On February 24th, 2013, Radhanath Swami took part in the inauguration of ISKCON’s New Vedic Culture Center in Pune, India. The project was initiated and completed under the guidance of his student and disciple Radheyshyam das. India’s President, Pranab Mukherjee, attended the ceremony as a guest of honor as did other dignitaries and over 40,000 guests.
The New Vedic Cultural Center is one of Pune’s largest temples and cultural centers. Spread across six acres, it includes a spectacular Radha-Krishna temple, a South Indian style Balaji temple, a huge multi-purpose hall, a large hall for the free distribution of sanctified food, landscaped gardens, recreation areas, and several conference and training rooms.
“The NVCC project is meant for all audiences and age-groups,” commented Radheshyam Das. “We have designed spiritual training and educational courses, community development programs, cultural awareness sessions and many welfare projects and other special activities. These activities, focusing on all-around spiritual, social and intellectual development of individuals, will reach out to children, youth, women, senior citizens, professionals, corporate houses and other audiences.”
While delivering his key-note address, Shri Pranab Mukherjee said, “Centers such as these are invaluable assets for developing India’s social infrastructure. Just as the education they impart helps break the vicious cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, the spiritual awareness such centers propagate are the life-sustaining nourishment for our souls.” The President further said, “Swami Prabhupada’s greatest legacy was that he was an exemplary ambassador of India’s timeless values. In the years that he spent spreading his simple message, Swami Prabhupada convinced hundreds of thousands of Indians and Westerners about the profound value of his philosophy, which they embraced along with a Vedic lifestyle. Throughout his mission, Swami Prabhupada remained faithful to the guidance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who had revitalized the Bhakti-yoga tradition in the 15th Century.”
Speaking at the event, Radhanath Swami recalled Srila Prabhupada’s reply when asked by a journalist why he had chose to visit London. “The British ruled India for over two centuries. They took so much of the wealth of India, but they forgot its greatest wealth. They forgot to take our culture. And I have come to you with what you have forgotten to take. Our culture is based on essential universal principles that apply to all people at all times in all places. It awakens two things in our spiritual hearts: unconditional love of God, and true and heartfelt compassion for all beings.”
Other delegates attending the inaugural event included K. Sankaranarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra; Harshavardhan Patil, Minister for Cooperation and Parliamentary Affairs in the government of Maharashtra; Vaishali Bankar, Mayor of Pune; and noted film actress Hema Malini.
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