Author : HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami & others E-Mail : Bhakti.Raghava.Swami@pamho.net Date Produced : 2014 Edited : Srimati Vrindavan Lila d.d. Serial No. : 16 of 54

2. BEST PRACTICES
ILS-2014
Author : HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami & others
E-Mail : Bhakti.Raghava.Swami@pamho.net
Date Produced : 2014
Edited : Srimati Vrindavan Lila d.d.
Serial No. : 16 of 54

3. ISKCON LEADERSHIP SANGA (ILS) 2014
Global Village Initiative Committee (GVIC)

4. Dedicated to His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

8.  HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami Nigeria AFRICA
 HH Bhakti Raghava Swami Canada AMERICA N.
 HG Hari Kirtan das India ASIA
 HG Gour Gopal das India ASIA
 HG Ram Laksman das India ASIA
 HG Guna Avatara das Indonesia ASIA
 HG Radha Krishna das Hungary EUROPE
 HG Samba das England EUROPE
 HG Kalakantha das Brazil AMERICA S.
* Representing 7 Countries in 5 Continents *

9. Mandate 2009
“To assist the ISKCON
GBC, established ministries
and temples to implement
daiva varnasrama culture by
promoting models of rural
development (villages)which
will support, enhance and
complement the overall
preaching.”
GVIC Mandate
Revised Mandate 2013
“To assist the ISKCON
GBC, established ministries
and temples to promote the
concepts and best practices
of sustainability and self-
sufficiency both within
ISKCON rural communities
and city temples around the
world.”
The GVIC humbly requests the SPT to take up the subject matter
of the varnasrama mission within the Organizational Development
Committee or any suitable body that they deem appropriate.

11.  Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami from Nigeria
 Bhakti Raghava Swami from Canada
 Hari Kirtan prabhu from India
 Kalakantha prabhu from Brazil
 Paramatma prabhu from Guyana
 Radha Krishna prabhu from Hungary
 Samba prabhu from England
List of GVIC Members at the end of Presentation.

12. 1. Varnasrama Training Course (VTC)
in collaboration with Mayapur Institute (MI)
DHARMA SHASTRI
* February 24 to March 1 *
2. ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry (IDVM) India
GLOBAL VARNASRAMA MISSION
* March 12 to 15 *
* For details contact IDVM Secretariat, Room 137, Cakra Bldg. *

13.  1- Cow Protection
 2- Agriculture
 3- Village
Technologies
 4- Education &
Training
 5- Community
Housing
i
AFRICA
AMERICA NORTH
AMERICA SOUTH
ASIA
AUSTRALIA
EUROPE

15. Panca Gavya
Economy
Spiritual
Prosperity
Human
Civilization
Magic Food

16.  More and more devotees understand the need to take only
“ahimsa milk”, or milk from protected cows. Such milk is
wholesome and does not incur karmic reaction as cows are
guaranteed protection for the duration of their lives.
 ISKCON Projects promoting Ahimsa Milk include Gita
Nagari in North America and the Ahimsa Foundation for
Cattle Protection (AFCAP) in India.

17. Modern Agriculture Traditional Agriculture
Mechanization by usage of tractor Bullocks tilling the land
Chemical fertilizer & pesticides Herbal or Pancha Gavya based
fertilizers & pesticides
Chemically processed HYV seeds Naturally enriched seeds
Agriculture for commerce Agriculture for sustenance
Non-sustainable in the long run Sustainable in the long run

18. Village technologies are:
- sustainable in the long run without any damages
- environment friendly occupations
- assure employment to everybody
- simple and soft technology
- pocket friendly
It would include Pottery, Weaving, Charkha (spinning wheel
for making cotton thread), Handlooms, Mothe (for drawing
water), Persian Wheel (for drawing water), Oil Ghani (for
extracting oil), Dheki (for crushing the grains) etc.

20. * Educating devotees to adopt the afore mentioned practices.
* Conducting seminars and workshops.
* Education to empower individuals to have work places where
they live.
* Revive compassion and feeling of co-existence with other
living beings.
* Living the eco-friendly way.
* Inculcating simple living and high thinking.
* Instilling the spirit to follow Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and
go back to the Godhead.

21. Mud Blocks

22.  Home made jams
 Using bullock cart as means of transport
 Pottery, weaving, growing flowers for the deities, dairy,
etc.

23. BEST PRACTICES
AFRICA

26. BEST PRACTICES
NORTH AMERICA

27. CANADA (2 projects)
1. Ashcroft, B.C. SARANAGATI VILLAGE
2. Amherst, Quebec NOUVELLE VRAJA BHUMI

28. USA (12 projects)
1. Alachua, Florida NEW RAMAN RETI
2. Carriere, Mississippi NEW TALAVAN
3. Hillsborough, North Carolina NEW GOLOKA
4. Sandy Ridge, North Carolina PRABHUPADA VILLAGE
5. Moundsville, West Virginia NEW VRINDAVAN
6 Mulberry, Tennessee MURARI SEVAKA
7 Port Royal, Pennsylvania GITA NAGARI
8. Moundsville, West Virginia ISCOWP
9. Irvine, Kentucky CINTAMANI DHAM
10. Dallas, Texas NEW KURUKSHETRA
11. Laguna Beach, California ESCONDIDO FARM
12. Seattle, Washington SEATTLE FARM

29.  Cintamani Dham Kentucky USA
 Escondido California USA
 Gita Nagari Pensylvania USA
 Murari Sevaka Tennessee USA
 New Talavan Mississippi USA
 New Vrindavan West Virginia USA
 Nouvelle Vraja Bhumi Quebec CANADA
 Saranagati Village British Columbia CANADA
 Seattle Farm Washington USA

31. BEST PRACTICES
ESCONDIDO FARM COMMUNITY
Farm project is a joint effort between
Laguna Beach and San Diego Temples

32.  ESCONDIDO ISKCON Farm Community
 Farm is located 1365 Rincon Ave. Escondido. Ca. 92026
 Close to both Temples

33.  ESCONDIDO Farm: Economics Stat’s

34.  ESCONDIDO Farm: Economics Stat’s
 From last 8 months 300 Pounds of vegetables per week is
growing in this farm like Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Squash
and many varieties of vegetables.
 The local farmer Nitai Chandra Prabhu is dividing 150
pounds to Laguna Beach and 150 pounds to San Diego
Iskcon temples.

35.  ESCONDIDO Farm:

36.  ESCONDIDO Farm:

37. BEST PRACTICES
GITA NAGARI
160 Acres of Certified Organic Farm

38. Gita Nagari
 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) was started in 2010
 Supplying vegetables and organic milk to outside communities
 Supplying to the following states -- NY, NJ, PA, MD, MI

39. Gita Nagari
 3 Acres for Garden
 157 Acres for the Hay

40. Gita Nagari
Devotees working in Farm

41. Gita Nagari: Ahimsa Milk
 FDA Grade B Milk Approval in – May, 2013
 FDA Grade A Milk Approval in – Jan, 2014

42. Gita Nagari: Ahimsa Milk
 FDA Grade B Milk Approval in – May, 2013
 FDA Grade A Milk Approval in – Jan, 2014

43. Gita Nagari: Ahimsa Milk
 Pasteurizing Unit

44. Ahimsa Milk
 Key Devotees – Dhruva Dasa and Parijata Dasi

45. Temple President, Gadi prabhu,
feeding local squirrel (bottom
left).
Acreage 270 acres
New Families since the last two
years.
Cows milked and cared for by
devotees.
Kirtan Valley attracting local
participation.
MURARI SEVAKA

47. GARDEN OF SEVEN
GATES
Students Learning Organic
Farming.
Producing Honey from
Butter.
Flowers for the Deities.
NEW VRINDAVAN

48. Bee-keeping that produced 4.5
tons of honey in year 2012/13.
Three hours from Montreal
Temple.
Summer Retreats and Kirtan
Rasa.
Producing Home-made jams
and preserves.
20 acres of land in the
Laurentian Mountains.
NOUVELLE VRAJA BHUMI

49. Covers over 2000 acres
of land.
New Goshala built.
Many of the families
doing farming.
Solar Power for drying
beans.
SARANAGATI ECO VILLAGE

50. * Harivilas prabhu local
GBC spends 4 hours
daily doing gardening
* Flowers grown for the
Deities
* Dioramas for
Janmastami Festival
* 20 Acres of Land
SEATTLE FARM

51. Best Practices in Backyards of North America!
Transforming one Backyard at a Time!

52. Yards Before and After!

53. Growing Flowers for Krsna!

54. Growing Vegetables for Krsna!

55. Growing Greens and Herbs for Krsna!

56. Growing Fruits for Krsna!

57. Growing Fruits for Krsna!

58. Best Practices that Worked
• 2 years of heavy mulching of the lawn made the soil
very rich and helped in producing food and flowers for
Krsna!
• Mulching prevented weeds, retained water and also
acted as compost.
• Vegetable scraps from home were added to increase
the organic content of soil.
• Cardboard was used to retain more water.
• No pesticides or insecticides were used.
• Watering done by hand hose.

59. Best Practices that Worked
• Crop rotation to maintain the nutrients in the soil
intact.
• Nitrogen fixing with legume planting in winter.
• Planting flowers and vegetables together so that bees
get attracted.
• More flowers planted to attract more bees.
• Herbs planted in between to take care of pests
naturally.
• Easy-maintenance-plants were chosen like tomatoes,
cucumbers, grapes etc.
• More fruit trees were planted.

60. Inspiring Quotes by Srila Prabhupada

61. Inspiring Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
“The leaders of the society, they should take very serious attention how you
can improve the social condition of this world.” [ SB 1.2.28.29]
“All fresh vegetable, fresh milk, this is celestial. Who has got the opportunity
in the city?” [Conversations, June 10, 1976]
“Whatever production you make, you be satisfied. Little vegetable, little grain
and little milk. That is sufficient.” [Morning walk, Rome, May 25, 1974]
“You grow little grains, you get some milk, some vegetable, and all your
economic questions solved. But as soon as you to to the city, the whole
pollution attacks you.” [Lecture, July 31, 1976]
“Most unnatural life. City life, most unnatural.” [June 21, 1974]

64. South America

65.  Map

66.  Map

69.  Management / Spiritual Capital
 Deity worship / Ashrama / Festivals
 Sankirtan Party
 Self sufficiency / Farming – Cow Protection
 Gurukula
 Bhakta Program
 Tourism / Guest House

70.  Management
 Deity worship / Festivals
 Sankirtan Party (partial)
 Self sufficiency ( partial )
 Eco -Tourism / Guest house

71.  1- Planning – Discovering the national vocation
environmental models near National Parks - eligible for
government grants
 2- Partnership with research institutes
 3- Organic farming
 4- Eco –Tourism
 5- Sustainability Development Plan - National
 6- Padayatra / Public Utility

72.  Brazilian Government invested in 2007
 US$ 2,5 Billion on Environment
 US$ 1,3 Billion on Commerce

82.  Nova Gokula
 Wild Animal
Release Area

91.  Animal Protection
 Agriculture
 Environmental Protection
 Spiritual Tourism
 Ecological Tourism

92.  New Vrajadham

93. BEST PRACTICES
ASIA

95. INDIA (partial list)
Chamorsi, Maharastra
Ahmedabad Farm, Gujarat
New Naimisaranya, Medchal, Andhra Pradesh
Gokul Dham, Belgaum, Karnataka
Panchavati, Tamil Nadu
Sahayadri Sri Krishna Balarama Ksetra, Hebri, Karnataka
Govardhan Eco-Village, Wada, Maharastra
Nilachal Dham, Juhu, Maharastra
Mayapur, W. Bengal
Pandharpur, Maharastra

96. INDONESIA:
Gita Nagari Baru
Ganga Sagar Baru
GauraHari Asrama
MALAYASIA:
Kuala Lumpur
CAMBODIA:
Yasodapur dham

97. * Cow protection
* Agriculture
* Village Technologies
* Education and Training
* Community Building

99. Milk and milk products-
* 20% of ISKCON, India.
* Projects in Indonesia, Cambodia & Malayasia learning to milk cows.
Medicines-
* Gokul dham (Belgaum), ISKCON Mayapur, ISKCON Vrindavan,
SSKBK Hebri, ISKCON Tirupathi, Goverdhan eco village.
Agriculture-
* SSKBK Hebri, Govardhan Eco Village, Panchavati,
Transport-
Culture-

100. 30
40
88
17
100
1
2
0
4
30
2
3 2
1
0
4 4 10
7
0 0
0
SSKBK
New
Goverdhan
New
Naimisaranya
Vrindavan
ISKCON
Pandharipur
ISKCON
Tirupati
Panchavati
GauraHari
Ashram
Yashodapur
EVCambodia
No. of calves
No. of
Bulls/bullocks
No. of Cows

101. Modern Agriculture Traditional Agriculture
Mechanization by usage of
tractor
Bullocks tilling the land
Chemical fertilizer &
pesticides
Herbal or panchgavya based
fertilizers & pesticides
Chemically processed HYV
seeds
Naturally enriched seeds
Agriculture for commerce Agriculture for sustenance
Non-sustainable in the long
run
Sustainable in the long run

105. Bull powered
Flourmill

107. Project- material used- number of constructions
SSKBK, New Govardhan, Panchavati, Gokuldham, etc.

108. Making mud bricks & kutir with locally available materials.

118.  Hebri, South India

119. Sridham Mayapur, India
Bali, Indonesia

126.  Acquire land and start from scratch.
 Adopt selected (not so much spoilt) villages.
 Encourage individuals to stay back in the villages
(if they are already in a village) or relocate to a village.

127. * Produce what you eat, eat what you produce (Self-sufficiency
in food)
* “It’s sinful not to engage the bulls in service”
 Simply living and hardly thinking - X
 Simple living and no high thinking - X
 Complicated living and no high tinking - X
 Simple Living and High Thinking - √

128. Simple Living

129. High Thinking

130. Best Practices
Bhaktivedanta Academy
Gurukula
Best Practice

152.  ISKCON Farms
 ISKCON Temples
 ISKCON Affiliate Farm Communities
 ISKCON Devotee Individuals in Villages

153. BEST PRACTICES
AUSTRALIA

154. ISKCON New Govardhana
Sri-Sri Radha Govardhana-dhari

155. ISKCON New Govardhana
 The temple is situated in New South Wales’ picturesque Tweed Valley, full of
lush green mountains, rolling farmland, and towering rainforests, and often
capped by never-ending blue skies. The nearest town, Murwillumbah, has a
population of only 13,000, mostly farmers, but has an alternative flair with
many vegetarians and lots of other religious/spiritual denominations.

156. ISKCON New Govardhana
 15 Acres of Organic Farm

157. ISKCON New Govardhana
 Volunteering at the Krishna Farm
 Join us at the Krishna Village – it’s been designed with you in mind: All year
round we have a community of 30-40 beautiful people: WWOOFers,
backpackers and spiritual seekers. Enjoy kirtan and philosophy classes in the
morning, bonfires in the evening and in between, days filled with music,
creative expression and abundant spiritual opportunities. If you prefer
smoothies over alcohol, fresh air over cigarettes and fresh fruit over meat, then
the Krishna Village is for you!

158. ISKCON New Govardhana
WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) is an organization
that links individuals who want to work in return for food and
accommodation with organic farms. It enables travellers to see the
country inexpensively and learn about organic farming.
ISKCON New Govardhana is working with this Organization
to preach Krishna consciousness life style to the new persons
coming.

159. ISKCON New Govardhana
 “They grew ten different varieties, and milked ten cows too,” says New
Govardhana’s current Temple President Ajita Dasa. “Devotees also planted
200 avocado trees, and 500 citrus trees.”

160. ISKCON New Govardhana: Ahimsa Milk
 Violence is not something often associated with cow's milk but what many people
don't know is that animals are also killed for meat production. It turns out that
commercial dairy farms take a lot more than just milk from their cows…ABC News

161. ISKCON New Govardhana: Ahimsa Milk
 80 Cows including Bulls, Cows and Calves.
 Currently 4 Milking cows are giving 1200 liters per month.

162. ISKCON New Govardhana: Ahimsa Milk : ABC
News
 When it comes to the heart of the argument - the slaughter of calves, he
says, Australian dairy farmers produce milk and meat.
 "Australian Dairy farmers are committed to producing milk and meat as
part of their business operation so a lot of the calves on dairy farms are
raised because they become the future milking herd, the other calves are
sold for meat, either as veal as calves or they're raised by the dairy
farmer or other farmers as dairy beef and sold as yearlings.”
 This is something the Hare Krishna believe many milk drinkers do not
realize, and would not feel comfortable with, which is why they produce
their own milk on the ISKCON New Govardhana farm.
 The end result is what the Hare Krishnas call ahimsa milk.
 "Ahimsa means 'non-violent' - it means no cow or her calf has lost her
life, or been mistreated or over milked," says Lilly.
 "It means that her whole life including that of her babies is protected.”
 More Detail : www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/03/09/3159064.htm

163. ISKCON New Govardhana: Gir Cows
 Breeding Gir Cows which is very rare in Australia
 6 Pure Gir Cows already in the farm

164.  ISKCON New Govardhana:
 80,000 USD invested on Goshala and already 50,000 USD has
come as returns

165.  ISKCON New Govardhana: Future Projects
 New Goshala Facility
 New Guest Rooms for the Visitors
 Building Replica of Govardhan and Manasi Ganga locally in
the farm

166. ISKCON New Govardhana
• Venu Gopal Prabhu, from New Govardhana, is a devotee of more than 40 years standing.
He has been a Temple President in Brisbane and Cairns where he served in those roles
with distinction.
• Ajita Prabhu, Temple President (left).

168. BEST PRACTICES
EUROPE
* HUNGARY * SWEDEN

169. 1. Bhaktivedanta College Budapest and NVD Cooperation:
The college sends ALL students for 1-1 week to New Vraja Dhama to
see and practice living on the Farm. This means that every year twice
there is a group from the college consisting of 30-40 people who spend
a week studying and participating in gardening and other areas.
2. Eco Valley Foundation - NVD cooperation:
Involving 9 Universities and other respected institutions of academia to
study sustainable rural life. There have been 40+ diploma work made
on New Vraja Dhama and 50+ is being written at the moment. There
is an annual conference consisting around 15-20 speakers and 300 in
the audience. There is scientific recognition of New Vraja Dhama in a
broad way.

170. 3. New Vraja Dhama Goshala:
Research on breeds, cross breeding experiments, special milk production (milk
giving cows who have not had calves before), 5000+ oxen working hours,
equipment research and development.
4. Gardening:
90+ % self-sufficient vegetable and fruit production
5. Tourism:
20.000+ tourists and 10.000+ pilgrims annually

171. 6. Mother's plate:
When any mataji gives birth, there are 4-7 other matajis,
who cook for her for 6 weeks (one mataji one day a week).
In this way she has more time with her newborn and with
her family. This is a really good practice and makes strong
bond in the community and relieves a lot of stress in the
family of the newborn.

173. 6. Mother's plate:
When a mataji gives birth then there are 4-7 other matajis,
who cook for her for 6 weeks (one mataji one day a week).
In this way she has more time with her newborn and with
her family. This is a really good practice and makes strong
bond in the community and relieves a lot of stress in the
family of the newborn.

184. Human life is meant for plain living and high thinking.
Since all conditioned living beings are under the
control of the Lord's third energy, this material world
is designed so that one is obliged to work.
- Nectar of Instruction 2, Purport
Why you should work so hard to satisfy your senses like
the dogs, hogs and other animals? That is the Krsna
philosophy. Be satisfied, plain living and high thinking.
That is required. If you miss this opportunity of
human life and spoil it like dogs and hogs, then you
lose the opportunity.
- Lecture on Bg 4.19, Bombay, April 8, 1974.

185. Balabhadra das (USA) balabhadra.iscowp@gmail.com
(Former) Global Minister for ISKCON Cow Protection and
Agriculture Ministry, Director of ISCOWP
Bala Krsna das (Canada) bforganics@gmail.com
Farmer and Resident at Saranagati Village in Western Canada
Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami (Nigeria) BDDS.BTS@pamho.net
Deputy GBC for ISKCON East Africa, based in Nigeria
Bhakti Raghava Swami (Canada) Bhakti.Raghava.Swami@pamho.net
National Minister ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry IDVM- India

186. Gour Gopal das (India) Gour.Gopal.BRS@pamho.net
National Director IDVM Communications Department
Guna Avatara das (Cambodia) gunaavatara@yahoo.com
Director Yasodapur Eco Village, Cambodia
Hari Kirtan das (India) hkd75@yahoo.com
National Director IDVM Rural Development Department
Kalakantha das (brazil) kalakantha@gmail.com
Assistant National Director IDVM Agriculture Department

187. Kisora Krsna das kisorakrsna@yahoo.com
Temple President, Asrama Gaura Hari, Bali, Indonesia
Krsna Balarama das (Surya) (Canada) krsnabalarama@bjpharm.com
Director - La Nouvelle Vraja Bhumi project, Quebec, Canada
Radha Krishna das (Hungary) rkd@1108.cc
Varnasrama Minister for ISKCON Europe and
President of Eco- valley Foundation.
Rama Laksman das (India) Ram.Lakshman.BRS@pamho.net
Director IDVM Secretariat (Sri Mayapur)

188. Samba das (England) samba@pamho.net
Director - Mayapur Varnasrama College, based in Sri
Mayapur
National Director – IDVM Agriculture Department
Shalagram das (USA) shalagramdas@hotmail.com
Promoting Varnasrama Mission in the US
Suka Vyasa das (Australia) morrisseyinc_2004@yahoo.com
Preacher in Chile, South America
Vrndavan Lila devi dasi (India) vrindavanlila.brs@gmail.com
Editor of the newsletter, The Eight Petals

189. CANADA
Nouvelle Vraja Bhumi www.vrajabhumi.org
Saranagati Village www.saranagati.ca
SOUTH AMERICA
Goura Vrindavana www.goura.com.br
Nova Gokula www.novagokula.com.br

190. EUROPE
DENMARK Copenhagen +45 (075) 392921
FRANCE La Nouvelle Mayapur +33 (054) 402481
HUNGARY Krishna Valley www.ecovalley.hu
POLAND New Santipur +48 (87451892

191. EUROPE (CONTINUED)
SPAIN New Vraja Mandala +34 (911) 280018
SWEDEN Almviks Village +41 (032) 231291
SWITZERLAND Gokul Project +41 (066) 766 160

192. USA
 Alachua www.alchuatemple.com
 New Talavan www.newtalavana.org
 New Goloka www.newgoloka.com
 Prabhupada Village www.prabhupadavillage.com
 New Vrindavan www.newvrindaban.com
 Murari Sevaka www.murarisevaka.com
 Gita Nagari www.gitanagari.org
 New Vraja www.iscowp.org
 Cintamani Dham www.facebook.com/landoftouchstone
 New Kurukshetra www.selfsufficientcommunities.org
www.facebook.com/groups/newkuru

193. AUSTRALIA
CESSNOCK
New Gokula Farm www.iskcon.com.au/New_Gokula.html
MURWILLUMBAH
New Govardhana www.newgovardhana.com

194. www.affcap.org
www.iscowp.org
www.srisurabhi.org
www.careforcows.org
www.sahyadriksetra.com
www.iskconcambodia.com
www.iskconvarnasrama.com

196. HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami

197. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 Name HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami
 Age and Gender 70, Male
 Country/Province of Origin Canada, Ontario
 Educational Degree and Year B.A, 1968, M.Ed., 2004
 Educational Institution State University of Yogyakarta
 Professional Work/Experience Social Worker/Counselor
 Affiliation with ISKCON Since 1974
 Present Service in ISKCON Minister, IDVM-India