ISKCON’s Youth Bus Tour Reaches Midpoint, Performing at Iconic Utah Temple

Thirty members of the Krishna Culture Festival Tour reached the mid-point of their six-week tour with a go to to the enduring Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Since 1995, ISKCON Youth Ministry volunteers have led the Krishna Culture Festival Tours (aka Youth Bus Tours) throughout North America to encourage youth in Krishna consciousness.

“The mission of ISKCON Youth Ministry bus excursions is to encourage, prepare, interact and empower youth in Krishna consciousness to their fullest potential, by transformational immersion experiences, passing on the missionary spirit to the following technology, our future hope,” mentioned Manorama Dasa, one of many long-time organizers.

The journey, which started in Alachua, Florida, in June, has already participated in three Canadian Ratha-Yatras (Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary) and seen a few of the most beautiful scenic landscapes, together with Yellowstone National Park, the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise, and the Athabasca Glacier. “We’ve seen some wonderful locations, however essentially the most significant a part of the expertise up to now has been the kirtans and collaborating within the Ratha Yatras,” mentioned one of many group members, Nandini. She is joined by her brother Shyam and their older sister Shyamsundari. The three devotee siblings are from Manchester, UK. Besides the UK and US, different nations represented on the tour embody New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

After being welcomed by Caru Das and Vaibhavi Devi Dasi, the group participated in a morning of service and lunch prasada on the Spanish Fork temple earlier than visiting close by glacier-blue mineral swimming pools and cooling waterfalls as Utah confronted practically triple-digit temperatures.

That night, locals and devotees gathered for an lively and provoking one-hour program. It started with a spell-binding devotional dance presentation by Ksamesvari Edwards and Ranganayaki Mayshark.

Next, the gang was handled to a brand new drama referred to as “The Gita,” written by Bhaktimarga Swami, who had joined the tour earlier throughout a part of its Canadian leg. This was their sixth efficiency, which was first given on the Toronto Festival of India. A stirring and joyful kirtan adopted which had the entire crowd dancing.
Following the inspiring night, Spanish Fork devotees bid a tragic goodbye to the youth who jumped on the bus for an evening drive to their subsequent cease in Bryce Canyon, Utah, celebrating its one hundredth anniversary as a National Park. The subsequent two weeks will embody outreach in Las Vegas, Yosemite National Park, Temple visits in San Diego and Laguna Beach, a Japa Retreat in Sequoia National Park, and the well-known LA Ratha Yatra.

For extra details about this life-changing service and how one can help and sponsor future occasions, go to their website.