Utkarsha Camp 2010

UTKARSHA is an annual spiritual youth retreat organized by ISKCON's Pune temple in the holy land of Sri Mahapur Dham, Navdvipa, West Bengal sometime during May-June. A lesser known spiritual destination as of now, Sridham Mayapur lies at the confluence of Ganges and Janhavi(a tributary of Ganges), about 150 Km north of Kolkata. It is the place where Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna and a yugavtar for this age, appeared about 500 years ago and inaugurated the Sankirtana Movement or the congregational chanting of the holy names. This tradition is being carried forward by International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON, which has its international headquarters and a marvelous temple located at Sridham Mayapur.

I was yet again blessed with the opportunity to compile a trailer on last year's UTKARSHA. It was almost a 100hr marathon, which reconfirmed the earlier calculation of every 5sec of movie translating into 1hr of real time making. The shooting was done by Divyadev pr, and HG Ekalavya pr provided additional footages. Thanks to all the softwares again, particularly Vegas. Watch the awestruck attendees describing their incredible experiences at Sridham Mayapur.

(The movie might appear blackish on the edges depending upon whether or not you have a graphics card. Increase the brightness level of your screen in case it does.)

What the World needs to know about India : Program Trailer

Here's a program trailer for use in Dr. Michael Cremo's 2011 Indian tour.
(Music ripped from Panchatattva Installation video, 2009).

Question Being Asked Since Time Immemorial

'How can I know if God exists?' - the one question that has been raised since time immemorial. Let's hear from His Holiness Radhanath Swami as he beautifully elaborates an answer for the same.

The Forbidden Archeologist

Darwin is on trial yet again. Releasing on November 9th, 2010 is The Forbidden Archeologist, a collection of the Atlantis Rising Magzine columns of HG Drutakarma pr, better known in academia as Dr. Michael Cremo. After having written the bestsellers as The Human Devolution, The Hidden History of the Human Race, The Forbidden Archeology and The Forbidden Archeology - The Impact, Dr. Michael Cremo has emerged as a formidable figure in the modern archeological academia while exposing some of its key loopholes, such as The Knowledge Filter, that have eventually given rise to the acceptance of unusual doctrines like the Darwin's Theory, which is otherwise only a 'theory' or a 'belief' and not a demonstrated scientific fact. Unfortunately, unlike other unproven beliefs, Darwin's Theory has made into the academic textbooks and is taught as though it were a proven fact. As done in his earlier books, Dr. Michael Cremo brings into attention a lot of archeological evidence that squarely contradicts with Darwinism , but has been suppressed, ignored and forgotten for no good reason.

To know more about the book, please visit
http://www.forbiddenarcheologist.com/
http://www.mcremo.com/
http://www.torchlight.com/

Once again, my sincere gratitude to HG Radheshyam pr (ISKCON Pune) and HG Chaitanya Charan pr (ISKCON Pune) for having encouraged me to render this service towards HG Drutakarma pr. Unlike all the earlier compositions, this one was made on the basis of a script received from HG Drutakarma pr's portfolio, and had a little scope for making use of 'non conventional effects'. However, the trailer makes extensive use of sound effects, something that has surfaced for the first time in my compositions. Special thanks to Vegas 8.0, After Effects CS3 and SonicFire 5.0, and to Pardeep p, Mohit p, Amit p and Srinivas p for reviewing the trailer time to time while it was still under construction and providing their valuable feedbacks.

The Journey Home

Here's the latest - book trailer for a classic memoir by His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj - who, while in his teenage back in 1960's, chose to abandon the comforts of an american life in order to pursue the inner calling of his heart. An extraordinary odyssey recounted with rare candor and autobiography of an exceptional genre, the book contains a graphic account of His Holiness' journey from the suburbs of Chicago, all the way from Europe and Middle East to the land of his inner calling - India. In a journey completed in 6 months outside India and about 1.5 years within India, all through hitchhiking or on foot with almost no money and no permanent shelter and coupled with descriptions of some of the most breathtaking adventures and near-death experiences, His Holiness offers his readers insights into the innermost chambers of the Indian culture, most of them unknown to even its own inhabitants. A tapestry of adventure, mysticism and love, the book is a must read for readers of all sorts.
To know more about this book, kindly visit

http://www.thejourneyhomebook.com/

My heartfelt indebtedness to HG Shubha Vilas Prabhu (ISKCON Mumbai) and HG Radheshyam Prabhu (ISKCON Pune) for having considered me for this service, and HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu (ISKCON Pune), Divyadev pr, HG Chakradhari pr, HG Rasikanand Pr (US) and a whole lot of other devotees (especially those staying with me - Vinay p, Srinivas p, Ashwini p and Pradeep p) for providing exhaustive and valuable feedbacks. Special thanks to www.iskcondesiretree.com for their crucial and timely inputs, not to minimize the indispensable role played by Adobe After Effects CS3, Sony Vegas Pro 8.0, Sony Sound Forge 8.0 and Sony Acid Pro.

Comments invited.

God has reserved the best for us!

Once there was a small kid on earth. One fine day it came to know that God is distributing apples to humans in his place at heaven. The kid was so happy to receive that news and it went with lot of enjoyment to heaven to get the apple from God. There was a big queue standing to get apple from God and this kid also joined in that queue. While it was standing, it was fully excited and thrilled for the fact that it is going to receive in person from God's hands. It's turn too came and the kid showed its both the hands to receive apple. God gave the apple but unfortunately the tiny hands couldn't hold that big apple. Apple fell down and got wasted in mud. The kid got so disappointed. The ministers near the God informed that if the kid likes to have an apple from God again then it has to again follow the queue. Having waited for so long the kid didn't want to return back to earth with empty hands so it decided to wait again in the queue.

This time the queue has become even more longer than the previous one. While waiting in queue, the kid could see lot of people who returns back with apple in hands and utmost satisfaction on their faces. The kid was so much disappointed and thought why me alone didn't get the apple in hand when all others were easily able to get it. What is the sin I did that I alone should suffer like this. Now the kid was so scared that it should not miss the apple again. Again Its turn came and God gave the apple to the kid's hands and after giving the apple god spoke to the kid.

"My dear child, last time after giving you the apple only I noticed the apple I gave to you was a rotten apple and that's why I made that to fell down from your hands. Having given you a rotten apple, I felt bad for you and I wanted to give you the best apple in the farm and that time the best apple in the farm was growing and that's why I made you to wait such a long time in the queue. Here it is. Now the apple that you have in hand is 'The Best' apple in the farm till date. "

Moral of the story and its practical application in our life

So, friends, sometimes it happens as even after we put our 100% dedication and commitment things may get delayed or things may go wrong. Believe that God has something great for us and that's why this has happened.

Principles to learn and apply in our own life :

1) We must have rock-like faith in God and His divine plan for us.

2) God loves us unconditionally and infinitely.

3) He wants to give us the best that He has for us.

4) We should be ever grateful to Him for His gifts to us.

5) Whatever God does, He does it for our own good.

6) Whether we know His plans or not, we need to put implicit

faith in Him and His loving plans for us. Then and then alone

we will be eternally blissful in life.

-From a forwarded mail

What is the Purpose of Life?

Hare Krishna.
All of us, in whatever we are doing, are ultimately trying to be happy or become happier. If we think deep enough, thats all we are trying to do in totality. But in our endeavors, do we always get that happiness that we are looking for? Do we always attain the satisfaction that our endeavors seem to promise in the beginning? If money promises happiness, then why are the wealthiest people in the world also not the happiest people in the world? In our search for happiness, are we really chasing after the right thing? And if yes, are we looking for it at the right place?

Let us find out from His Holiness Radhanath Swami Maharaj who enlightens us on 'The Puropose of Life'.