In August the Bhaktivedanta Ashram opened a new center in the South Indian city of Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu). The devotees organized their first satsanga on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. Over 300 devotees attended the function, participated in bhajans and listened to a lecture on the sacred Bhagavad Gita.

The Ashram has also begun weekly satsangas, conducted every Sunday, beginning at 6 pm with Tulasi arati and a class on Bhagavad Gita, followed by distribution of prasadam to all the guests. We request all of our friends residing in Coimbatore to please visit and participate in these spiritual activities. Sri Adi Shankara describes the benefits of Satsanga in his famous Bhaja Govindam prayers:

satsangatve nissangatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
nirmohatve nishchalatattvam
nishchalatattve jivanmuktih

"From Satsanga one develops non-attachment; from non-attachment one attains freedom from delusion and mental perplexities; freedom from delusion leads to self-settledness, and from self-settledness comes liberation."

Thus the simple process of Satsanga leads one to spiritual perfection. "Sanga" means association, and "Sat" indicates Bhagavan, the Supreme Absolute Truth. When one chants the divya-nama of Bhagavan, and when one reads the divine instructions of Sri Krishna given in Bhagavad Gita, one is coming in direct contact with Bhagavan. This is the meaning of Satsanga, keeping direct company with the Lord. 

We hope that the new center of the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Coimbatore will offer all devotees an opportunity to congregate and participate in Satsanga, allowing us all to always remember the Lord.

The center is located at 82/113, West Ponnurangam Road, Opp. Eureka Forbes, in R.S. Puram. If you have any further questions, or need instructions on how to come, please send an email to guruprasadbsc {at} yahoo {dot} com. We look forward to seeing you every Sunday at 6 pm.

Below please find some pictures of the recent Sri Krishna Janmashtami program organized by the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Coimbatore, as well as some pictures of our other Satsangas held in the city.

Devotees participating in Bhajans at
Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations

Children from our Sunday School Performing
a Drama on Sri Krishna Janmashtami

Devotees line up to swing the deity of Lord Krishna

Bhajans during the Abhisheka of Lord Krishna

Satsanga held during Panihati festival

Weekly Sunday school for Children
which was started in May

Devotees teach the children their
weekly lessons from Bhagavad Gita