7 09 2008

Guru Maharaj arrived in Fiji on the 18^th of August for April – October leg of World Tour, after celebrating his Vyasa Puja in New Zealand. This Tour was specifically made to coincide with Festival of Fiji, Srila Prabhupada Installation and Devotee reunion ( Lautoka). Gurudev was extended invitation by senior devotees from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji to come for the festival and strengthen their initiative in making the festival a success.

On his arrival, Gurudev delivered daily Srimad Bhagavatam Katha during his stay at Sri Krishna Kaliya. He then traveled to Rakiraki for programs at various homes and also at the temple. In Tavua, Maharaj held an exciting Krsna Katha in the newly opened Centre. This centre used to be an old theatre owned by our very own HG Vrajanath Prabhu.

Gurudev returned to Lautoka for Ratha Yatra festival with godbrothers HH Ramai Swami and HG Adi Purusa Prabhu who were also here for the festival. The Ratha Yatra was a colourful display of festivity and celebration in the Lautoka City. Maharaj sang hours of ecstatic kirtan at the festival. When the Ratha Yatra ended, prasadam was distributed in the city. Gurudev volunteered to make plates for onlookers and passers-by and hand them prasadam.

The following day was Janamastami. Gurudev travelled to Sigatoka to give a lecture and perform Avishek. On Janamastami, after conducting the program in Sigatoka, Gurudev travelled back to Lautoka. At the Krishna Kaliya Temple, devotees were eagerly waiting to celebrate Janamastami with Guru Maharaj. Gurudev performed Avishek at the temple with his Godbrother HH Ramai Swami.

The very next day after Janamastami, a grand festival was organised by Lautoka Temple to install the deity of Srila Prabhupada. After the festival, Guru Maharaj’s next trip was to Sigatoka for a three day seminar on Vaishnava Ettiquette. From Sigatoka, Gurudev travelled to Suva where he was welcomed by devotees with a warm reception ceremony at the temple. A number of disciples and well wishers  waited to take Gurudev’s darshan.

On arrival, Gurudev performed Srila Prabhupada’s Guru Puja and then spoke from Srimad Bhagavad Gita for half an hour. On the same night, Gurudev took Prasadam at a devotee’s home. At the residence of the devotee, there were a number of University students gathered to welcome Maharaj apart from family and friends. These students were from University of The South Pacific where the devotee is a professor. After prasadam, Gurdev spoke for an hour and a half on the subject of “who is God and fake yogis claiming to be God”.

Evening program included Bhajans, kirtans and bhagavad Gita class daily. He was also invited to speak on two Radio Stations which included a “Talk Back” radio show. In rounding up his tour to Viti Levu, Maharaj held a Bhajan Sandhya at Radha Golokbihari Temple.

Gurudev then flew to Labasa for two days and returned to stay overnight in Sigatoka. Before he left Fiji, HH Bir Krishna Maharaj who is the GBC for Fiji was also in the country and met Gurudev in Sigatoka.  There were many disciples who hired a mini bus and came from Suva to drop Maharaj at the airport in the evening. Maharaj was excited to see many of his disciples and held a lengthy one hour meeting with all of them. Gurudev discussed a lot of things about how everyone has to cooperate and preach. Maharaj flew out of the country at 9.15pm from Nadi International Airport to Auckland.

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Srila Vedvyasapriya Swami Maharaj was invted by some disciples of Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj to rejuvenate enthusiasm in Lautoka Yatra by gracing his presence at the temple on the celebration of Srila Prabhupada vyasa Puja. The Vyasa Puja also became the opening ceremony for the two week long festival of Fiji and Tour de Viti ( bus Tour). Maharaj since then has been liasing with organisers for the festival to make the celebrations grand and wide for a memorable celebrations to be held.Invitations were thus extended to many Sanyasis and devotees in many countries. The festival is currently going on as devotees from overseas and many local devotees are on a tour around the island country with Vedavyasapriya Swami ( in Sigatoka ) ,  HH Ramai Swami and HH Janananda Goswami.

Devotees have come from Australia, New Zealand and Holland to be part of this festival.

Celebrations for Srila Guru Maharaj’s 64th Vyasa Puja was held at various places around the globe. One such place where many disciples of Srila Gurudev hosted the event was Fiji Islands. Fiji is the same country where Srila Prabhupada personally visited to lay down ISKCON’s first ever temple “to- be built” foundation. Most temples and centres at that time were either rented out or bought and later convereted to temples . On 13th of August, principally the date of Gurudevs Vyasa Puja tithi at 7pm some 200 devotess and well wishers of Gurudev gathered at  Sri Radhagolokbihari temple which boasts to be one of the biggest temples outside India. Sri Sri Radhagolokbihari temple houses Gaura Nitai and Sri Sita Rama Laxmana and Hanumanji deities besides its presiding deities Sri Sri Radhgolokbihariji was full of hype and festivity since morning. Disciples of Srila Vedavyaspriya Swami Maharaj living in Suva and nearby areas decided to host this big festivity and celebrate the most blessed event amongst other vaishnavas at the temple. In fact Maharaj has been regularly visiting Fiji every year and thus has kept close knit amongst all devotees in Fiji.

The program saw number of disciples making oppulent preparations for offering, singing glorifications,bhajans and kirtans, glorification of Guru Maharaj by many speakers ( both direct disciples and well wishers) , Guru Puja and Puspanjali. At the end of the program there was sumputous feast for all attendees sponsored by disciples.The Guest speakers included : HG Bhagawati Mataji ( Godsister of Gurudev), HG Bhaja Govinda Prabhu ( TKG disciple , Australia) and HG Parsuram Prabhu ( Chairman ISKCON Fiji) and many other temple management senior leaders and many senior Vaishnavas from ISKCON Suva.