Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji # 24

VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW  # 24      

 Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji

KALIYA SERPENT

Overlooking the ocean from the dharmashalla (main guest building), one is able to watch the constant fluctuation and interaction of the elements of nature: day, night, sky, clouds, sunlight, rain, wind, mist, rainbows, waves, sea-haze, and the distant islands of Namena, Taveuni, Koro, and Kumbalau peninsula. It is always beautiful, spectacular actually, and we often remember the local legend of a giant many-headed snake that resides in the ocean bay that lies before us, sheltered by the barrier reef some 8 kilometers out. It is also supposedly resident in mountain caves near Rakiraki. The serpent is called Dengey by the locals, and in 1975 Srila Prabhupada told Vasudeva and Bhagavati Prabhus that he must be Kaliya, banished by Lord Krishna from the Yamuna, coming to Ramanik Island , which is Fiji. Inquiring if there were any indigenous animals in Fiji (there are none very significant other than birds), Prabhupada saw their absence as evidence of Kaliya’s presence. Kaliya Nag is a great devotee of Krishna- would he someday be seen by Prabhupada’s followers here, perhaps while swimming on the shore, or watching from the dharmashalla veranda? Will he be attracted by the Krishna nama kirtans that can be heard far out on the quiet waters of Yanawai Bay ? (see photo)

Thus Srila Prabhupada instructed that the principal deity in the first ISKCON temple in Fiji, built and opened in 1977, should be Krishna dancing on Kaliya’s heads. Yasodanandan Prabhu conducted the installation and temple opening after receiving detailed instructions from Prabhupada. This temple is on the main island of Viti Levu in the town of Lautoka, and any devotee visiting Fiji should definitely make a pilgrimage to take the darshan of this very unusual deity of Krishna-Kaliya. While in Lautoka, also pay a visit to the waterfront where Prabhupada took some morning walks- and offer obeisances to him on the very ground that he tread with his lotus feet. Fiji was blessed twice by Prabhupada’s visits. He liked Fiji, and remarked that Fiji could become the first Krishna conscious country in the world.

FIJI WATER

In contrast to many parts of this planet, Fiji has plenty of delicious, pure, crystal clear water. It is even bottled and exported to many countries (Fiji Water, Island Chill, AquaSafe). There is little industry in Fiji to pollute the environment, and we are insulated all around by vast reaches of the South Pacific. Fiji is very much free from pollution, and its air, land, and water remain very pure. Our farm/village project is on the windward side of our island, or the wet side, and we get rain regularly. The summer (November-April) is wetter, and it will rain almost every day, sometimes quite a bit. The winter (May-October) is cooler, dryer, but still it rains at least every few days. Watering the garden is hardly ever required. Sometimes we get ocean storms (called bangiwalu) that can last for a week or more, with gusty winds and intermittent rains. The typical weather here is sunny until some clouds and rain later in the day.

The hills and valleys of our property are thus well-watered, the streams and creeks running year-round. Far up a stream that feeds the river, we constructed a concrete dam/reservoir with gravity flow water delivered via pipe over a kilometer long to the main building. The pipeline passes the waterfall by the worker camphouse, crosses the river (suspended above, between trees), passes by the koronivia pasture, and runs back uphill to 160 feet above sea level. No pumps are needed, and two reserve tanks supply the main building by gravity from above. It is auspicious to have gravity flow water supplied from a spring high up in the forest. Someone wrote to say how fortunate we were to have abundant, pure water year-round- no wells are required (most of the world), no seawater distillation plants needed (like in Saudi Arabia), no water trucks required (Yemen, Africa, even Hawaii), no dry season (in Panama it was 5 months of NO rain), etc. In New Jayapur, even rainwater collected from the roof could suffice for a family home.

Our little water cress tract which thrives in a branch of our river is just downstream from a major spring that bubbles and gurgles forth a thousand gallons a minute. Every chance I get, I love to sip that purest of water as I exclaim, Jaya Sri Vishnu! and feel the bracing potency of really clean water (I am the taste of water). The water cress that grows in this stream is of course surcharged with so many essential mineral micronutrients that filter out of the rich volcanic landscape, contributing to a long healthy island life… In simple living, pure and plentiful water is an opulence.

FIJI FLORA AND FAUNA

Fiji has little indigenous wildlife except birds. It is a rather benign environment- no land snakes, no scorpions, few thorns, no biting ants (except one that lives in stumps), and no sandflies. The ocean breezes counteract mosquitoes, and no indigenous mammals besides bats- these “flying foxes” (fruit eaters) are seen at dawn and dusk, flying up or down the coast; sometimes a few will spend the night in a nearby breadfruit tree, squeaking and quarrelling quite loudly. Beautiful red-breasted musk parrots abound in our forests, in five various color arrangements. We have one favorite pet parrot that came from Taveuni, named Hari. She chants Hari!, and whenever fed, she whistles approval of the prasadam.

The pesky mynah and bulbul, imported from India, have not yet reached our farm, and we are careful not to make food scraps available in the grounds, lest some move in. They co-habitate with humans mostly in populated areas. We have seen the orange dove here, and kula birds flitting around in their green and red. Kingfishers and two hawks are common as well. Fiji has 60 native bird species, geckos and skinks, some frogs, and the very rare harmless Pacific boa. Overall, anyone, children included, have nothing to fear in the Fiji outdoors or forests. Part of the year, wasps build their nests in the forest, so at that time caution must be taken while moving about in the bush.

The forests have many hardwood species very useful for construction, such as vesi and buabua. Damanu and the majestic raintree (see photo) are semi-hardwood with luscious grain and color excellent for interior finishing. The dharmashalla is largely finished with raintree T&G walling. A few weeks ago I took the three children on a field trip to study forest trees and how the hardwood trees were milled into timber. In New Talavan, Prabhupada saw the forest during his walking tour of the farm, and told us to cut the trees to make homes for the devotees. We have cut about 150 hardwoods, and replanted at each location one or two mahogany trees. Our property was never commercially logged, so we will have plenty of hardwoods well into the future as the village grows.

FIJI COWS

One day this week, I drove across the island (Vanua Levu) to Labasa to look at some cows, with high hopes, and stopped to look at a rainbow in the mountains capped with clouds (see photo). The cows were supposed to be half Zebu, half Jersey, which would make them about 80% likely to be A2 (the healthier type of milk). Just below the looming rock towers of the Three Sisters Mountain (see photo), I was led up into a scrubby paddock to inspect four animals, and I was disappointed. They were from a variety of mixed bloodlines (mostly “beefers”). I recognized some Limousin and Hereford in their features; only one had any hint of Jersey, and one looked half Zebu. Nearby was another animal (cannot really call it a cow), with a huge square Limousin body, a tiny Jersey head, and a misplaced milk bag- it looked like either from the movie Island of Dr. Moreau (where a crazy surgeon joins body parts of different species), or a creature from Lord Shiva’s hordes. I stared until the owner said “she” was not for sale. I was relieved.

I thought of the Kali Yuga melting pot- Fiji cows are 99% mixed breeds. The large Fiji dairies also had entirely mixed herds (although dairy breeds). They would never want to sell any of their few, better quality cows to us, and the Agriculture Department proved of no help either. Was there any hope of finding any A2 quality milk cows in Fiji? After hunting for several years, we had only a few possibilities- two different nearby dairy farmers were on my list to visit soon. Otherwise, we will need to resort to our last option (to be revealed when exercised…)

 

TEMPLE SITE CLEARING

Praying for some bit of vision as to where to build a temple for our village Lordships Sri Sri Radha Govinda (see photos), I decided to clear the high ground behind the dharmashalla, a ridge covered in small and medium common trees, a little at a time. It was the only logical place- above the dharmashalla with broad views to three sides. We detoured the entrance road to make more space for the temple. The clearing process is time-consuming. First, the boys clean the underbrush with machetes, flush to the ground including numerous vines (like ropes and wires, everywhere), and pile them for burning after a few weeks of drying. Next, the chainsaw cuts down the trees and into pieces short enough to pick up by hand (see photo). This area has no hardwoods or really serious trees, so I am guessing it was cleared in the old days when Isaac Driver bought the land from the chief Tamai Nai in 1860.

The temple will be the focus of the village, situated on the high ground, and symbolically all residents will climb up the hill to see their Lordships daily. There are no designs or plans yet. Before I quit this body, I must complete this temple. For all the inconvenience I have given to Radha Govinda, it is the least I should do, to give Them a fitting and permanent residence where They can be properly worshipped. Does anyone have any design suggestions as for Their temple ? (not from timber). I had thought of bringing skilled concrete workers or a prefab granite block temple from India, but is that even practical?

SOME NICE PRABHUPADA QUOTES

"... live simple life, keeping cows, village life as it is exhibited by Krsna, Vrndavana. Krsna, if He liked, He could have lived in cities. How they were happy, the inhabitants of Vrndavana with Krsna and living and cows. That I want to introduce. At any cost do it and... Don't bother about big, big buildings." (???)

"Now, we must take to agricultural work -- produce food and give protection to the cows. And if we produce a surplus, we can trade. It is a simple thing that we must do. Our people should live peacefully in farming villages, produce grain and fruit and vegetables, protect the cows, and work hard. ... Krsna conscious people will never be losers by following the instructions of Krsna. They will live comfortably, without any material want, and tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [BG 4.9]: After leaving this body they will go directly to God. This is our way of life. " (???)

"Stick to your own place and grow your food. There is no question of transport. Little transport is required, that bullock cart. Krsna was being carried on bullock cart. There is no use of petrol. Use simply the bull. They are already there. Utilize them." Morning Walk, Rome, 5/25/74

Yours in Prabhupada’s service,

Nityananda das

New Jayapur, Vanua Levu, Fiji Islands

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Hare Krishna! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

PHOTOS: Kaliya’s waters, Mountain mist rainbow, Three Sisters Mountain, Sri Sri Radha Govinda, Shyamananda and deity plate, temple site.

 

 

VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW # 21 -- Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji

 May 26, 2013.  Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji

SOUNDS OF NEW JAYAPUR

One fine, sunny morning this last week, I was marking small junk trees along the edge of the forest to be cut in the making of the new hillside pasture, when I stopped to listen to the sounds of the project that were resounding clearly across our tropical rainforest valley next to the seacoast:

1.       There was the small chain saw, not far away, as Isaac cut the bush stumps at ground level for the new pasture,

2.       And the tractor, as Bill was moving some timber over to the equipment shed, reminding me of when Srila Prabhupada came to New Talavan, the Mississippi farm, in 1975. We were on a walk around the second ISKCON farm project, and I had lined up all our farm machinery to show off to Srila Prabhupada. The two 70 foot Harvestore silos loomed overhead, and Prabhupada stopped in front of the machinery, maybe 15 different implements such as hay crimper, manure slinger, silage blower and sickle mower. Looking at the equipment shed nearby, the roof of which had been blown off months ago by a hurricane, Srila Prabhupada coldly asked me, “Why these machines are out in the rain?” With a stammering mind, I could only say, “Oh, we are still finishing repairs to the roof of the shed there,” as I pointed to the half finished structure. Srila Prabhupada turned away from me, and wryly smiled at Brahmananda Swami, telling a short story about the lady who was preparing for the fair with her clothes, makeup, but when she was finally ready, the fair was over. Similarly, Prabhupada explained, by the time the shed is finished, all our machinery would be rusted and ruined. We should take good care of what Krishna had kindly provided us…

3.      Euston and Choni were nailing away on the shed roof, the sound of their hammers denoting progress in the construction of our Vedic village project. Just then,

4.       Dinesh came growling with the track dumper out from the rock cut under the edge of the hill to deliver fill material to the riverbank. We were building up a low area behind the shed, where we were adding a section for the timber milling operation. Our 18 K watt Perkins diesel generator would be located here to power our table saw, dressing planer, and the welder, as the solar power at the ashram could not handle these heavy loads. It felt good to see our mini-industrial area manifesting separately and away from the village residential area up on the ridge.

5.       Behind all this I picked up the dull, soft roar of the distant surf on the reef, perhaps 8 km out. Glancing over to the horizon, I could see a white line where the open ocean crashed upon the barrier reef, allowing for the ultra calm protected waters of Yanawai Bay in front. It was a soothing sound, but at the same time a reminder of the great forces of the ocean and Krishna’s material nature. Recently a yacht had been smashed up and over the reef's edge at night, leaving today only abouthalf the hull protruding at low tide.

6.       George’s grasscutter was also whirring and zipping away below, as he trimmed the grass around the small rice field.

7.       Fascinated at the various sounds of action, and standing motionless, I could hear as well the faint crackling of the burning vines and brush, piled in heaps, producing trails of white thin smoke, angling inland due to the mild sea breeze that was present.

8.       Any other sounds? Yes, the machetes (locally called saylays) were chopping the brush, with the occasional metallic twang, as Jordan, Samu, Marika, and Matai cut and fed materials to the smoldering fires. It was not slash and burn- this hillside had been cleared of forest long ago, and in 60 some years of neglect had become completely covered with “the bush”…

9.       And there was a hidden but nearby bird in the forest singing a pretty, simple tune. I looked around and above the forest canopy across the river, but did not see any swooping parrots with their characteristic blunt head profile and more of a soaring through the air than much quick flapping of their wings. However, the singing bird seemed absorbed in his own sound and probably did not notice all the other sounds- sort of like the karmis oblivious to all but their own fruitive goals...

Today we took the children to the garden. We picked the first French snap beans, mulched, weeded, transplanted some pak choy, replanted some more beans, and picked an eggplant. Later, near the ashram, we picked more eggplant, passion fruit, kumquats, and bele leaves. The kids wanted to swim in the river, so while they hooted and splashed, I did some citrus pruning with my hand cutters. The lower branches, dead branches, and branches that just were not proper in direction, causing internal congestion- had to go. Often, fruit trees need some help developing a good shape and structure- it is at least half art, the rest common sense. Also sometimes shoots will come up from below the graft line, and they usually have big thorns and need to be removed. A few citrus had been pushed over by a strong wind last year, and the roots had adjusted to this new position. These trees naturally began growing vertically again, and I reshaped them somewhat with pruning on one side.

NEW JAYAPUR’S PRABHUPADA MEMORABILIA

Last week we discussed in Bhagwatam class the the philosophy of “tadiya,” of Srila Prabhupada’s memorabilia- andwhy items connected to, touched by, or used by Srila Prabhupada have such great spiritual potency. The history of my Prabhupada memorabilia collection was reviewed, how I built up my collection, lost most of it, and then recovered it plus more. This collection is believed to be the largest on earth. Most was purchased from various devotees, such as Purudas who somehow privatized the New York temple Prabhupada Museum contents, and Sadhusangananda of Austria who served as Boston temple president. Through the years and the moves around the US mainland, to Hawaii, Panama, and finally Fiji, I never had the confidence of permanence of location to set up a museum room or preservation facility. Everything was packed up in plastic-wrapped boxes. But the Fiji ashram building design included what the workers called “the strong room,” a concrete space with a small window and one door, long bench type tables running down opposite walls.

After the swim, I brought the children into the museum for the practical field trip tour of Prabhupada’s memorabilia. They became absorbed for over an hour as we examined several hundred items, from old documents to clothing to mechanical and early version electronic book production machinery. There was the green rocking chair from Henry Street, Brooklyn temple used in 1972-4, and the aghan (knitted blankette) which draped the 1968 Montreal vyasasana (Prabhupada would sit on it). There was one of the early New York temple Panasonic reel-to-reel tape recorders with 20 or so of the 1966-7 tapes of lectures and kirtans. Hayagriva had sold these to Jitendriya, who transferred them to myself. There were two palm leaf scrolls (parts of Ramayana and Bhagwatam) in Telugu from South India, many centuries in age. Vinyl 45’s and 33’s of Prabhupada’s recordings were examined carefully, including several Happening albums (which I would listen to all day long as a new brahmachary devotee, Buffalo, NY, winter 1969-70), and which we decided to bring a copy upstairs to play later on our vinyl record player.

There was the framed 1951 letter from the Ford Foundation that declined Prabhupada’s solicitation to form an association of intelligent men who would guide the world in spiritual matters (…and 20 years later Alfred Ford became Prabhupada’s disciple). A framed ISKCON envelope bore two monetary figures and a doodled sketch of a toy top- in Prabhupada’s fountain pen handwriting. Mylar encased original Back to Godhead magazines, from the first through to No. 12 or so, were bound into protective books. An inexpensive small school notebook filled with Prabhupada’s 1950’s era handwritten notes and thoughts, expenses accounting and train tickets was very interesting (20 paisa for burfi!). The 1940’s sharesbook for Vimaltone Laboratories showed defaulted shares reverting back to Prabhupada due to non-payment of those shares…

The children studied Prabhupada’s tooth and its huge cavity. I told the story- Prabhupada was flying from LA to NYC in 1975, and mid-flight he simply took this tooth from his mouth and handed it to his guard Lalitanath das, who gave it to his brother Raksana das, and I acquired thereafter from Purudas. An actual part of the mahabhagawat, jagat guru’s spiritualized body- this would seem to be extra special, more so than the dhotis, sweaters, pillow cases, gloves, pillows, kurtas, and beadbags used by Srila Prabhupada (which were examined next). There was a pair of quite worn slippers from Prabhupada’s quarters in Los Angeles and a rather uncomfortable pair of beige canvas shoes acquired from Taruni dasi, Sruti Kirti Prabhu’s wife. But the 1950 Corona edition typewriter that Prabhupada used while living in Vrindaban was the highlight… testing the keys and trying to understand how it worked was extremely fascinating to the tour members!

Prabhupada’s last hairclippers are still in working condition. They were in Vrindaban since their last use in 1977 and until Hari Sauri sent them to Balavanta in 1998 for the investigative research into Prabhupada’s suspected poisoning. Hair was removed from between the clipper blades and tested for arsenic, which was unusually elevated and very suspicious. Balavanta never reclaimed the clippers from the laboratory. Years later I used the same laboratory for further testing on other hair samples by method of neutron activation analysis. At my request, the lab dismantled the hairclippers and found 2 or 3 pieces of Prabhupada’s hair, which was tested as well. Altogether, 4 or 5 differently sourced hair samples revealed substantial new evidence, but that’s another story for later too…. The lab sent me back my tested hair samples and they included the hairclippers too, as my good fortune would have it.

After we saw the small hair sample containers, we perused various paper documents, original edition Easy Journey to Other Planets, a Prabhupada autographed Gita, a handwritten essay titled “The Black Marketeers from Bhagavad Gita Point of View,” and other items of extreme transcendental significance. I detected that my audience was finally tiring and being children, after all, they were about done with their first tour of Srila Prabhupada’s Fiji Museum of Transcendental Memorabilia. We unpacked the little dehumidifier that I will soon set up- it removes excess humidity from the air in the room, protecting the items from the advancing effects of time, that unavoidable supreme force of the material world.

Next time I will relate the story of Prabhupada’s personal Los Angeles-based 1968 Mercedes SL250 which took him to morning walks at Venice Beach and in Cheviot Hills Park as well as to San Francisco Rathayatras and other preaching engagements, and how it recently came to Fiji.

Attached photos are of how the children decorated our Lord Nrsinghadeva deity, the new pasture clearing with burning brush, and our rice patch startuing to seed out (or up?)

Yours in Prabhupada’s service,

Nityananda das

New Jayapur, Vanua Levu, Fiji Islands