VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW #48
CYCLONE !
March 6, 2016. Adventures in New Jaipur, Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji
On February 19, I received an email from the US Embassy in Suva warning of a dangerous cyclone named Winston that would pass our part of Fiji within 24 hours. If not for that, we would never have known. The winds already were gusty and a quick search online showed a very compressed and intense category 4 storm approaching us from just east of Fiji, its projected path directly passing over New Jaipur. We secured all loose items outside and put up the storm shutters on the temple and guesthouse building. The heavy rain and wind made sleep that night difficult.
The next morning was Lord Nityananda’s Appearance Day. All the devotees came to the temple early, preparing for the mid-day program. I was sick in bed and just watched the trees outside swaying as the rattle and howl grew louder by the hour. The devotees chanted prayers to Lord Nrsinghadeva, had lots of kirtan, watched the Jagai and Madhai drama done by the children, and at 1 pm we sat down for the feast, which was splendid. The next few hours were the height of the storm. Outside, trees were bent this way, then that way by the winds. Leaves and little branches, sheets of horizontal rain, and coconut fronds could be seen flying around.
The wind blew under the eaves of the roof, producing an undulating howl. At the same time, a series of crescending roars would build up over the ocean as though heading for the land. The sounds of the wind were eerie, reminiscent of an attacking pack of angry lions. There was a shaking of the building when a tree fell in the driveway. Rain was driven through the window louvers and under doors. At first the wind came from the southwest but by the second
half of the storm, it came from the northeast. The apprehension was that if it got any worse, the roof would be ripped off just like one opens a can of peanuts.
But by evening, the winds subsided, the devotees back went to their cottages, and it wasn’t until the next day that we ventured out to survey the damage. What a mess! Somehow, by Lord Nityananda’s mercy none of the buildings were damaged, save for a couple sections of guttering. But so many trees were toppled, torn to shreds, broken in half, ripped out of the ground, or leaning in different directions. The surrounding forests were denuded, stripped bare. Forest margins were a tangled web of destruction.
My heart sunk upon seeing the orchards. A few trees were unharmed, but the most of them were pushed over to varying degrees, many flat to the ground. Root networks had been pulled out of the soil like a hand comes out of a glove. A dozen trees had been snapped off in the middle, at the base, or completely uprooted. A horrible blast had barreled down the chute of our little river valley, toppling gigantic 120 foot rain trees and leaving roots pointing upwards 25 feet above ground. Huge rain trees fell over the pasture fences. Miraculously, the six cows had survived without a scratch while coconuts, mango, mountain apple, and rain trees had fallen all around them.
BEFORE AND AFTER THE STORM: TOWERING RAIN TREES MEET THEIR END
The first problem we had to deal with was that no water was coming from the reservoir to the distribution tanks that feeds the temple and cottages. An uprooted tree on the river bank had broken the main waterline, and near the reservoir the waterline had also been separated at a joint by the force of the rushing waters. After the waterline was repaired, the pressure still would not quite reach the point of intake at the tanks, so we decided to make a lower entry in the middle of the tanks. We needed parts from the hardware store in Savusavu town though, and the second problem was that our 2.5 kilometer internal farm road to the public highway was impassable due to thirty trees that had fallen across it. We were trapped in our own property. Our neighbor Isaac and four of the farm men set out with two chain saws, machetes, water bottles, and the Toyota pickup, taking all day to clear our way to the West Coast Road.
The cellphone systems were out. No internet, no communications. We were unaware of the cyclone’s effect on the rest of Fiji, but visiting Ajay had a radio. Gradually the news came in. Category 5 cyclone Winston had been the second worst storm in the modern history of the
world, worse than Katrina, with windspeeds around 200 mph. Although the surrounding hills and Krishna’s mercy had spared us the worst, other areas of Fiji were devastated. Some villages had only one or two remaining houses, and over 60 had died in the storm. Grid power all over Fiji was crushed, although our own solar power systems were unaffected.
Five days after the storm, we went into Savusavu for plumbing parts, supplies, and to see what had happened. Over 20 yachts that had been anchored in the “hurricane hole” harbor at Savusavu had been ripped from their moorings and driven into the mangroves or beached at the shore. Five had sunk. Lilting yacht mast poles poked the sky next to the road. A huge catamaran was pushed against the road seawall in town, impaled by an electrical pole. The Westerland, an inter-island barge for passengers and vehicles, had been blown across the bay and was grounded on the shoreline reef. Fallen electric poles and wires were everywhere. The power company had their hands full. Only downtown Savusavu had power. The local resorts had been smashed. The Koro Sun’s floating cottages had been blown away. Many roofs were missing. Within days, the Savusavu wharf was repaired for inter-island shipping.
At the farm, limited phone service was restored after a few days, and intermittent internet is now available (sometimes). We got our water supply fixed on the sixth day, and started to prune, pull and tie up our fruit trees with stakes and ropes. Many of them will simply
be pruned back heavily to regrow from their bent trunks and damaged bases. Ropes and stakes were applied in about a hundred instances. Damaged root systems will be vulnerable to any future strong winds, and our best prevention will be to do serious pruning at least annually.
COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS
The devotees here have reflected on Cyclone Winston and the overall situation of being a resident of this material world. There are always problems in material existence, and it is a great struggle against the forces of material nature. The only solution is to become Krishna (God) conscious by taking shelter of a bonafide guru and pure devotee such as Srila Prabhupada. Counting our blessings, we have tried to put things into perspective.
FIJI IS ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES IN THE WORLD
Although cyclones are an annual affair in Fiji, they are much less frequent or powerful than those on the Gulf Coast, Florida, the Caribbean, and the Orient (on average). Aside from cyclones, however, Fiji has never seen civil war or any war action, and remains a very safe place to reside. The locals are peaceful, friendly, hospitable, and materially happy. Only the military has guns; the populace has none. Fiji is also not a nuclear target and it has no enviable minerals, oil deposits, industries, or strategic values. Practically all damage due to cyclones could be prevented by proper construction practices, which we have employed in New Jaipur.
LIFE NECESSITIES ARE EASY TO ARRANGE HERE
Food is easy to produce here. The growing season is year-round, and the climate supports food production. Fiji water is famous for its purity, and it is plentiful. No need for air conditioning nor heating in winter. Year round temperatures range from 70-90 F (21-32 C).
KRISHNA SPARED US THE WORST
The surrounding hills deflected much of the cyclone’s strength. This was Krishna’s protection. Although the center of the cyclone was but 20 miles from us, the damage we got was limited to vegetation. All our buildings were constructed properly for being cyclone-hardy. Unfortunately, others in Fiji did not prepare in this way and many have suffered great losses.
IS THERE A HIGHER PLAN IN ALL THIS?
As we looked out on the New Jaipur valley, it occurred to us that all the previously cultivated flats along the river, that had been abandoned fifty years ago and have become completely overgrown with “bush”, are now already more than half cleared by the effects of Cyclone Winston. Perhaps Krishna is helping us? Should we complete the clearing of these rich agricultural fields?
LIFE GOES ON
New Jaipur never lost its electric power systems, and suffered no structural damage to any buildings. Our water supply was restored in days and meanwhile we took advantage of the river to drink, bathe, wash clothes, and have fun swimming. Most of our crops survived. The prime gardening season starts this month, so there was little lost in gardens.
Vegetation recovers quickly here in the tropics. Next year (or sooner) everything will be back to where it was before. Before, during, and after: Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy !
QUOTES FROM SRILA PRABHUPADA:
October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupada: First of all you see the government, what is government? Government means a pack of rascals and fools. That’s all. This is modern government. All these thieves and rogues are voted to be government men. So how you expect good government? It is not possible. “People’s government.” All people are rascals. That means government rascal. People’s government.
Harikesa: How would the other necessities of life be taken care of, like medical things? If actually they have no knowledge, and they have to require to build these gigantic hospitals… Prabhupada: The brahmanas, the brahmanas will give you medical help. Ayur-Veda. They will read Ayur-Veda. They will give help.
Harikesa: So the Ayur-Veda possibly can work nowadays.
Prabhupada: Why not?
Harikesa: Some people were telling me that the herbs had lost all their effectiveness in the Kali- yuga.
Prabhupada: Then die. (laughter) Do you mean to say this modern medical treatment is guarantee for your living?
Harikesa: No.
Prabhupada: Then? That is also not guarantee. If you see the herbs and plants are no more effective, then if there is no guarantee in your modern medical, there is no guarantee. So why should you spend so much money? As soon as I go to a doctor, immediately twenty dollars. As soon as go to purchase some drugs, immediately twenty. If I have no money… And still that is not guarantee, so why shall I spend so much money?
Harikesa: So actually this money doesn’t even exist in Vedic society—money.
Prabhupada: Money is not required. You require things. Just like instead of money, you are getting papers. Money means gold. Where is gold? You are cheated. Money means gold. So instead of possessing gold, you are possessing some paper, written there, “hundred dollars.” And you are such a fool, you are satisfied. You are being cheated. Bank’s check and currency notes, you keep it in your…, “Oh, here is my money.” Is that money? Just see.
Devotee (3): They only do that to make it easier for them, because they’ve got so much money that they can’t carry it…
Prabhupada: That’s all right, but actually it is not money. You are befooled. You are such a fool that you accept a piece of paper as money. Therefore I say you are rascal. That is my business. If I say “Government, give me gold,” and government has passed law, “No, you cannot possess gold,” that means cheating. How I shall keep gold, that is my business. First of all you give me gold. It is due to me. But you are giving me paper. That means cheating is begun from you.
Harikesa: How will the government decide what my gold is and what his gold is? How does the gold get distributed?
Prabhupada: Gold coins. Formerly there was gold coins. We have seen in our childhood gold coins, silver coins. There was no paper.
Harikesa: But you have to do something to get it.
Prabhupada: Yes. I will have to do something. That is another thing. But why you are cheating me? Instead of gold, you are giving me paper. Formerly… You have seen in Krsna book that one fruit man came, and Krsna was taking some grain. It was falling down. So that was the… A fruit man come, and you give him a packet of grain. Then whatever exchange is possible, the fruit man gives you fruit. That’s all.
Pusta Krsna: That is called bartering.
Prabhupada: Bartering. So there is no need of money. Similarly, you go to another shop. You get. So you produce your food, and in exchange, in barter, you get all things, other things. Somebody is producing something, somebody is producing something. But it can be done. Suppose I am a blacksmith. You want some work from me. So you say that “I’ll make this instrument for you.” So I say, “You give me one kg paddy.” So you give me one kg, I prepare you, so your necessity is fulfilled. Now I have got so much paddy. Now, I may go to purchase something else because I am blacksmith, so grains will be used for my eating, and for, say for ghee, I take the same grain somewhere. So where is the money need of?
Harikesa: It’s very difficult to cheat in that system. It’s very difficult to cheat.
Prabhupada: Yes. There is no cheating. Everyone is simply simple, honest. And here the government begins cheating. He is engaging you to hard work day and night and paying you a piece of paper, where it is written “one hundred dollars.” That’s all. This is your society, cheating and cheater. That’s all.
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 varnashrama Hare Krishna farms. New Jaipur Vedic Village farm project retains Srila Prabhupada as the sole diksa guru, via ritvik representatives. We are part of Prabhupada’s transcendental mission which is situated beyond the now-corrupted original institution. Srila Prabhupada resides wherever his instructions are strictly followed.
New Jaipur has 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 basic standard: 16 rounds daily, the four rules, 8 hours community service a week, regular attendance to morning programs, and be a productive participant, one fifth of production/income goes to the deities, Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Three cottages still available.
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 all Prabhupadanugas. Life here is simple but not austere. Welcome also: temporary residents who would like to further their spiritual credits may offer assistance to the Vedic village with their skills or labor or gifts.
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 www.vedicvillage.org
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