August 16, 2015. Adventures in New Jaipur, Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji
VVR#45 with all photos as PDF file:
http://www.vedicvillage.org/index.php/vedic-villagge-review/59-vedic-village-review-45
NEW ARRIVALS
After ten months of preparation, and a long time waiting on the not-so-fast wheels of the Fiji bureaucracy, Braja Prabhu, with wife Govindapriya and daughter Radharani, finally landed in Fiji. They had flown out of Budapest, Hungary, transiting Europe and Asia, coming non-stop from Hong Kong on their last leg of the trip. Catching a domestic flight in Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu, they flew 45 minutes to Labasa on our island of Vanua Levu. Sridevi and I greeted them at the airport and immediately we went… shopping! Of course, only for basic necessities suitable for simple country living.
We showed them a bit of the dusty main street of Labasa, a sugar town of Indians and local natives which reminds one of a small Indian city. Then we drove two hours across the mountains and backbone of the island to the wet, green side which receives the prevailing southeast tradewinds. Stopping twice for stretching our legs, at the spring on the mountain top and at a waterfall called Nasavu, we drove into the New Jaipur entrance. Passing the water cress, the dalo and kava fields, crossing the river, through the orchards, along the cliffs and up to the cottages. The bright Jaipur saffron-orange cottage was for Braja and family- an emotional entrance to their new residence, and soon the ideas for decorations, modifications, and enhancements began to appear. The views over the pastures and ocean were partly dimmed by a cloudy, dull first day in Fiji. After all, it is not always beautifully sunny here…
After the morning program on the Ashram veranda outside the temple room
THE ORCHARDS
It has been almost five years already since we started planting our fruit trees and orchards here in New Jaipur. It was the first order of business, even before we had built an access road. The hundreds of plant pots were loaded onto a hired boat which went down the nearby Yanawai river to the ocean, down the coast, and up our own little Naiviriviri River. It was high tide. We pulled across gravel shallows, chopped with machetes fallen trees and low branches, reaching inland as far as we could.
LYCHEE ON LEFT, SAPADILLO ON RIGHT
The first tree planted was our lone longan, a Malaysian fruit. Then came the rambutans, all kinds of citrus, tamarind, jackfruit, lychee, pomegranate, avocados, and much more. I just went through the two orchards and took photos of some of the trees which I’d like to share below. It is a testament to the fertile soil and favorable climate that these orchards are flourishing so well and quickly. Many are starting to bear, and more will come in during the next years. Of course the lemons are already prolific.
(BELOW: Pomegranate flower, African Baobab, Mandarine)
(BELOW: Lansat, Cacao, Tamarind, Rambutan)
NEAR THE RIVER: BREADFRUIT BRANCHES ON LEFT,
DALO (TARO) IN FIELD, CINNAMON ON RIGHT
OUR NEW JAIPUR SOLAR FORMULA
Each cottage is being equipped with two PV panels of 245 watts each and four Trojan 12 volt batteries. An inverter (600 to 1200 watts) and charge controller will handle a washing machine, a cooler box which uses only 50 watts, 6 or 7 lights, spark ignition on a gas stove, phone and laptop charging, Cd player: everything a devotee family needs for the best of modern life while making the transition to simpler living. This can take a year or a generation, depending on variables,such as a nuclear war, banking collapse, will power, or reading and taking to heart the following:
Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don’t like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide. (Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Rupanuga, Bombay 18 December, 1974)
OUR LORD AND MASTER, SRILA PRABHUPADA,
FAMED THROUGHOUT THE THREE WORLDS
“Srila Prabhupad was meeting with a group of wealthy, influential people in Bombay, talking about His vision for the future, and how important it was to have self-sufficient communities… I raised my hand and when Srila Prabhupad acknowledged, I said… “Srila Prabhupad, before I met you I lived in communities with the same focus, mostly following the example of the Native American people… we thought that places like New Vrindavan would be the only places we could survive what was coming”… His Divine Grace opened His eyes very wide, turned to face me, and said emphatically… “Say that again!” which I did… He pointed to each of the wealthy guests one by one, and said with great power, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”” [Nanda Kumara dasa memory]
PRABHUPADA QUOTES
Such unfair taxation makes the people dishonest, and the people try to hide their income in so many ways. Eventually the state will not be able to collect taxes and consequently will not be able to meet its huge military and administrative expenses. ”’Everything will collapse, and there will be chaos and disturbance all over the state.”’
(Srila Prabhupada, Fourth Canto, Srimad Bhagwatam)
You say we must have a gosala trust, that is our real purpose. krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma svabhava-jam, (Bg 18.44). Where there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are ISKCON, a community to be independent from outside help. This farm project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products. Our mission is to protect our devotees from unnecessary heavy work to save time for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is our mission. So there is no question of profit, but if easily there are surplus products, then we can think of trading. Otherwise we have no such intention. We want a temple, a gosala and agriculture. A community project, as in Europe and America. (Letter to Yasomatinandana – Vrindaban, 28 November, 1976 )
Therefore, for the sake of the people in general, I am requesting you to pursue this farming life with great enthusiasm. Help people to see this traditional, natural way of living. You must help them see how they can become happy, how they can go back to Godhead. So advance this project — plain living, high thinking. This modern civilization is so nasty, A nasty civilization, artificially increasing the so-called necessities of life. Anartha — unwanted; unbeneficial “improvements.” (Conversation New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976)
Better one should be satisfied with agricultural produce than go into large cities to be engaged in industry. Peaceful life depending on agricultural produce can bring him real happiness and prosperity, not otherwise. The more persons will be satisfied at their home, with home economics, not to go outside the home, that is peaceful life. (Letter to Rayarama dasa, 17 October, 1968)
SUMMARY
New Jaipur is a positive alternative to the rapidly devolving situation in the modern world. Nuclear war approaches, and humanity is due for much turmoil which can only be alleviated by establishing Prabhupada’s varnashram Hare Krishna farms. New Jaipur Vedic Village farm project retains Srila Prabhupada as the sole diksa guru, via rtvik representatives. We are part of Prabhupada’s transcendental ISKCON which is situated beyond the now-corrupted original institution. Prabhupada resides wherever his instructions are strictly followed. We have 857 acres of titled, fully-paid land in a South Seas rainforest on Fiji’s second largest island. There are openings for qualified devotees based on Village Constitution conditions (available by email). Interested persons, please inquire. The standard: 16 rounds daily, the four rules, 8 hours community service a week, regular morning programs, and be a productive participant, one fifth of production/income goes to the deities, Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Nice cottages and lots available on lease. Vedic villages are the future of the world. Please consider a visit to New Jaipur, and be our guest in paradise; this is an invitation to Prabhupadanugas everywhere. Life here is simple but not austere. Welcome also: temporary residents who would like to do devotional service may offer assistance to the Vedic village with any skills they may have.
Yours in Prabhupada’s service,
To be added to our regular mailings of Vedic Village Reviews or make a donation, please send us an email at srigovinda@gmail.com. Hare Krishna! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
NEW JAIPUR FIJI WEBSITE (in progress):
www.vedicvillage.org
All previous Vedic Village Reviews are on our website, as well Srila Prabhupada memories, project information, guru tattva, many photos and much more.
VVR#45 with all photos as PDF file:
http://www.vedicvillage.org/index.php/vedic-villagge-review/59-vedic-village-review-45
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