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ISKCONDeityWorshipMinistry

2015AnnualReport

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DOCUMENTSUMMARY 3

ASUMMARYOFACHIEVEMENTSDURING2015 4

EDUCATION AND TRAINING 4

MAYAPUR ACADEMY 4ONLINE TRAINING 4

ISKCON DEITY WORSHIP MINISTRY 5

ZONAL REPRESENTATIVES 5TEMPLES VISITED AND ACTIVITY SUMMARIES 6SIGNIFICANT WINS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 7INSTALLATIONS 8

PUBLICATIONS 10

WEBSITE/E-MAIL 10

RESOURCES 11

CONSULTATION 11

VISIONFOROURACTIVITIESFOR2016 12

VISION 12

PROGRESSIVE GOALS 12

ISKCON DEITY WORSHIP MINISTRY 12ASSESSMENT OF RADHA-KRISHNA WORSHIP 13INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ZONAL REPRESENTATIVES 13POLICY STATEMENTS 14TRAVEL 14PUBLICATIONS 14MAYAPUR ACADEMY 14WEBSITES 15

NEEDS 15

ZONAL AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATION 15COMMUNICATION 16MANPOWER 16FINANCIAL 17

AMESSAGETOTHEGBCEXECUTIVECOMMITTEE 18

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DocumentSummary

The ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry (IDWM) is honored to share with you our 2015

year-end report. This report provides an overview of the Ministry’s activities over the

past year and gives insight to the Ministry’s vision for the future.

2015 marked the 9th consecutive year of training up pujaris at the Mayapur

Academy with more than 40 students attending.

In 2015, our representatives visited over 75 temples worldwide! They provided

systematic training, observed worship, submitted temple reports and worship

revisions, as well as providing on-the-altar training and services in temples they

visited. Our representatives also participated in and oversaw deity installations and

provided worship resources to temple authorities and pujaris.

Because of the training and temple visits from our zonal representatives, there have

been successes in areas of cleanliness, new temple buildings and deities approved

for installations, and standardized training provided to devotees.

As ISKCON continues to grow, temples are opened and deities are being installed. In

2015, the IDWM approved 8 temples for installing deities.

Looking to the future, our goal is to assess the worship of Radha-Krishna in ISKCON.

Srila Prabhupada said that “Worship of Radha-Krishna deities is the ultimate pinnacle

of deity worship…” and also explained that by caring for Radha-Krishna properly

ISKCON would flourish.

Thank you for the taking the time to read this report, and for the continued support

shown to the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry. The Ministry always welcomes feedback

on its reports, and ways to improve its communication and service.

Your servant,

Nrsimha Kavaca dasa

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A Summary of Achievements During 2015

Education and Training

Education and training are the main tools of ISKCON Ministries to achieve their

mandate. Our team is focused on developing and providing educational programs,

such as the Mayapur Academy, on-site training programs, online training and

resources, as well as publications and other resources.

Mayapur Academy

The Mayapur Academy began the 9th consecutive year with students from every

continent represented. This year was also our 3rd consecutive year offering a

simultaneous Russian language diploma in arcana. In total, the Mayapur Academy

has presented 15 separate semesters training more than 600 devotees in the

knowledge, skills and values of deity worship and brahminical culture and lifestyle.

This year the Mayapur Academy added a jewellery-making unit. In the future we

plan to offer a Hindi diploma course and an extended men’s samskaras unit. The

Hindi course is scheduled to begin in 2017 and the men’s samskaras extension will be

offered as part of our 2016-17 semester. This samskara extension is a first step in the

development of a diploma in men’s samskaras.

Online training

As reported last year we began developing online courses. This year our staff in

Mayapur will work on developing video content for these courses.

The structure for the home worship course is completed and the structure for the

GBC College is largely completed. Once the videos are completed we will be able

to launch both courses.

We humbly request those interested in seeing the cause of deity worship promoted

in ISKCON and fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire to have gorgeous deity worship in

ISKCON, to assist the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry in these training initiatives.

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ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry

The ISKCON Deity Worship Minister had the opportunity to meet with adult education

groups in Sridham Mayapur to discuss cooperation between educational services

offered to devotees in the holy dhama. We look forward to working more closely

with the various adult education groups in Mayapur.

Zonal Representatives

The primary role of the zonal representatives is training and reporting. They also

personally guide and inspire devotees engaged in deity worship on behalf of

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry. Lastly, they act to keep ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry

informed of local developments in deity worship and to give the Ministry a better

understanding of the worship being offering in ISKCON centers and thus assisting

IDWM in keeping the GBC informed of the status of deity worship in ISKCON.

Zonal Representatives coverage

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry currently has representatives in:

• Australia – Nrsimha Kavaca dasa

• Germany – Damodara-priya devi dasi

• India – Seva Atula dasa & Sheetalanga Gauranga dasa

• Italy – Manohara dasa

• Philippines – Mathuranatha dasa

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• South Africa – Saci Kumar dasa

• United Kingdom & Ireland – Murli Manohara dasa

• USA, Canada, Guyana, and Trinidad – Jayananda dasa

Most of these devotees are graduates of Mayapur Academy and have been

personally trained in the various arts and skills of deity worship in Sridham Mayapur

(West Bengal) by Jananivasa prabhu and ISKCON’s Deity Worship Minister.

Temples visited and activity summaries

During 2015 the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry’s 8 zonal representatives visited over

75 temples worldwide. At each temple, they either held seminars, conducted onsite

training, or spent time on the altar with the devotees who serve the deities. They

submitted reports for each temple visited.

The following temples were visited in 2015:

Africa — Pretoria, Cape town, Phoenix (Mauritius)

Australia — New Govardhana, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne

India — Andhra Pradesh: Tirupati, Vijayawada, Vishakapatnam; Madhyapradesh:

Ujjain; Maharashtra: Govardhana Eco Village, Mira Road, Mumbai; National Capital

Region: Chippiwada, Dwarka, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugaon,

New Delhi (Radha Parthasarthi mandir), Punjabi Bagh; Orissa: Baliapanda,

Barahampur & Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Sambalpur; Rajasthan: Jodhpur; Uttar Pradesh:

Kanpur, Vrindavan; West Bengal: Ekachakra, Mayapur.

Philippines — Laguna, Manila

Europe:

Germany — Berlin, Wiesbaden, Koln, Abentheuer

Croatia — Split

Spain — Malaga

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Italy — Bergamo

Holland — Rotterdam.

North America — Los Angeles, Baltimore, Greater Toronto area, Montreal, Gita

Nagari (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia, Washington DC, Prabhupada Village (North

Carolina), Central New Jersey, Boston, Hartford, Towaco/Parsippany, New

Vrindavan.

Jayananda dasa, the North American Deity Worship Minister, held training seminars

inviting pujaris from the surrounding areas to receive more formalized training in the

art of deity worship. These trainings occurred in New Vrindavan, West Virginia, and

Los Angeles, California in 2015.

South America — Trinidad

United Kingdom — Bhaktivedanta Manor, Soho Street

Murli Manohara prabhu, our UK representative, has been teaching devotees the

sodasopacara method of worship and has conducted a whole day seminar on

deity worship to members of the congregation. He has been speaking with devotees

at Bhaktivedanta Manor regarding a 2-day pujari seminar that will take place in

June 2016; he organised a one-day seminar on home worship for May 2016; a one-

day seminar on deity worship in April; a one-day seminar on deity worship to take

place at Crawley (south England) and has committed to making a presentation on

home deity worship at a UK yatra get together in August.

Significant wins from around the world

Several temples made significant improvements with the cleanliness in the deity

department. Maintaining the standards of cleanliness required in deity worship is a

constant challenge and requires determination and diligence.

ISKCON Baltimore has made great strides in planning for a much-needed new

temple building. The Ministry has been consulted for temple design advice as it

relates to the deity worship. There is a ground-breaking ceremony scheduled for

May 2nd on Nrsimha Caturdasi. Additionally, ISKCON Baltimore authorities are

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anticipated to soon formally apply for approval to install Radha-Krishna deities upon

the opening of the new temple building.

Installations

In 2012 at the Annual General Meeting, the GBC passed a law regulating the

establishment of deities in ISKCON centers. ISKCON temples are required to get a

‘Certificate of Readiness’ before procuring or installing/commencing worship of

deities. Passing of this law is a significant milestone for ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry.

Now with this ISKCON Law regulating the installation of, or commencement of

worship, temples are contacting the Ministry and we are responding to their requests

in a timely manner. Jayananda dasa processes these applications for ‘Certificate of

Readiness.’

IDWM is proactively working with ISKCON leaders to help them understand the need

for and the implementation this resolution regarding establishing and worshiping

deities. It is our goal that all ISKCON temple management members are both

educated about and properly following this GBC requirement to receive a

“Certificate of Readiness” prior to procuring or commencing worship of deities in

ISKCON centers.

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The table below shows the status of installations, either approved, pending or

denied, that the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry is aware of in 2015.

Temple Deities Application status

Approved & installed

Jaffna, Sri Lanka Gaura Nitai Approved & installed

Ujjain, India Prahlada Nrsimhadeva + Sila Approved & installed

Pretoria, South Africa Srila Prabhupada (temple room) Approved & installed

Mira Road, Mumbai, India

Large Gaura Nitai w/ SP & SB, Utsava Gaura Nitai, Large Lalita Vishaka, Utsava Radha Krishna Lalita Vishaka

Approved & installed

Abranovce, Slovakia Marble Gaura Nitai Approved & Installed

Ipoh, Malaysia Marble Gaura Nitai Approved & installed

Ekachakra, India Radha Krishna, Lalita and Visakha and small Radha Krishna

Approved & installed

Baltimore, Maryland (USA)

Radha Krishna Approved - to be installed

Govardhana Eco Village Maharashtra, India

Gauranga Mahaprabhu Approved - to be installed

Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa

Srila Prabhupada (temple room) Pending

Bhakti Center, NYC, USA

Gauranga Mahaprabhu (large and small)

Approved - to be installed Gaura Purnima 2017

Tyumen, Russia Radha-Krishna Pending

Trivandrum, India Krishna-Balarama Pending

Pending

Sydney, Australia Gaura Nitai, Radha Krishna, Sita Rama Laksman Hanuman

Pending

Sigatoka Town, Fiji Lalita & Visakha large and small sets

Pending

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Publications

In March 2016 ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry will release ‘Dots: The Art of Deity Face

Painting’ a book on decorating the Lord’s face, written and illustrated by Radha

Katha dasi. This beautifully illustrated book is a step-by-step manual on how to

create beautiful designs on the Lord’s face.

Layout work is progressing on the Method of Worship.

Editing is progressing on the Tulasi book. Almost ready for layout.

Website/E-mail

Work is underway for a total redesign of the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry’s website.

The goal is to make the site the “go to” place for anyone wanting to find out

anything related to deity worship. We hope to achieve this by increasing the

resources available to devotees and making the site more interactive with helpful

training videos for devotees to use for their home and temple worship.

A blog will also be featured as part of the website so that visitors can get a first-hand

look at what is happening in the wonderful world of deity worship. The concept of

the blog is to keep devotees connected to the Ministry in a personal way, and share

stories of success and opportunities for growth within ISKCON deity departments.

The new website is scheduled to launch late 2016!

Each year IDWM receives many emails with questions or concerns related to deity

worship. There is a huge volume of questions that need answering, and not enough

time to reach everyone in timely fashion. The Ministry needs to bring more devotees

online to help in this much-needed area so that devotees feel heard and respected.

The Ministry is working on expanding its administrative team to help with

communication so that devotees are receiving information in a timely manner.

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Resources

In early 2015 ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry suffered a significant financial setback.

The GBC very kindly rose to the occasion and allocated IDWM an additional USD

4,000. Due largely to this additional funding, IDWM could continue with the service

we offer to ISKCON. As more devotees commit to service IDWM our financial needs

increase, thus the need for support increases.

Consultation

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry has been actively involved in discussions with different

temples about improving worship standards, relocating deities and plans to build

temples and install deities.

Because of Ministry representatives visiting temples and offering reports suggesting

improvements, etc. Many temple managers have invested laudable energy in

addressing concerns within the deity department. The Seattle (Sammamish),

Washington USA temple is a prime example of the latter. Since the Ministry offered a

report in March of 2014, systematic improvements and reporting have been

happening in Seattle since October while in ongoing consultation with the Ministry.

This year there was a robust discussion with many senior devotees who have

significant experience in deity worship. We see this as the beginning of a Deity Care

Committee that was first discussed on the Leadership Discussions Conference two

years ago. The first discussion we had was about how to offer arati in ISKCON. There

are wide ranging views in this discussion so a conclusion is yet to be reached.

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Vision for Our Activities for 2016

Vision

The IDWM is strategically planning for its future. The development of a mind map to

help harness focus on what is to be achieved and where it all connects was

developed in 2015 and will be first shown to our team at the inaugural Zonal

Representative’s Sanga in February 2016. (Please write to acarya-

nistha@mayapuracademy.org if you would like a digital copy of this mind map.)

Our vision for ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry 2016 and onward we intend to:

• Dramatically expand our network of global representatives.

• Continue expanding the availability of training and guidance for devotees

worldwide.

• Engage in the activities associated with the worship of the Lord in His arca-

vigraha and to encourage the building of communities centered on such

worship as integral to the preaching mission of ISKCON.

• Continue training devotees in the process of deity worship with the of inspiring

devotees to train other devotees in the art of pleasing the Lord through the

process of deity worship.

• Continue with the strategic planning process for IDWM

• Enliven head pujaris in their service through regional head pujari sangas,

providing resources and through regularly engaging with them.

Progressive goals

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry

• To continue with daily calls to develop projects for ISKCON Deity Worship

Ministry such as strategic planning, databases, publishing projects, online

training, etc.

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• To identify more devotees who can assist in developing and expanding

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry. We need devotees who can:

o Receive training in Mayapur with a view to serving as local and

regional representatives of ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry in various

zones around the world to train pujaris, offer support to pujaris and

monitor worship standards.

o Take the service as fundraising director for ISKCON Deity Worship

Ministry & Mayapur Academy.

o To serve and cultivate our ever-expanding alumni.

o Manage the many branched communications that IDWM must

engage in to spread knowledge of deity worship around the globe.

o Oversee and expand our network of zonal representatives, including

gathering and collating reports thus enabling IDWM to effectively keep

the GBC informed about deity worship in ISKCON.

Assessment of Radha-Krishna worship

As mentioned in the “Document summary” Srila Prabhupada explained “Worship of

Radha-Krishna Deities is the ultimate pinnacle of deity worship, and it must be done

with the utmost caution and attention to every detail of giving opulent service.” (SP

letter, July 3, 1973). IDWM is exploring how to accurately assess the worship of

Radha-Krishna in ISKCON centers around the world. Srila Prabhupada to help

temples understand and implement standards of worship required for Radha-Krishna

deities in ISKCON.

Increase the number of zonal representatives

• To have a clear understanding of the state of deity worship in ISKCON we

need to significantly expand our global network of IDWM representative. Our

goal is an IDWM representative visit every ISKCON center with deities at least

once in every two years.

• To further facilitate our zonal representatives who are assisting ISKCON Deity

Worship Ministry in training and research.

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Policy statements

The IDWM is striving to write policy statements to clarify often misunderstood areas of

deity worship. These policy statements will give a clear and concise understanding

of how to care for deities in ISKCON, and thus enable temples to be on the same

page. These policy statements will be comprised of references from Srila

Prabhupada and sastra. The first step in developing these policy statement will be to

develop our hermeneutics for writing these statements.

Travel

• Increased travel and on-site training. This largely depends on funding.

Publications

• Publish “Dots – The art of deity face-painting”

• Publish the “Method of Worship.” This will require additional funding and

assistance.

• Publish the “Tulasi Handbook”

• To continue sending out newsletters to the various stakeholders of IDWM

• Publish Arcana Journal 5

Mayapur Academy

• Expand the current Bengali course to a full diploma course similar to the

English Diploma Course being offered.

• Develop a student registration and assessment database for Mayapur

Academy.

• To develop, refine and expand the Mayapur Academy curriculum. This will

include writing and presenting more units. We are engaging more devotees

in the development of the curriculum and will continue to do so provided

increased financial resources become available.

• Facilitate courses being taught in Hindi and Russian. This will enable us to

identify and train reliable devotees who then might be able to go to temples

all over the world to assist in deity worship.

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Websites

To complete the redevelopment of both our websites as greater resource for

devotees. To offer in that resource:

• Podcasts (audio and video) that give graphical demonstration of how to

perform the various procedures of deity worship

• Short essays of explanation responding to frequently asked questions and

covering issues that frequently occur in deity worship.

• Downloads of altar pictures, such as guru parampara, ISKCON gurus and

various avataras associated with the festivals observed in ISKCON temples.

• Downloads of deity worship procedures for both temple and home worship.

• Downloads back issues of the Arcana Journal.

• Downloads of mantra audio files so devotees can learn how to pronounce

the mantras used in deity worship.

• Online training and courses covering theory portions of Mayapur Academy

courses and home worship courses.

• Online shop where devotees will be able to purchase deity worship resources

for the home and temple.

• Audio blog answering deity worship related questions.

Needs

Zonal and Regional representation

As stated in last year’s report, it is becoming increasingly apparent that a pivotal key

to the success of ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry is expanding our network of

representatives around the world. Once suitable devotees are identified then they

are trained at the Mayapur Academy, in all the details of worship, then they return

to the yatras. Their duties include:

• Training others in the knowledge, skills and values they have developed at the

Mayapur Academy

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• Give regular reports on the deity worship being conducted in the temples in

their zones.

• Serving as ambassadors for ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry and the Mayapur

Academy.

• Facilitate installations and commencement of worship of deities.

By increasing the number of regional representatives for ISKCON Deity Worship

Ministry it will enable us to have greater reach and impact around the globe. Please

help us to identify more devotees who can fulfil this need.

Communication

As ISKCON continues to expand and there are more and more temples and deities,

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry needs to expand its ability to communicate with

ISKCON leaders. By improving communication with ISKCON leaders we will be better

able to assist them in their service to the deities.

Manpower

Although our team is steadily increasing, still IDWM requires more active members

who can engage in education and development of resources. The training is done

directly, either in the form of seminars in Mayapur and other places, or onsite training

on the altars of ISKCON temples around the world.

Additionally, we need to increase our administrative team to increase our ability to

communicate to leaders and the community outside of the Ministry, as well as

supporting ISKCON leaders, temple presidents, head pujaris and pujaris in serving the

deities.

The administrative team will also communicate with and support the zonal

representative in their service of visiting temples, compiling reports on their visits and

training, and helping facilitate the goals and vision for the zonal representatives’

team and IDWM.

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Financial

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry is entirely dependent on the generosity of others to

function. If not for the support given by devotees and temples as well as the funding

provided by the GBC we would be unable to continue providing the service.

Below is a summary of income and expenses for 2015 in USD:

INCOME 23,187.11 EXPENSES 24,155.49

GBCGrant 7,240.00 Advertising 32.85

Donations 10,353.99 BankCharge 936.19

OtherIncome 5,593.12 Communicationexpense 1,700.60

Coursedevelopment 800.00

Coursematerial 307.23

Devoteecare 4,167.48

GiftsGiven 229.79

Householdexpenses 998.77

IT&AV 4,203.26

Misc. 251.02

Office 137.82

Rent 520.00

Travel 5,654.70

Utilities 855.78

Creditcardpayments 3,360.00

This year IDWM received four acres of land in Mayapur where we will erect a

purpose-built facility for the Mayapur Academy to train the future brahmanas of

ISKCON. This will require a significant increase in support to build the and equip a

quality facility for training devotees to care for the Lord.

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A message to the GBC Executive Committee As ISKCON continues to expand, the demands on ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry’s

resources is increasing. Deity worship is multi-faceted and there are many areas that

need attention.

With the support of our leadership we need to see that appropriate resources are

focused on areas that need positive input to meet the increasing demand.

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry will be seeking input from the GBC, the ultimate

managerial authority of ISKCON, and other well-wishers to help meet the

opportunities that continue to arise to expand Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

To this end the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry is eager to engage with the GBC EC.

We are seeking your input and guidance as we embark on a new round of strategic

planning to prepare ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry for the future of deity worship in

ISKCON and to ensure that we can fulfil Srila Prabhupada's vision for deity worship

and see hundreds of temples of where the Lord is gorgeously worshipped. Our aim is

to play our part fully in propelling the preaching mission forward to greater and

greater achievements.

Your servant,

Nrsimha Kavaca dasa

ISKCON Deity Worship Minister