I along with other TOVP Exhibit members were in the Lotus Building attending TOVP exhibits conference on April 25th at 1.00 pm in Sridham Mayapur when the building began to shake. We quickly left our conference room and moved to Prabhupada’s park. While we were there, I was informed that a massive earth quake had struck Nepal. My heart immediately went out to the devotees in Nepal. I was anxious to know about their well-being. I know you all must be feeling the same. Later I was informed that although our temple was saved and although the devotees were mostly safe, some of them suffered loss of property, some lost their near and dear ones, some suffered other damages.
We immediately began to co-ordinate with HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaja, HH Maha Vishnu Maharaja and Patri Prabhu to draw up plans for fund transfer and to mobilize the devotees for ISKCON Nepal Earth Quake Food Relief efforts. Two tonnes of food material was sent to Nepal through Air India Cargo with the help of ISKCON Mayapur and ISKCON Kolkata. This was aimed to provide relief to the devotees in Nepal and to initiate Food For Life efforts. We thank Radha Raman Prabhu from ISKCON Kolkata for his tireless and ongoing involvement in carrying out all necessary activities to accomplish these tasks.
HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja and Yudhistira Govinda das in New Delhi have already sent 1 tonne food grains by air plane and are preparing to send another few tonnes of food material. ISKCON Delhi in soon sending 10,000 packets of cookies for the devotees. They have also donated 25 tents to house the devotees who are staying outdoors. They are also helping in transport of other relief materials such as tents and blankets through Indian Air force as reinforcement to meet the ever increasing demand for food due to acute shortage in Nepal. Bhaktivedanta Hospital has deployed a 13 member crew of doctors and medical staff along with 500 kg of medicines and equipments to provide medical assistance.
HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja has also arranged for 2,500 blankets to be donated through Mahesh Advani. Braja Hari Das and ISKCON Juhu devotees have contributed towards the purchase of additional 2 tonnes of food grains. HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja and HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja have been very actively involved in supporting and steering the relief efforts.
The active role played by the temple president of Nepal, Rupesvara Gaura das and other devotes in Nepal has helped so far to maintain a good momentum in the relief efforts. This is time for our world wide body of devotees to keep the devotees of Nepal in their prayers and help in different ways with the various relief efforts so that these efforts can continue seamlessly and can also be increased. There is a crying need in Nepal.
All the GBC members have offered support in various ways. Different yatras including Australia, Middle East, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, UK and US have helped the relief efforts. Now we are also planning on how to repair and reconstruct homes of the devotees who were affected. This has to be done right away as Nepal will be embracing winter in the next five months’ time.
Dear devotees we really need your help.
Yours in service,
Jayapataka Swami
After remittance, please email ISKCON Mayapur Nepal Relief Fund iskmypnepalrelieffund@gmail.com with the following details to track the remittance:-
1. Name of Donor 2. Country name (for foreign remittances) 3. Date of remittance 4. Amount remitted 5. Swift copy of remittance (for remittance from country other than India, sometimes the amount does not show in our bank account, in such case swift copy of remittance helps bank to trace the amount. If the fund shows up in bank account then this is not required) Swift message is generated by the remitter’s bank when you make payment to our account. Swift message is useful for us and our bank to trace the remittance.
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