Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Hare Kṛṣṇa. On behalf of the devotees of Amsterdam, please accept our humble obeisances.
All glories to your divine lotus feet.
Although unqualified, we would like to present you this humble offering for your wonderful
appearance day. We are truly blessed that you offered us the chance to be part of your ISKCON
family, which is saving us from being attracted and attached to the distractions that the material
world brings forth to us. You once mentioned that Amsterdam is a very good place for your
movement. During your visit to Amsterdam, you were pleased when you saw so many cows in
the country. But you also saw a lot of frustrated young people in the streets. Being merciful and
compassionate toward them, you advised the Amsterdam devotees at that time to let them chant
with us. Go on saṅkīrtana, you said, and that will for sure purify them. And if they are interested
in philosophy, sell them books.
Inspired by your instructions and trying to help you fulfill your desire to spread Kṛṣṇa con-
sciousness everywhere, in a humble way we made some endeavors to attract people to the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Although very small compared to your accomplishments, we hope it will be
pleasing to you, and we’d like to offer this to Your Divine Grace.
For a few years we’ve been celebrating big festivals like Janmāṣṭamī in a big hall or church,
which attracts hundreds of devotees. The program is varied, with kīrtana, dance, drama, ārati,
abhiśekha, and prasādam. Next to that, we organize an annual Kirtan Mela, with kīrtana for the
whole day, again held in a church building close by. And the highlight of the year, the Ratha-
yātrā festival, is growing bigger and more professionally organized each year. With the most
important square of the Netherlands as the venue, the festival attracts thousands of people who
are looking for something worthwhile to live for. In an attempt to spread the holy names to every
town and village we regularly go on harināma, each month in a different city or village close to
Amsterdam itself, of course. In the meantime, we distribute your valuable books, which can save
all humankind from the most miserable and abominable circumstances and situations. And we
run multiple weekly nāmahaṭṭa and monthly large programs in nearby cities, like Alphen aan den
Rijn, Amstelveen, Eindhoven, Hoofddorp, and Uithoorn, where we cultivate families in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness and bring them to the temple for service.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, this would not have been possible without all the efforts you made for
us. We will always remember that whatever we do it is thanks to you and is meant to please you
and Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose names you brought so mercifully to the Western world for us to benefit
from.
Our congregation is still in development, and we still have much to learn. Please bless us that
we stay strong in your service and that we’ll be able to continue serving your lotus feet. For your
pleasure, we are very eager to find a building that will be owned by the temple so that we can
serve you and the devotees in a better way. We have much trust that with your blessings this will
eventually happen.
Thank you so much. Haribol!
Your servants from ISKCON Amsterdam,
Toṣaṇa Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, Jayaśrī Devī Dāsī, Nīlāmbara Dāsa,
Bhaktin Rajeshwari, Bhakta Vidjay, and Bhaktin Premiela