Sri Sri Radha Krishna Manimandir Opening Festival

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to our most beloved Srila Sripada! All glories to
Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra!

From November 20th to November 25th a wonderful festival was held for the Grand Opening of
the Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra Manimandir. About 80 devotees from around the world and
about 150 devotees from within India came to celebrate this glorious event.

H.H. Lokanath Maharaja, H.H. Subhag Maharaja, H.G. Visuddha Sattva Prabhu,
H.G. Dananjaya Prabhu, H.G. Bhojadeva Prabhu and devotees from around the
world and India arrive in Manipur and visit the temple for the first time.
On the 20th, the devotees from around the world glorified the Lord with 24 hour Sankirtan. Also
during the same day some devotees went and visited Srila Sripada’s appearance site. In the
evening, traditional Manipuri Nath Sankirtan and devotional Balinese dances were performed in
the temple for the pleasure of Their Lordships. Throughout this entire day many devotees
continued working on the temple and some stayed up all night to Mangal Arotik in order to
prepare the temple for the next day’s celebration.

Srila Sripada’s new picture and picture

frame being brought to the temple.

Srila Prabhupada sits on His exquisite

teak wood Vyasasan carved by our
Balinese God-brothers.

Traditional Nath Sankirtan being performed in the temple room while devotees and visiting sannyasis watch. (from
left to right, H.H. Kavichandra Swami, H.H. Lokanath Maharaja, H.H. Janananda Swami and H.H. Sukadeva
Goswami)

Devotees worked late into

the night preparing for the
next day’s festival.

On the 21st which was the official Inaugural day, the devotees from Bali performed a beautiful
welcoming dance in the temple. Then Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri
Gopaldeva were bathed in a joyful abhishek ceremony which was followed by a fire sacrifice to
bring about all auspiciousness. The head priest from the Sri Govindaji temple also participated in
the ceremonies. Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra, Srimati Lalita and Srimati Vishaka, Sri Sri Gaura
Nitai and Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladeva, Srimati Subadra looked amazingly beautiful on Their
majestic Sringasans which were decorated exquisitely with flowers. All the devotees chanted and
danced in an ecstatic kirtan for Their pleasure and then went to honor a wonderful prasadam
feast cooked by devotees from both Mayapur and Manipur.

In the evening, visiting sannyasis and senior Prabhupada disciples glorified Srila Sripada and His
work of building the University of Bhagavata Culture. His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja even
commented that the Manimandir was “the most beautiful temple in ISKCON”.

Yoland Trevino a Global Council member of the United Religions Initiative, who had arrived that
day as a guest for the peace conference, was asked to say a few words about Srila Sripada. She
spoke about His qualities of humility and kindness and described Him as “the perfect
representative of Krishna Consciousness”. The evening ended with another ecstatic kirtan. Srila
Sripada chose this day for the inaugural function and many of the devotees present said that they
could feel Srila Sripada’s smile of satisfaction.
 The devotees offer ghee lamps to the Lord for
Kartika in the beautiful temple room.

Devotees dance in ecstasy during kirtan.

Yoland Trevino offers her

respects to Srila Sripada.

H.H. Subhag Maharaja looks

on as Yoland describes Srila
Sripada’s wonderful qualities.

On the 22nd, there was continued glorification of Srila Sripada as there was not sufficient time the
night before. Srila Sripada’s glories are unlimited and ever expanding and thus difficult to contain
in a scheduled time frame. After the morning program and prasadam many devotees went for
Harinam Sankirtan in downtown Imphal. In the evening, devotees from Bali and Manipur
performed Rock &Roll kirtan on the front apron of the temple which has turned out to be a great
stage for presenting cultural programs. In between songs of the devotee band, boys and girls
from the Kabui Naga community performed traditional dances much to the like of all the
devotees.
H.H. Lokanath Maharaja
performs Guru Puja.

H.G. Dhananjaya Prabhu talks

about Srila Sripada, Srila
Prabhupada and preaching in
Manipur.

Wonderful Harinama in
downtown Imphal.
The temple becomes multicolored as the Bali and Manipuri
devotee rock band plays.

Prema Dhana, the lead singer, smiles happily.

The Kabui Naga dancers pose in front of

Sri Garuda in the temple room, and
perform their traditional dances.
On the 23rd and 24th, the international peace conference “Science and Spirituality for World
Peace” was held and was a great success as described in an earlier report. Simultaneously, on
the 24th the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Sri Sri Prahlad Nrisingha Mandir was
performed by the same South Indian Brahmins who installed Lord Nrisingha last November. Also
present were the two Sthapatis who will oversee the construction of the temple. Construction is
scheduled to begin February 15th 2008 and be finished by Kartik Purnima the same year.

A sandalwood paste Nrisinghadeva presides over the

fire sacrifice ceremony for the Sri Sri Prahlad
Nrisingha temple.

Vimala Mataji and one of the Sthapatis’ participate in

the yajna.

Devotees help carry the bricks for the foundation

stone ceremony.

The brahmanas and sthapatis place the first stones.

During the evening of the 24th, Kartik Purnima, there was a Maha Abhishek of Sri Sri Prahlad
Nrisingha, Dhumen (traditional Manipuri sankirtan were 64 Kartol players praise and invite Lord
Chaitanya to be the principal witness of the Rasa dance) and an extraordinary Maha Rasa Lila
consisting of 108 Krishnas and 108 Gopis. The night’s cultural activities concluded with energetic
chanting and dancing in another set of Rock & Roll kirtan led by the Bali and Manipuri devotees.
Late in the night, many devotees also went to the Sri Sri Radha Govindaji temple where Lord
Govindaji comes out in the courtyard to perform His Rasa Lila dance with the Gopis.

H.H. Atmanivedana Swami performs the abhishek of

Lord Nrisingha while the devotees chant kirtan and
resonate the gong donated by the Burmese devotees.

64 kartol players sing the glories of Lord Sri Chaitanya

Mahaprabhu.
108 Krishnas and 108 Gopis (all children under the age of 12) perform Maha Rasa Lila on Kartika Purnima.

Below: Sri Sri Radha Govindaji dance Rasa Lila late into the night.
On the 25th there was a Peace March in the morning and in the evening Nitya Rasa Lila was
performed by Srila Sripada’s friends, sisters and disciples. While many devotees left Manipur on
that day back to their respective homes those who remained enjoyed all you can eat wood fired
pizzas from the International food stall for a scrumptious ending to a wonderful festival. :-)

Srila Sripada Ki Jaya!

Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra Manimandir
Ki Jaya! Hare Krishna!

Your servant,
Sacirani devi dasi