunday Brunch - 11 am to 2:30 pm
Closed Mondays
See the menus on Govinda's webpage: iskcontucson.org/govindas
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Govinda's guest quote of the month: "The buffet is always so clean and the environment so relaxing. Thank you! We had a wonderful birthday dinner there on 5/31/2023." | |
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Thanks to our steady crew who work so hard to maintain our spiritual oasis, day after day, season after season, and many thanks to all our donors. Thank you Murli, Mohini, Balarama Shakti, Rupa Radha Bhakti, Bhavana, and our Sunday Feast servers. You make it happen!
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Income/expense Tracker: Please click to view the Monthly Financial Statement on our Seva webpage - iskcontucson.org/seva
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Check out this clip by S.B. Keshava Maharaj,
“Success is in your Endeavor.”
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Authentic Indian
Cuisine Catering!
All varieties and quantities of Indian foods for parties, dinners, weddings, and banquets. All main Indian dishes cooked by Master
Chef Kul Sharma. To book, call Kul at 520-891-8083.
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"In the year 1973 there was a gorgeous Ratha-yātrā festival in London, England, and the car was brought to Trafalgar Square. The London daily newspaper The Guardian published a front-page photo caption: ”ISKCON Ratha-yātrā is rival to the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square.” The Nelson Column is a very impressive statue of Lord Nelson and can be seen from a good distance. Just as the residents of Purī compared the Ratha-yātrā car to Mount Sumeru, the residents of London considered the car rival to the Nelson Monument.
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya, 13.20 purport)
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From Srila Prabhupada's Srimad Bhagavatam commentary... | |
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"The Lord's congregational saṅkīrtana movement at Purī was a unique exhibition for the mass of people. That is the way to turn the mass mind towards spiritual realization. The Lord inaugurated this system of mass saṅkīrtana, and leaders of all countries can take advantage of this spiritual movement in order to keep the mass of people in a pure state of peace and friendship with one another. This is now the demand of the present human society all over the world."
(From Srila Prabhupada's Introduction to the Srimad Bhagavatam)
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Perform a sacred ceremony... | |
Have your home, car, business, or family blessed and protected
with the help and guidance of our experienced temple priest, Kirtan Yajna Prabhu. You may call him at (520) 288-1775, or email
[email protected]
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