Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) officially accepted the donation of the Klerksdorp Hindu Samaj Temple and Hall complex on the first Sunday of October. The complex will henceforth be known as the New Vrindavan Hare Krishna Centre of Klerksdorp.
The handover ceremony was attended by dignitaries and officials of Iskcon South Africa and a small contingent of active Klerksdorp Hindu devotees and members of the Klerksdorp Hindu Samaj. The programme of events included an official welcome and garlanding of Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaj by Bhagoo Persotam and Prakash Morar, the outgoing officials of the Klerksdorp Hindu Samaj.
A sumptuous vegetarian breakfast and lunch was served which was thoroughly enjoyed by those present.
Jai Gopal Prabhu, an architect from Mahikeng and a devotee of the Hare Krishna movement for numerous years, will head the New Vrindavan Hare Krishna Centre. There are currently three devotees resident at the centre but there are plans to have more devotees present in the future.
A full programme of devotion and prayers will commence almost immediately at the temple and the Hindu community of Manzilpark and Klerksdorp were urged by Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaj and the outgoing Samaj members to actively participate in these activities.
In fact, it will not only be the Hindus who will benefit from participation in the activities at the centre, because future plans include readings and teachings from the Bhagvad Gita and the Mahabharata together with regular yoga classes also being provided.
Iskcon is actively engaged in providing free meals throughout the world and a similar programme is envisaged here in Klerksdorp in the future. So don’t be surprised to see a group of Hare Krishna devotees beating their drums and singing in the streets and malls of Klerksdorp in the future.
