“The 36in tall black marble Krishna and white marble Radharani were prepared in Jaipur in 1996 and arrived in Alachua on the appearance day of Lord Balaram in 1997. For the last three years They have been residing in the house of Stoka Krsna and Shyamapriya prabhus while preparations for Their installation have been under way.”

Radha-Krishna to be Installed at New Raman-Reti
By Jalakara dasa

The deities of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna will be installed at ISKCON's New Raman Reti community in Alachua in a gala three-day festival to take place September 3rd, 4th and 5th.

The 36in tall black marble Krishna and white marble Radharani were prepared in Jaipur in 1996 and arrived in Alachua on the appearance day of Lord Balaram in 1997. For the last three years They have been residing in the house of Stoka Krsna and Shyamapriya prabhus while preparations for Their installation have been under way.

Now let me tell you some of the history behind these wonderful deities! Already there have been a number of amazing happenings in connection to Them.

The story began in 1994 when Damodar prabhu, then the president of ISKCON Soho Street in London, invited Mr Baladev Goyal to our 1994 London Reunion. At that time Mr Goyal gave a public talk about how he gave the original Radha-London-isvara to Srila Prabhupada. At the end of his speech Mr Goyal stated he would donate Radha-Krishna deities to any temple that wanted Them.

Well, that got the little wheels in my brain turning! My wife and I were then planning to relocate to Alachua, and one thing holding us back was they didn't have Radha-Krishna. When we visited Alachua in January 1995 we consulted with Hansarupa prabhu, the then-temple president, and he was enthusiastic to have Radha-Krishna, telling us to go ahead.

Back in London next month, I asked Damodar to approach Mr Goyal and take him up on his offer to donate deities. The next day Damodar telephoned me to say that Mr Goyal had declined to make the donation, saying that he had meant to say he wanted to donate to English temples only, not an American one.

Undeterred, in the finest ISKCON tradition I convinced Damodar to call Mr Goyal back and ask him again. The following day, Damodar prabhu called me back and told me an incredible story.

It seems the night Mr Goyal had refused he had a dream. In that dream he saw Krishna's face, then Prabhupada, then again Krishna's face, then again Prabhupada's face, then Krishna, then Prabhupada and so on and so on. Therefore when Damodar called him the next day he immediately and gratefully said yes!

The carving of the deities was arranged by Hari Sauri and Sitala prabhus, who made the long and uncomfortable journey to Jaipur several times. They also had to contend with a relative of Mr Goyal's in Jaipur who was deputed to pay the murtiwallah. This individual turned out to be the chief collector of Jaipur, a very powerful position, who proceeded to negotiate the price with the murtiwallah with somewhat of a heavy hand.

Interestingly enough, even after the deities were ordered, there were devotees in Alachua who tried to stop Their Lordships from coming, thinking the worship of Radha-Krishna to be too much effort! At one point this party even succeeded in sending a fax to the murtiwallah canceling the order! My heart was breaking! It was only after the first free and fair elections to the Alachua temple board were held that this party was defeated. It is the kind of thing we have come to expect in the Peoples Republic of Alachua!

Nanda prabhu, the current Alachua president, arranged a $500 donation to pay for the freight to Jacksonville airport. They actually arrived on Lord Balarams' Appearance Day 1997 (Balaram comes first). I still remember breaking open the packing crates and catching my first glimpse of Srimati Radharani, wrapped securely in heavy ropes. She was so beautiful. I had never seen anything so beautiful before. I cried with joy.

Then I opened Krishna's crate. Wrapped as he was in ropes and covered in plastic packing chips, He was even more beautiful than Radharani! I didn't think such beauty was possible.

Up until the last moment, we hadn't decided where They should stay. Naturally, I wanted Them in my house, but was a little worried the children might accidentally break Them. As I was unpacking Them, I began to get the very strong feeling that They wanted to stay at the house of Stoka Krsna das and Shymapriya dasi, about five miles down the road. It was such a strong feeling that we immediately took Them there, where They set up residence in a nice room with a view. We still have the ropes, which are worshipable.

Around about the beginning of 1999 Shymapriya, who has spent much of her time sewing outfits for Them, was diagnosed with severe cancer. It should have killed her, but Radha-Krishna were living in her house, so she not only survived but returned to full health by the grace of Radha-Krishna.

Even then, there was still some opposition to Radha-Krishna being installed, but now that Radha-Krishna were in Alachua, They would in time surely influence everyone in Their favor.

Being a country ashram, the standard of deity worship in Alachua had previously not been high, and time was needed to bring it up to a proper standard in preparation for Radha-Krishna. There was also quite a big expense involved, difficult for a temple supported only by contributions from the congregation, as New Raman Reti is. For the next few years the temple board seemed to go back and forth, sometimes in favor of installing Them, sometimes not being so much in favor. Finally the new 2000/2001 board became firm in their resolve and with gusto began work modifying the marble altar, ordering new sringasanas and jewelry and outfits. The changes in the last few months have been amazing. We want to thank everyone who has been working so hard.

Work on the new marble altars is now almost completed, the temple room is being repainted and the deities are in final preparation. Our devotees are working hard and contributing much to make everything successful. The eight hundred devotees here are eagerly anticipating the gala three-day festival which will welcome Their Lordships to Their new home.

We would like to humbly invite all devotees (and especially traveling sannyasis) to come and grace this important occasion, the first deity installation in America in the 21st century, of the deities who come in direct line from Prabhupada's original Radha-Krishna deities. And believe me, They are so beautiful you will weep when you see them!

They have not yet been named. In keeping with Alachua's democratic tradition, devotees are submitting names for Their Lordships to consider. Thus far the leading names are: Radha Rasananda, Radha-Rasaraman and Radha Shyamasundara. Come to Alachua on Radhastami and find out what Their names are!

For further information, please contact: Nanda dasi (temple president) at nanda.acbsp@pamho.net or Jalakara dasa at jala@cdoctor.com. The temple telephone is 904 462-2017. Alachua is ten miles north of Gainesville, Florida at exit 78 of I-75.

Your servant, Jalakara dasa

© CHAKRA 16-August-2000

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