TOVP Chakra Installation a Milestone Event

After more than ten years of planning, fundraising and execution, a major milestone has now been achieved for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The first Chakra has been installed on the West wing Planetarium dome!!!

On August 10th, 2017, in the presence of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas, Lord Nrsimha’s Sitari and Srila Prabhupada, the first Sudarshana Chakra was mounted on top of the TOVP West wing Planetarium dome along with a special TOVP Victory Flag hoisted personally by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. The event is monumental and historically significant as it heralds the glory of the TOVP and the Holy Dhama of Mayapur, the most powerful Dhama for Kali-yuga, and the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the form of the Holy Names and Krishna prema that will flood the world.

The three hour event was MC’d by Global Fundraising Director, Vraja Vilas das who began with the reading of an inspiring letter from TOVP Chairman, Ambarisa das. The ceremony included continuous kirtan, short speeches by key devotees like Jayapataka Swami, Jananivas prabhu, Sankarsana Nitai prabhu, and Sadbhuja prabhu, an agnihotra, abhisheka and Maha arati of the Chakra and flag, the mounting of the Chakra and hoisting of the TOVP Victory Flag by His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja, and a wonderful prasadam feast, all done in the presence of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas, Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari and Srila Prabhupada. The Mayapur leaders participated enthusiastically along with 2500 local devotees and all felt the program was a spectacular event that united the devotees in a mood of cooperation, and everyone was thankful to be present. There was no doubt that a very important stage has been achieved in the ongoing progress of the TOVP towards its scheduled completion in 2022 and that the Lord’s blessings and protection are now in full force.

Along with the above described program and appreciation by devotees, auspicious natural phenomena confirmed the Lord’s blessings. This is monsoon season and Sadbhuja and the TOVP Team had been praying for relief from the rains during the days preceding the installation. For ten days prior to the ceremony the rain held up. On the day of the function it was also very hot and the sky was cloudless, offering a perfect opportunity for the installation to proceed. Miraculously, immediately after the installation ceremony when the two devotees on top of the dome descended, huge rain clouds appeared and a heavy downpour of rain as has never been witnessed before proceeded to fall upon Mayapur for two solid hours. Sadbhuja and all the Mayapur devotees felt the demigods had come to offer their blessings and that the Lord had directly shown His approval and satisfaction.

Additionally, two eagles also appeared in the sky after the rainfall out of nowhere. Eagles are never seen in Mayapur, so this was another auspicious sign to all that some special entities had come to watch over the program.

According to Jananivas prabhu, there was a definite elevation in the atmosphere of the Dhama and in everyone’s consciousness at the time of the installation. Every devotee could feel a very powerful spiritual force pervading the function, no doubt the blessings and power of the Sudarshana Chakra.

Scheduled for pre-Gaur Purnima 2018 during the GBC meetings is the installation of the second Chakra on Lord Nrsimhadeva’s dome. This historic and important installation of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Chakra will be witnessed by the entire GBC and attended by thousands of devotees from all corners of the planet. Ambarisa and Vraja Vilas prabhus will shortly be announcing a very unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for devotees to participate in the Maha-abhisheka of this very special Chakra of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Who is so dear to all devotees.

Included below is the letter from Ambarisa prabhu, Chairman of the TOVP project, read by Vraja Vilas prabhu, and a general announcement from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami about the importance of this event.

Installation of the Gold Sudarsana Cakra

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami

Today the gold Sudarsana Cakra weighing 1,400 kilograms was installed on the West Wing dome of the TOVP. This is a monumental step towards the completion of this adbhuta mandira predicted by Lord Nityananda. Ambarisa Prabhu and his wife, Svaha Dasi, addressed the audience through their letter which was read out by Vraja Vilasa who acted as Master of Ceremonies. Jananivasa Prabhu, Sadbhuja Prabhu, acting Chairman of the Mayapur Administrative Council, Sankarsana Nitai Prabhu, and myself, addressed the assembled devotees. I thank all those who made this possible. I mentioned how the GBC had been supporting the TOVP in various ways. Sadbhuja mentioned that the Sudarsana Cakra which is 3.5 meters in diameter was made in Russia of pure stainless steel with a significant liquid gold coating. There was a fire yajna after the short speeches. Then there was drsti, raising of the victory flag, puspavrsti, abhiseka of Sudarsana Cakra, aarati of Sudarsana Cakra and then the cakra was taken to the top of the West dome and properly attached. Then prasada was given to the participants.

Yours in service, 
Jayapataka Swami

Letter from Ambarisa das, Chairman of the TOVP project

Dear Maharaj and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I regret not being able to be there personally for this auspicious event. The initial installation of the Chakra for the planetarium dome is a monumental event, capping years of work and support from devotees like you. The TOVP team has worked tirelessly for years to raise funds and bring the building to the point you see it at today.

It has been a little over 10 years since construction started on Srila Prabhupada’s long cherished dream of Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir, Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The progress has been amazing thanks to the devotees and disciples of Srila Prabhupada from around the world. On this day I want to especially express the gratitude of the entire TOVP team to Jayapataka Maharaj for his stalwart support which has been there from the beginning. Maharaj has organized and enthused his disciples from all around the world to rise up in support of this project, and we are eternally grateful.

This event will be broadcast around the world to further encourage devotees and glorify Srila Prabhupada. The TOVP is the international home for all devotees of ISKCON, and the principle root of preaching for the next 10,000 years.

Please, all of you do what you can to support and pray for the deities to have a new home in Sridham Mayapur.

Your servant,
Ambarisa Das