Educational / Community Outreach Contexts

CHAPTER FOUR Findings: Part One

4.4 The Cultural Context: Religious, Social and Educational

4.4.4 Educational / Community Outreach Contexts

the social manifestation of the church, or institute; on the second, intermediate level there was the spiritual substance of the institution which are its teachings, and third, on the highest level, was the active presence of God. He explained that although the Krishna conscious tradition conformed to the social, cultural norms and the performance of one's religious duty within the context of worship, one must view this in terms of the levels he proposed. Krishna consciousness meant that there was great emphasis to enter

immediately to level three. This was manifest in the process of chanting of the maha- mantra because the name was considered to be the Supreme Lord and by chanting one was directly associating with the Supreme Lord. Bhakti Caitanya Swami (elite informer) further explained that the practitioner experiences a "deeper idea of a changeless sense of identity that comes to the forefront more and more". He felt that the people who have realized it were actually at very advanced levels, and knew what it is, having perceived it very vividly and clearly themselves. This concept introduces the discussion in the next chapter of notions of self and truth.

Keeping in mind that the Temple is part of the missionary objective of ISKCON, it formed the hub of several activities and was open to members,¹⁷⁵ guests and tourists daily. Several tour companies brought their national and international guests, and schools often conducted excursions there as well. A devotee guide is often available to explain aspects of the Temple history, architecture, symbolism and activities to the visitors. On the premises is Govinda 's Restaurant whose main purposes are: to provide a vegetarian alternative to the community; provide pure vegetarian cuisine for strict vegetarians; meet the religious needs of the local Hindu community, cater for visitors and promote

vegetarianism.¹⁷⁶ An important function of the Temple, as described by the Temple President, is that it served as a central gathering place for its membership.

Temple President: It is the centre for our congregation to gather, and worship, attend classes and seminars.

In this regard the Sunday Love Feast was a standard, public guest programme in all ISKCON temples, held weekly on Sunday afternoons. The programme consisted of aratis to the deity of Bhaktivedanta Swami and then to the deities on the main altar accompanied by singing, music and dancing. The males and females gathered separately on either side of the Temple room. The Sunday kirtan is usually very energetic and boisterous as several congregational youth are often in the forefront playing the traditional instruments. Visiting spiritual masters, seniors or temple resident devotees present the lectures, attended by the membership, who are also encouraged to invite new guests as often as possible. A spirit of festivity predominates and the programme

culminates with the entire gathering being served a "feast".¹⁷⁷

several congregational members, as well as interested visitors often attend the daily morning programme which begins at 4.30am. See information under "Daily Morning Programme" already discussed.

176 Interview with Mallika dasi, manageress of Govinda's restaurant, 7 July 2005.

177 Data generated from participant observation, and fieldnotes

• Other Social and Educational Projects (i) Education

The Temple President explained that one of the significant policies of ISKCON was to educate its members¹⁷⁸ in philosophy, as well as train interested members in standards of deity worship, standards of personal practice, initiation standards, music and cuisine.

Temple President: We also have our Food for Life kitchens, Bhaktivedanta College, our book distribution offices.

To this end, several seminars are held on the Temple premises where local or

international seniors conducted the presentations. An important education wing is the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC)^X19 which is a part-time

educational facility for children and adults. The College facilitates the study of scripture, especially Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam and other books by Bhaktivedanta Swami, and conducts teacher training. Another educational outreach programme is the Bhakti Yoga Society (BYS) held at university campuses and other tertiary institutions, which presented aspects of the philosophy in a contemporary manner to students. Senior resident devotees with experience and qualification, as well as visiting seniors conduct these classes. Interested students are also invited to retreats and other seminars for beginners.

Thus, there is a major emphasis on acquiring knowledge of the scriptures and etiquettes of worship and conduct, using the voluminous translations provided by Bhaktivedanta Swami as the basis. One of the foremost missionary activities related to education is the distribution of Bhaktivedanta Swami's books. Documentary analysis revealed a large

178 ISKCON does not have its own school yet, although some discussion has been held about it. A recent addition however has been the opening of its own pre-school.

179 Interview with Brhat-mridanga das, International Director of BCEC. Introductory courses are offered to the public, as well as progressive levels of qualification in philosophy. Since its inauguration in 1991, more than 2000 students have graduated locally and 9000 internationally.

180 Interview with Krishnacandra das, organizer of BYS, 22 June, 2005.

volume of correspondence where Bhaktivedanta Swami strongly emphasized this book distribution:

Please continue to use your intelligence to find out how to distribute my books more and more. I am especially pleased to learn that you are introducing my books as textbooks in the colleges. We especially have to try to attract the educated young men and women in your country so that in future there will be many strong leaders to keep our Krishna

Consciousness Movement strong.

He particularly wanted these books to be placed in tertiary institutions and libraries as he felt that the message would be appreciated by educated people, by whose influence this mission could spread. Book distribution is a priority¹⁸² of ISKCON Durban Temple, with devotees going out on a daily basis to distribute literature on the streets to passersby, to individual homes or to business houses where sponsorships are sought. The sponsored books are donated to libraries, schools, libraries, orphanages and geriatric homes as well as given free at public programmes. The local office of the book distribution department, located on the Temple premises, draws its stock from the South African BBT^V"

warehouses based in Johannesburg. A bookshop existed in the Temple foyer for guests and visitors, and at every major ISKCON public festival a book display/shop is a

standard feature. This forms an important wing of the missionary activities of ISKCON.

(ii) Festivals

Reiterating the Temple President's statement that the Temple provides a site to "plan our festivals", I respond to the data generated about festivals since this formed one of the principal religious, social and cultural phenomena in ISKCON and its corresponding influence on identity. Many festivals are celebrated annually to which the public is

1 Bhaktivedanta Swami correspondence to Govinda das, New York, 7 April 973

2 Interview with Raghunath das, Department head, book distribution., 16 July, 2005

183

invited. The main festivals are Krishnastami, Radhastami, Gaura Purnima, Ramnaumi and a host of other festivals commemorating the appearance or disappearance of the prominent spiritual masters in the Gaudiya Vaisnava line, especially of Bhaktivedanta Swami. One of the largest public festivals is the Durban Ratha Yatra (Festival of

Chariots) held annually for four days on the Durban beachfront over the Easter Weekend, which attracts more than one hundred thousand people each year.

Bhakti Caitanya Swami explains the importance of festivals to devotee identity:

Bhaktivinod Thakur¹⁸⁵ said, "madhava tithi bhakatijanani" - these festivals, special occasions that have to deal with Krishna - they are the mothers of our devotion.

He strongly believed that festivals are an important element in consolidating devotee identity. There was an essential element of happiness that was experienced which came from associating with so many devotees in a mutual purpose of glorifying God.

The Temple President expressed a similar response in terms of the emotions generated by festivals:

People often tell us that there is a certain spiritual ambiance that they don't quite experience anywhere else.

Although there were many cultural activities associated with the festivals, he believed that it was the high standard of worship of the deities, which is the central focus of the festivities and the enlivening kirtan and the lectures that attracted people.

The appearance of Krishna, Radha, Caitanya Mahaprabu and Rama respectively.

184 Devotees refer to the birthdays and days on which spiritual masters have passed away as appearance and disappearance days respectively. This is motivated by the belief that such devotees do not die, but are commissioned to appear with a spiritual mission, and then they "leave" this existence either to continue their mission elsewhere in the material universe, or return to the spiritual world.

185 Bhaktivinod Thakur was the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. For his biography see: Rupavilasa Dasa (1989): The Seventh Gosvami: A Biography of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. New Jaipur Press, USA. The meaning of the Sanskrit is as follows: ; madhava-tithi-the holy days of Madhava (Krishna) are bhakti-janani-the mother of devotion (Bhaktivedanta Vedabase, 2003)

(iii) Food for Life

One of ISKCON's major social projects is its free, voluntary vegetarian hunger relief programme. According to Jatipur das, Chairman of Food for Life,¹⁸⁶ "approximately 25 000 meals are distributed weekly in Durban and its surrounding districts". The Food for Life kitchens are based at the Chatsworth and Phoenix Temples.¹⁸⁷ In keeping with the instructions of Bhaktivedanta Swami, that "No one within a ten-mile radius of our temples should go hungry",¹⁸⁸ food distribution occurs daily from these kitchens and the recipients constitute of school-going children, residents of squatter camps and

impoverished areas, shelters for the homeless, the unemployed, hospitals, public creches, universities, and other programmes like HIV/AIDS support and disaster relief.

It was observed that while the cleaning staff may not necessarily be devotees, the cook must be a devotee and the same principles regarding the consciousness of the cook, the principles of hygiene, and the consecratory nature of the activity, as discussed under

"Diet" in section 4.4.3, apply to the preparation of meals in Food for Life.

Several other activities occur in ISKCON which are too numerous to discuss in detail in this study, viz. nama hattas, counselling, and new construction projects, amongst others.

I have summarized these in my end notes.^V1" The entire gamut of requirements, religious, social and educational contexts described thus far, provides a comprehensive domain which impacts on the devotee's consciousness in profound ways indicative of an

intersection between the institutional identity and individual identity of the devotee. It is an environment which facilitates the devotee identity, yet the onus is upon the devotee to take advantage of the ambiance to seriously practice the activities, the result of which, devotees report, will be purification or spiritual advancement; such a change in

consciousness or levels of advancement produces a corresponding change in life-style and values of devotees. The process seems reciprocal: initially at least adopting the

186 Jatipur das (June 2005). I formerly held the position as Chairman of Food for Life and therefore have access to the workings of Food for Life.

87 See map of South Africa in Appendix 1.

188 Bhaktivedanta Swami, 1975

external requirements of the institution, if applied seriously, produces a change in the devotee consciousness, which produces in him a "realization" of his position as a

devotee. Devotees describe this as manifesting as a certain serious contemplation about life, which expresses itself as internal mood of dependence, meditative consciousness, and desire to engage in devotional service, and happiness.