Belfast Temple No Longer Has Any Residents

Removing Krishna's Servants Does Not Please Krishna

Belfast Temple No Longer Has Any Residents

BY: MADHAVA DAS

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND —

Once again I am being prompted by the Belfast Congregation of Vaisnavas who make up the greater number affiliated with ISKCON Belfast, to once again report with a heavy heart the ever deteriorating situation in the Belfast temple.

The temple management has now completed the removal and evacuation of all devotees who were once serving Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava in Belfast. Before I begin to give details of this sad and sorry situation, may I firstly point out that before the Deities' removal to Leicester by the unwanted GBC representative, Pragosh and his band of Kali Chelas, there was full submission to the extent of damage and misery which could result upon a well established Vaisnava community spanning well over 35 years, presented by the greater number of devotees in Belfast if the Deities were removed.

The unnecessary removal and relocation of installed Deities against the wishes of the our founding Acharya, Srila Prabhupada, is very well documented in his teachings and in his instructions. Clearly acting against Prabhupada's instructions is a clear indicator of Pragosh's disregard and offensive mood which he harbours towards most Vaisnavas under his so-called leadership, which violates their right to be treated fairly and with respect.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, relocating the Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava to Leciester solely for the purpose of milking the Hindu cash cow against the wishes of those who have given their lives to Their service is an abomination and aparada of the highest degree. It is still shocking that the many various proposals to keep Sri Sri Radha Madhava in their home by their servants, the dedicated devotees, was arrogantly rejected. But the one hurtful realisation the congregation instantly understood was that Pragosh and his Belfast management committee never exhibited love or affection for their Lordships nor the Vaisnavas who they claimed to serve.

If there was ever a single drop of love and affection, there was never any remorse exhibited towards the devotees after forcing the Deities out under the unusual and unnecessary circumstances, under the cover of darkness when the congregation were not present to say goodbye or to grieve Their departure. According to the pujaris who could only stand back and weep, Pragosh and his team reportedly manhandled the Deities into wooden boxes before throwing Them into a truck like cargo ready to be shipped across the ocean to a destination where they could no longer be cared for to the extent They have been accustomed to in Belfast. Those who protested were told they would never be allowed back unless they silenced themselves in front of a member of management, who appeared to quash dissent upon Pragosh's orders and to ban any devotee wishing to denounce what had happened.

Immediately after the departure of the Deities, Pragosh's self-styled management committee in Belfast gave a solemn promise to the entire community that the Belfast temple would continue as normal and would not be run down leading to closure. The congregation, in fact, never expressed any belief in the management's statement due to the fact that not a single member objected to the removal of Sri Sri Radha Madhava while the entire congregation did. They had already rejected any form of clemency long before the Deity commissioners visited unexpectedly within 24 hours notice, under orders from Pragosh, to ensure all concerns from the community were rejected.

What immediately followed was a gradual and incremental clearing out of the temple, orchestrated by Pragosh and the management committee. Firstly the pujaris were told that their seva was no longer needed, and to avert their seva to other forms of devotional service in the meantime. One particular resident pujari was quickly ordered to leave and never come back, even though this devotee desired to turn his attention to full-time book distribution. Next were the other residents who engaged in cleaning and maintenance, who were asked to move out. Next in line were the sankirtan devotees and book distributors, who would periodically arrive to stay at the temple while traveling and preaching. They were told that it was no longer possible to use the temple to stay in while engaging in book distribution and sankirtan.

Various parties have hence been instructed to stay away and find alternative accommodation. How strange is this, coming from a management committee who's mission was to convince the devotee community that the temple should stay open? For most of the Belfast congregation this simply makes no sense. The management committee have made the excuse that funds have become low, but what can they expect from a community which has no further appetite to donate to a Temple where the management have inflicted a heavy act of betrayal upon the community of devotees who were previously determined and steadfast in their service to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Madhava?

The dedicated cooks who lovingly prepared the Sunday feast were told by the management that their efforts to cook opulently for the community was a waste of resources, even though it was the community who funded the Sunday feast. The Sunday feast was therefore downgraded by the management to consist of only basic kitcheri and a chapatti, which caused an uproar within the community, who had the decision by management overturned the following Sunday. 

And although the feast continued for several weeks after, due to the demeaning attitude of the Temple management towards the congregation, the enthusiasm was ultimately lost. Currently non-initiated members of the community have taken over the realm of the experienced Vedic cooks, with disastrous outcomes. But they at least try, if credit is due.

At the present moment I can now officially state that the Belfast Temple has been officially cleared of all its resident devotees except for one elderly brahmachari, whose sole purpose is now to keep an insignificant presence for security in case people come knocking on the door. They will be told everyone has left and no longer are there Deities or services, except for a few short hours mainly on a Sunday, when simply a handful of people turn up. 

Those who do are mainly Hindus who are in dismay to discover that the many local devotees who once frequented the temple are no longer enthused to attend any longer. But the Hindus were never informed of the intimidation, betrayal and aparada which had been meted out to the congregation by Pragosh's management committee, who only appear to police the temple and weed out opposition.

For the first time in 35 years, a notice has appeared in the temple doorway informing the congregation that the Management now have reserved the right to eject any individual they deem necessary.

The congregation are now asking each other why all this is happening? Why was it necessary to remove their beloved Deities after more than three decades? Why was it necessary to ban Tulasi worship completely and remove Her from the temple? Why was it necessary to clear the temple of all its residents? Why was it necessary to downgrade the Sunday feast? Why was it necessary to intimidate so many of the congregation who voiced opposition? Why is it that our voice for justice is silenced by the need of management to publicly put up a notice of intent to banish those they deem necessary?

The only logic one can imagine is that they have plans for another attempt to slowly eradicate the dharma. There is simply no other reason to think of which makes any sense. And why create an atmosphere to deny devotees and aspiring devotees the right to practice Krishna consciousness in a loving and conducive atmosphere! 

It is all unfolding, beginning with the GBC forced closure of small and less significant temples before moving on to others which do not produce enough cash to satisfy the ecclesiastical elite like Pragosh. Little does this poor guy realise that he is also being used for what his worth contains for them. Let alone a Temple management committee which he keeps in place like a bunch of barking dogs, ready to carry out his orders for some insignificant slice of position or pratista which is so important for them.

It is clearly understood by the congregation of devotees in Belfast that Pragosh had clear plans to sell the temple and reap the benefits for himself, with a few crumbs left over to throw at his management team as reward for their unflinching loyalty to their institution. While writing this, I am almost sure that a spate of similar situations will follow in the near future for temples of lesser international significance in forthcoming years. 

Already there are signs that this GBC infected corporate virus is spreading to other western devotee communities who have heavily invested their life blood into ISKCON temples to spread Srila Prabhupada's mission at the behest of innocent devotees who have selflessly supported and maintained temples for the greater purpose.

I admire Srila Prabhupada for his insight into the future. Because surely Srila Prabhupada as the pure Acharya, knew better than these rascals who have hijacked his wonderful movement and turned it into their own idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

In a letter to Karandara Prabhu Srila Prabhupada clearly states: "Do not centralize anything, each temple MUST remain independent and self sufficient." In another letter Srila Prabhupada is quoted as saying that the GBC members are simply to see that things are going on nicely and that temples they are functioning separately.

I can clearly imagine that if these instructions were properly obeyed by those claiming to follow Srila Prabhupada, the Belfast temple being established as an independent temple managed by respected devotees and being transparent towards the congregation would NEVER have been in this awful situation. Therefore our founding Acharya Srila Prabhupada was right. 

As he always is, being self-realised. Maybe there is something more to learn from his instructions which are conveniently ignored and rejected by acting GBC member Pragosh and his temple management, which have completely destroyed the once beautiful and vibrant Belfast temple. It is sitting now in a state of rapid decay with all its heating systems fully shut down to save on resources. 

The management have put most of its rooms under lock and key in the event that some devotees may appear and wish to stay. There are only ghosts of what once had been inhabitants of the empty building which was bustling with activity only several months ago, with devotees coming and going to serve Sri Sri Radha Madhava, bringing gifts and offering all kinds of service.

For the most part, the temple is dying on its knees. And all by design to facilitate corporate ISKCON'S grander ambitions. Rank and file devotees simply don't mean anything to the GBC anymore unless they are fully serving their material ambitions, it would seem. How can anybody reconcile hope for other small temples after what was done to Belfast and its devotees by the GBC, using management as a means of deception? Why give generously and devote a life of servitude to a so-called spiritual institution if everything can be so easily lost at an instant?

Thank you Pragosh, on behalf of the Belfast community. Your legacy will surely outlive you. And our special thanks go towards the Belfast management committee for clandestinely supporting this already discredited rascal, stomping around the planet with a pair of boots under the pretense of bhakti. We hope that one day you will individually realise what you have done to our Lordships and consider if it was really worth slapping us all in the face for a menial slice of position. The community which you've have betrayed may someday find within their hearts the need to forgive you, but unless this relentless pratista is cut out from your existance, Bhaktidevi will forever hide herself from the shame, embarrassment and suffering which you have induced.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,
Madhava das
(On behalf of the Belfast Congregation of Devotees)
Belfast. Northern Ireland

[PADA: Well right, this all sounds like more of the same; Which is what we told you Belfast folks for years now, you Belfast devotees need to make your own independent programs, get your own independent buildings, make your own independent management, worship your own independent deity ... and get yourselves free and separated from the bogus and oppressive GBC and their false acharya's project. 

Instead! You need to follow Srila Prabhupada on your own two feet, as self-standing "independently minded and thoughtful individuals," which is what he himself says he wanted.

And! 

You need to know by now, beating a dead horse produces no positive result. The GBC managers are most likely -- not -- going to change, nor are they self-evidently even interested in change. Rather they are getting more and more into introducing, what the above author says, is their "Kali chela" agenda. And that is self-evidently because -- they are already Kali chelas posing as Vaishnavas. We already discussed how some large deities are now standing under a carport in all sorts of severe weather with no real seva going on, because the "GBCs / gurus in charge" hi-jacked the deity and closed their temple. This is what has been going on for decades now.

The only good news is -- that NOW more and more people are waking up to this factoid around the globe, in places like USA, India, Australia, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Miami, Montreal, Vancouver, Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, South Africa, France, Peru and so on and so forth. And this is also why our readership numbers are WAY UP from last years stats. It means there is a gradual awakening taking place, which is a good start, but the process of rebuilding needs to start more fully or the whole thing will be lost at least in some areas, which seems to be the plan of the Kali chela's department. ys pd]