The Definitive "Hare Krishna New Year's" Guide!

That time of year is here again! Time to ring in the new year with the best "spiritual party" Toronto has ever seen. The ISKCON Toronto Blog presents your definitive guide to spending New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with the Hare Krishnas!

New Year's Eve - December 31, 2009:

• During the course of the day, the third annual Bhajan-Prasadam Festival will be taking place in the temple beginning at 12:00pm until 10:30pm.
  
  
• The program will consist of kirtan and bhajans throughout the day broken up by wonderful vegetarian prasadam (sanctified vegetarian feasts)!
  
  
• Come night time, dress yourself in layers, double socks and a warm winter coat (click here for latest weather forecast) as we all head out for the annual maha-harinama (outdoor ecstatic kirtan and chanting) at Toronto's biggest New Years Eve Party at City Hall.
  
  
• We will leave the temple at aproximately 10:30pm and return around 2:30am.
  
  
• Using the Map Below: Our route will begin from the temple (A). We will all walk to the Rosedale Subway Station (B) and then take the subway down to Queen Station (C). We will then proceed on foot to Old City Hall (D) where will conduct our harinama (outdoor ecstatic chanting). After midnight, we will then walk towards Yonge-Dundas Square (E) and then take the subway back to the temple from Dundas station (F)!

View Larger Map

New Years Day - January 1st, 2009

On New Year's Day, the temple will begin to buzz with activity as preparations begin for the evening Prabhupada Festival. The program will begin at 6:00pm and will feature kirtan, presentations, a drama and a vegetarian feast (prasadam)

We hope to see everyone for all the festivities. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us. The ISKCON Toronto Blog and the Hare Krishna Temple would like to wish you and your family a safe and happy new year!

WOW! We've Hit 3,000 Books!!!

For those who have been closely following, Toronto's Sankirtan Team has been on a mission to distribute (share) 2,010 books during the month of December, a traditional month of giving. This meant hitting the streets and getting books to the public but also to family, friends and more.

To give some perspective, this "December Marathon" has been a yearly tradition and Toronto's temple has normally done about 600 books. The goal this year was to do 2,010 to welcome the year 2010 and it was looked upon as a VERY lofty goal. Well, not only was that goal passed last week, but we've now officially hit 3,000!!!

Here is an excerpt from the official email sent from the Sankirtan Team:

"So ITS OFFICIAL WE HAVE CROSSED 3,000! TODAY ON THE 29TH DECEMBER at -20 DEGREES! BUT we're still counting :) and there are TWO FULL DAYS LEFT! Param Vijayate Sri Krsna Sankirtanam (glory to the sri-krishna-sankirtana)."

A "Bhakti-Blasting" Good Time to Bring 2010!

The Hare Krishna Centre in Toronto plans on living up to its reputation as the hot-spot for spiritual excitement over the next few days as we collectively usher in the new year! More information will be coming soon but, for now, here is a breakdown of what to expect as we bid farewell to 2009 and welcome 2010!

Bhajan-Prasadam Festival - Dec 31, 2009

The third annual Bhajan-Prasadam Festival will be held on December 31, 2009 and will bring a full day and evening of kirtan, tantalizing vegetarian feasts and the association of bhakti-yogis! The format for the festival is simple. Spiritualists gather at the temple and sit together in the grand main temple room (hall) and chant together. We take breaks for wonderful vegetarian prasadam (sanctified vegetarian feasts)! (More information coming soon!)

Maha-Harinama @ City Hall - Dec 31, 2009

The Hare Krishna temple has become known for the drumming, dancing, chanting and wild kirtans! So why not burst from within the comfortable confines of our temple and share the transcendent experience of kirtan with the people of Toronto? And why not do it at one of Toronto's biggest parties?! As the Bhajan-Prasadam Festival winds down (around 10:30pm), we will gather at the temple, bundle up nice and warmly and head to City Hall via subway. We gather in front of Old City Hall and lead a raucous kirtan! After the midnight fireworks, we make our way, amidst the tens of thousands of people, to Yonge-Dundas Square for a little more kirtan and then subway it back to the temple for hot ginger tea and snacks (usually around 2:30am). (More information coming soon!)

Prabhupada Festival - Jan 1, 2009

A yearly tradition that is honoured at the hundreds of Hare Krishna Centres around the world, the annual Prabhupada Festival will highlight the evening of January 1st, 2009. Beginning at 6:00pm, the evening will feature kirtan, a class, a small dramatic presentation and an amazing vegetarian feast. This festival is always a huge event with the temple packed to the brim with devotees! It'll cap off two days of wild festivities, but we promise that the evening will deliver an experience that will not be forgotten! (More information coming soon!)

Toronto's Hare Krishna temple would like to extend a warm invitation to you and your family to join us for these wonderful festivities as we ring in the new year. We will be posting more information about each of these events very shortly. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to email us!

Deity Darshan: Sunday December 26, 2009

Sunday Feast Photos - December 27, 2009

Here's a look at this week's Sunday Feast through the eyes of a camera lens!

Our very own talking Bhagavad Gita along with boxing gloves, telling everyone the boxing day sales at the temple that evening! The talking Gita then announced we have successfully SURPASSED our goal of disturbing 2010 books!

Hungry Devotees line up for the Vegetarian Feast!

Ateet Prabhu helping us reach our NEW goal of disturbing 3000 books in the month of December!

"Kirtan Scrum" lead by Premavati Devi Dasi

The sweet sounds of the kirtan radiating out of the harmonium

Sunday Feast Recordings - December 27, 2009

The recording for this week's Sunday Feast can be viewed by clicking the image below.
As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

ISKCON Halifax - Spirit on the Streets

We recently stumbled upon a wonderfully made documentary entitled, "Spirit on the Streets" by journalist Nick Logan. The documentary profiles some of the wonderful Krishna monks out on the east coast who are sharing Krsna consciousness with the people of Halifax! The documentary also features our very own Bhaktimarga Swami. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

The ISKCON Toronto Blog and Toronto's Hare Krishna Temple would like to wish you and your family a happy holiday season. We hope this happy time of year brings smiles and spirituality into everyone's lives!

You are welcome to come visit the temple during the holiday season as it will be open every day! We also hope to see everyone for festivities at the temple on December 31st and January 1st (more information coming soon)! Hare Krishna!

Congratulations to HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami!!!

New Remuna Dhama, ISKCON Toronto, would like to extend it's most heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami on his sannyasa initiation (formely Brhat Mrdanga das)!!!

Stay tuned for more information. We hope to post a recording of the ceremony as soon as possible (still trying to find out if it will be available)! Hare Krishna!

Sunday Feast Photos - December 20, 2009

Here's a look at this week's Sunday Feast through the eyes of a camera lens!

A very animated kartala (hand-cymbals) player engaged in dance!


Our very own talented Mrdanga-drum player encouraging his fellow devotees to chant a bit louder!


A perfect, heartfelt moment.

Deity Darshan: Sunday December 20, 2009

Sunday Feast Recordings - December 20, 2009

The recording for this week's Sunday Feast can be viewed by clicking the image below. As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

Sunday Feast Photos - December 13, 2009

Here's a look at this week's Sunday Feast through the eyes of a camera lens!

The beginning of 5:45 Tulasi Arati


Shyama-Mohini devi dasi distributing books with a smile!


The most enthusiastic little mrdanga-drum player ever!


A future karatala (hand-cymbals) player...

Sunday Feast Recordings - December 13, 2009

The recording for this week's Sunday Feast can be viewed by clicking the image below.
As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

Deity Darshan: Sunday December 13, 2009

"Page-Turner" of a Weekend with Vaisesika das!

It was another spectacular weekend at Toronto's Hare Krishna temple as Vaisesika das once again visited our vibrant community to inspire devotees in the art of sharing Krsna consciousness! With non-stop activities and events, there was a noted level of excitement and buzz in the air as devotees immersed themselves in the mood of "sankirtan" (sharing our spiritual culture through book distribution).

Vaisesika das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, is a veteran book distributor who has inspired devotees all around the world in creating and sustaining book distribution. He has been the inspiration and guiding force behind Toronto's Monthly Sankirtan Festivals and other Sankirtan initiatives!

It all began with the in-class seminars that were well attended and were chalk-filled with wonderful gems of knowledge on the art of sharing our spiritual culture with friends, family and even complete strangers whom we meet! It was then time to hit the streets as bundled up devotees, led by Vaisesika das himself, headed out and distributed books to the public.

Sunday marked a "spiritual tsunami" as Vaisesika das highlighted the weekly Sunday Feast celebrations. After a very inspiring class, he had everyone bouncing off the walls with a kirtan that went well into the night!

With the theme of books for this month, along with the esteemed presence of Vaisesika prabhu, the temple set out an ambitious goal on Sunday: to distribute 300 books in one Sunday Feast! The highest number of books ever distributed on a Sunday was about 130. It came right down the wire, but after the wild kirtan ended at 9:30pm, it was announced that we had passed the 300-book mark! It was an incredible end to an uplifting weekend.

It was just a few short months ago that Vaisesika prabhu made his first visit to Toronto in many, many years. So it was with ear-to-ear smiles that we welcomed Vaisesika das back this past weekend! What better way to punctuate the December Book Marathon? With books flying off the shelves, devotees bouncing off the walls and smiles all around, it surely seems like this will be a December to remember!

View Highlights of Vaisesika das' Visit Below:

Sunday Feast Recordings - December 6, 2009

The recording of the special Sunday Feast with HG Vaisesika das can be viewed by clicking the image below. As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

Sunday Feast Photos - December 06, 2009

Here's a look at last night's Sunday Feast through the eyes of a camera lens!

The book of the month! Krsna Book!


The yummy feast (prasadam) was waiting while Vaisesika das was giving the spiritual discourse.


All smiles :)


8:00 Arati.


A view from upstairs during the 8:00 Arati.

Deity Darshan: Sunday December 6, 2009

*Photos courtesy of Rishi Kumar

Recordings - "Sharing Krishna Consciousness as Ambassadors of Goodwill"

Toronto's Hare Krishna temple is very excited to welcome Vaisesika das to our wonderful and warm community. Vaisesika das is facilitating a two-day seminar entitled, "Sharing Krishna Consciousness as Ambassadors of Goodwill". You can view the recordings below!

Watch Vaisesika das' Seminars Live Online!

The ISKCON Toronto Blog is pleased to announce that we will be broadcasting the upcoming seminars by Vaisesika das live on the blog. Not only will viewers be able to watch the seminar live, but they will also be able to ask questions via an interactive chat window!

The seminars will take place at the Hare Krishna Temple from Dec 4th to 5th and the broadcast schedule is as follows:
- Friday, Dec 4th, 2009 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm EST
- Saturday Dec 5th, 2009 from 10:00am to 1:00pm EST

Certainly, these seminars cannot replace the experience of attending in person so we encourage everyone to come out tomorrow night!

Click here to view the past seminar by Vaisesika das in May, 2009!