Mercy Rains Down Under the Long White Cloud

Through cooperation, devotees overcome nearly twenty years of challenges to make the New Varsana temple near Auckland a reality.

By Janananda Dasa

NEW ZEALAND—nuclear-free country of breathtaking beauty. A land of lakes, beaches, mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, islands, fiords, rainforests, valleys, rivers, hot pools, and natural life. But despite its material opulence, New Zealand, like all countries, lacks the most valuable commodity of all: Krsna consciousness.

History

New Zealand is larger than the UK but peopled by only four million. Before the British decided to make it their country garden away from the smog, the islands were inhabited by the Maori, who called the place Aotearoa, “the land of the long white cloud.” The Maori history stems back perhaps more than fifty thousand years, when they are said to have migrated from the northern Himalayas region, travelling across southern China, through the Pacific, and then, around the thirteenth century A.D., to this southern land. Under the colonialists, the Maori were discouraged from practicing their own religion and culture. Many were forced to learn English and study the Bible. A warrior class, the Maori didn’t take the intrusion lightly. They fought back and fought hard, winning many a battle. And, unlike many places around the world where the colonialists took over and took everything, the Maori never lost their pride and dignity.

As time went on, other groups of immigrants from many countries arrived in New Zealand, like small waves on the sea shore. From India, early settlers were the Gujarati, who opted mainly for farming. After the Fijian coup in 1987, thousands of Indians from Fiji moved in. They were followed by Sri Lankans, South Africans, Bengalis, and more recently the academic class from Mumbai and South India. Indians now make up as much as two percent of the population.

The Bhaktas Come Flying In

Auckland, the destination for most of the immigrants, is a city built on numerous extinct volcanoes between two large estuaries. The year 1971 saw the arrival of perhaps the strangest of all the immigrants. Two Hare Krsna devotees came flying in, to be joined shortly by others from Australia. For the first time the message of Lord Caitanya—the chanting of the holy names—had arrived in “the land of the long white cloud.” The sight of these Krsna devotees pounding their drums and dancing in strange outfits up and down the streets of Auckland raised many an eyebrow. But New Zealanders have remarkable tolerance, and sure enough the Hare Krsna movement flourished and was supported by many local personalities.

In 1972 Srila Prabhupada visited Auckland and installed Radha-Krsna deities, whom he named Radha-Giridhari (“the lifter of Govardhana Hill”). Early on, Srila Prabhupada indicated that he wanted a large temple in New Zealand. In a letter to a disciple, he wrote, “Our preaching in Australia and New Zealand was very successful, and in New Zealand we shall very soon have our own temple.” On his last visit, in April 1976, Srila Prabhupada installed the deities of Gaura-Nitai (Caitanya and Nityananda) and Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. Again the subject of a custom-built temple came up, and Srila Prabhupada directed the devotees to make it in “Vrndavana style.”

New Varsana: The Building Begins

As the Hare Krsna movement spread in New Zealand, the need for a larger property became apparent. The house in the city was no longer adequate. In 1978 the devotees bought a 98-acre plot of farmland about twenty minutes’ drive from the city and named it New Varsana. (Varsana is the hill site of Radharani’s home in Vrndavana). The Auckland deities were moved to a small farmhouse at the front of the property. In 1985 plans to build a large temple were drawn up under the direction of ISKCON architect Surabhi Swami. At that time ISKCON was flourishing in New Zealand and there was no proper Hindu temple in Auckland. It seemed the ideal timing. Authorities approved the application for the building. The location on the property for the temple was ideal, overlooking the beautiful Waitemata estuary and surrounded by forests and fields. At the ground-consecration ceremony in February 1987, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. David Lange, gave the key address and unveiled a commemorative plaque. The project was named Bhakti Bhavan, “Temple of Devotion.”

Work began at once with great enthusiasm. Devotees did the early construction, including setting the foundations, making columns, and laying the ground-floor slab. As New Zealand is within the volcanic belt, the infrastructure was designed to withstand the heaviest earthquakes. A unique heating system was built into the floor. The design of the temple was a blend of Vedic and Western architecture.

Fortunes changed, however, and unexpectedly, after a few years, work slowed to a standstill. ISKCON New Zealand hit hard times. Doubts crept in as devotees crept out. The growing Hindu population temporarily lost confidence. ISKCON’s project was the first of its kind in Auckland, but now several Hindu temples had started to rise. It appeared as if the devotees had missed their chance, and the question was whether to carry on or abandon ship. Perhaps it had been a mistake—maybe the location was wrong, it was too far from the main road, too big, too expensive, the materials not right. Members were divided in opinion, but despite objections and challenges, a small group of devotees, backed by ISKCON’s global governing body, the GBC, pushed forward.

The situation was an embarrassment. Much money and time had been invested with little to show of worth, and now funds were barely trickling in. At last, in 1995, devotees made a concerted and decisive effort to get back into gear (at least first gear) and to go forward as fast as possible. They called in contractors and drastically revised the plans. One by one the walls went up, the columns, roof, and main dome completed.

It is often said that good things take a long time—like good nuts, which take much longer to mature than inferior ones. The elusive completion date was put back again and again. The amount of money needed to finish the job never seemed to reduce, no matter how much progress was made. Vastu architects (concerned with mystic positioning) suggested the whole thing should be upturned and relocated. Lack of unity plagued the ranks.

Cooperation, the Secret of Success

In 2003, after years of struggle and anxiety, a major bank in Auckland agreed to give a large grant to cover one third of the remaining costs to open. A loan was procured to cover the balance.

But still it was an uphill battle. The real turnaround took place when the last of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to his disciples took effect: cooperation. At the opening ceremony, Jaya Sila Dasa—initial project manager and fund raiser in the final stages—commented: “This is the difference we can make when we learn to cooperate. Very often ‘cooperate’ is misunderstood to mean ‘compromise’: ‘If I have to cooperate, I have to give up something. I have to compromise.’ But that is a misunderstanding of the word cooperate. It means operating conjointly. We have found throughout this project that when we genuinely cooperate, amazing things can happen. Up until a few months ago, there was a huge amount to be completed in this project, and I mean a huge amount. And things were going along as they had been for many years—seventeen years. But when we had a breakthrough in our cooperation as a team, everything fell into place, and the result is this beautiful temple.”

The opening date was fixed for January 16–18, 2004. No turning back this time. The colossal task of finishing on time was daunting. Devotees worked round the clock. The electrical wiring, the granite flooring, the elaborate altar gates, the magnificent ceiling paintings, the amlikas (bases for the dome structures), the doors, the landscaping, the cleaning—the tasks seemed unending and next to impossible.

The countdown to opening fast approached. The excitement was reaching bursting point. Even many who had previously rejected the project came forward to help. The Lord was definitely in control, as He always is, and devotees worked together enthusiastically as His instruments.

The Wish Fulfilled

On January 15, devotees from all over the world began to assemble for a great yajna (sacrifice). The beautiful deities—Radha-Giridhari, Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and Gaura-Nitai—were about to move to Their promised palace after twenty-five years of being worshiped in a small renovated farmhouse.

At last, after so many years of uncertainty, the temple was finally ready. The day before the move, Sudarsana (the Lord’s discus weapon) was invoked, and the kalasas (pinnacles) installed and bathed atop the temple domes. Then, finally, surrounded by hundreds of devotees, many with tears in their eyes and the holy names on their tongues, the deities were carried one by one from Their altars and placed in chariots to make the one-kilometer journey down the farm road to Their new home.

In the front car, a resident devotee police officer escorted the parade in his official car with flashing red and blue lights. In the next car, a Rolls Royce, rode deities of Srila Prabhupada and Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. The temperature was pleasant, the skies clear. In a late-model convertible rode Gaura-Nitai, a small deity of Srila Prabhupada, and two sets of Radha-Krsna utsava (festival) deities for the abhiseka, or bathing ceremony, which would take place that evening. At the rear, an elaborately decorated horse-drawn coach carried Radha-Giridhari.

Auspicious Signs

During the procession, a large black bumble bee flew onto the coach, circled the deities a few times, hovered in front of Radharani, and settled on Giridhari’s garland. Hari Sauri Dasa, a devotee present there, mentioned that when a similar thing once happened in Mayapur, India, Srila Prabhupada said that it was an extremely auspicious sign. Then, as Radharani was leaving the coach and being carried up the steps of the new temple, another large black bumble bee landed on Her. And as the deities entered the temple, rain began to fall lightly with the sun still shining. In Sanskrit this is called divya-snana (“divine bath”), and is also considered most auspicious.

After the abhiseka and placement of the deities on Their new altars, the guests were entertained in a large marquee tent set up on the lawns. Students from the community’s Hare Krishna School acted the drama of the lifting of Govardhana Hill. A Hare Krsna Maori group was especially well received, performing traditional Maori hakas (songs and dances) with a Krsna conscious flavor. Several dignitaries spoke to the audience.

Local mayor His Worship John Law said of his district council, “We like different points of view; we like different foods; we like different cultures and beliefs.” He added, “I believe frankly that if only we could be more tolerant to different ways of thinking, different ways of being, we wouldn’t have the problems we have internationally today.”

One of the remaining major difficulties for the temple was the inadequate approach road. It was just a rough gravelled track. A devotee visiting from China had sponsored the forming and widening of the road, but to complete and tar-seal it would be another huge expense. At the opening, a large appeal poster was displayed, with the hope that the visitors would be sympathetic after driving on the road. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Jaya Sila Dasa announced that a guest had pledged the full NZ$70,000 needed to complete the road, which is now name after her: Manjula Sharma Drive.

Through cooperation and determination, Prabhupada’s desire has materialized. The devotees in New Zealand have seen first-hand what cooperation can accomplish, and they feel confident that through abiding by Prabhupada’s wish that his followers cooperate, the mercy will continue to rain down on the land of the long white cloud.

Janananda Dasa, from the UK, was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1972. He has served mostly in the UK, Malaysia, India, and Australasia. He was the president of ISKCON Auckland from 1995 to 1997.

For more on the temple opening, visit www.krishna.com/392