Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in USA

ISKCON New Talavan Community, Carriere, Mississippi

New Talavana Dhama- 31492 Anner Road Carriere, Ms. 39426

“Protecting the Heart of Vedic Dharma”

Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Temple President: His Grace Yogindra Vandana das Adhikari
31492 Anner Road • Carriere, Mississippi 39426 • 601 749-9460 • email: newtalavana@att.net

Historical Background

The Vedic culture of ancient India has a long, honorable tradition of protecting all those who are seen as our mother. There are seven mothers listed in the sastras (scriptures) that deserve to be honored as ones own mother and treated with the same degree of respect. These include the earth, the wife of the king, your own mother, the wife of a brahmin (priestly class), the nurse (nanny), wife of the spiritual master and the cow.
The cow gives nice nourishing milk. From this so many nice food preparations are made like butter, ghee, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. The cow gives these freely from the time a person is just a baby throughout their lifetime. Cows are giving this milk just like our own mothers did or wanted to. In many cases in the West, our own mothers did not breast feed us. Our strength came from the cow's milk.
Because she has given her life to us, we are directed to protect her. This is the meaning of civilization or "to be civilized."
Often modern "civilization" is run by terms like "efficiency" as an excuse to prey on the less fortunate in society for the sake of monetary gain. Cow slaughter falls under this misguided notion.
Once she has given us all her milk, mother cow is taken to the slaughterhouse as a reward for her years of feeding our children.
True "civilization" as outlined in the Vedas is one in which ALL CITIZENS are granted protection. This includes the animals, cows and people.
New Talavana (Tal·ah·vahn) farm community was begun as a project in June of 1974. This was done at the suggestion of His Divine Grace, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)
Talavana is one of the twelve forests around Vrndavana, a city in India where Krishna incarnated 5000 years ago. Krishna and His cowherd friends would go there and play, rest, eat and watch their cows as they grazed.

At first it was just a few devotees from the New Orleans temple who came out and slowly began planting gardens. They worked as time permitted and then returned to the New Orleans temple at night, a round trip of about 130 miles.
Soon some devotees began staying on the farm full time.
New Talavana was chosen as a name by the founder of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada while he was visiting the Honolulu temple on May 4th, 1976.

The first cow was purchased from a stockyard and the devotees named her Kunti. She gave the farm its first fresh milk as well as its first calf, named Subhadra. Later more cows were purchased.
The devotees also continued to purchase more land over the next 10 years. Eventually we reached a total of 1200 acres. This makes New Talavana the second largest Hare Krishna farm community.
Currently New Talavana is producing wheat, fruit, and vegetables. We also have about 60 acres set aside for hay and collect hay from another 100 acres not owned by New Talavana. Krishna's cows are also producing fresh milk from which the devotees supply our presiding deities with delightful milk sweets.

How You Can Help

Mother cow is dependent on your support for the continuation and development of the effort to provide the best care possible.

All contributors receive photos of the cows. In addition, all yearly contributors of $20 or more per month for one year receive subscriptions for Back to Godhead magazine.
Yearly contributions at the level of $300 and above will also have their names placed on a NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS plaque and be on an exclusive invitational list for all future festivals held at New Talavana farm.
You can donate by mailing a check to:
ISKCON Cow Protection
c/o ISKCON New Talavan Community
31492 Anner Rd.
Carriere MS 39426
The form below lets you donate with a credit card online using the secure PayPal site. First select the amount you wish to donate, then click the DONATE button. Please have your credit card number handy.

farm communities

"Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don't like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide." —

New Talavan celebrated the 30th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's visit in 1975.
“Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.”
[Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.10]
Pure devotees of the Lord like Srila Prabhupada are holy places personified, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always with them in their hearts. By their association, sinful persons are freed from sinful reactions, and therefore wherever a pure devotee goes is a sacred place of pilgrimage. The importance of holy places is due to the presence of such pure devotees.
Therefore Srila Prabhupada's visit to New Talavan elevated it to the status of a tirtha, or holy place of pilgrimage. Devotees who take shelter at New Talavan, or who simply come and visit, gain the spiritual benefit of association with the purifying power of a great saintly person, due to Srila Prabhupada's mercy.
The purpose of celebrating Srila Prabhupada's visit to New Talavan is therefore to help people become aware of the spiritual value of association with a pure devotee of the Lord.

New Talavan's Temple

The devotees are privileged to worship in New Talavan's beautiful Temple. The Temple was constructed in 1979 and renovated in 1987. Landscaping and pagodas were added in 2002.

The New Talavan Temple is home to our most merciful, gracious and beautiful Lordships, Sri-Sri Radha-Radhakanta (below, right) and Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai (left).

The New Talavan Community's spiritual life revolves around their beautiful temple and beloved Deities. The Deities are offered foodstuffs five times daily, dressed and worshiped at scheduled times according to Vedic scriptural standards.

Guests are always welcome, particularly during scheduled darshan times and at the Sunday Feast, every week at noon. Be sure to plan to arrive early so you can get a parking space and be in the temple to greet Their Lordships at 12 on the dot!

Daily Temple Schedule

Function	Time	Curtain
Deities Awaken	4:00 AM	closed
Mangala Arati	4:30 AM	open
Tulasi Puja	5:00 AM	closed
Japa Period	5:15 AM	closed
Greet the Deities	7:00 AM	open
Guru Puja	7:15 AM	open
Srimad-Bhagavatam Class	7:30 AM	open
Breakfast	8:30 AM	open
Raj Bhog Offering	11:30 AM	closed
Raj Bhog Arati	12:00 PM	open
Deities Take Rest	12:30 PM	closed
Deities Awaken	3:30 PM	closed
Dhoop Arati	4:00 PM	open
Evening Arati	6:00 PM	open
Bhagavad-gita Class	6:30 PM	closed
Night Arati	7:30 PM	open
Deities Take Rest	8:00 PM	closed

Directions to New Talavan

Motels in Picayune, MS (about 13 miles from New Talavan):

Directions to New Talavana from I-59

Take exit 10 (Carriere) into W. Union Rd. Continue past the Caesar Store to the second blinking caution light, turn left and go up to the farm bapproximately 3 miles

About Us

You know our dedication for chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and worshiping His transcendental form. You also know how much care we take cooking for Him, His devotees and guest. We also care for His cows and the future generations of devotees. Certainly this includes your good self. Please remember Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Krishna's most munificent avatar. Difficult things will become simple. Please give us a call to help with anything.

Your Servants at New Talavana Dhama

A Message from the Temple President

Please be our guest at the 527th appearance anniversary of the Yuga Avatar or God's incarnation on earth during the current age. You are invited because it is a great opportunity to revive our original love for God. Simply seeing the worship on this particular day cleanses the heart of doubt, delusion and offensive behavior. That statement is meant to show us how powerful and valuable the worship is on this day. As conditioned souls we are vulnerable to these shortcomings; therefore we need to take advantage of days like Gaura Purnima. They are the mothers of devotion; and it is a great opportunity to be a part of the worship on this special day.

Of course if you can not make it simply remember Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on this day; and chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Such a person will receive the same benefit as those who attend the temple functions by the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu, the most compassionate and munificent avatar of Godhead. Hare Krishna !

Sincerely,
Yogindra Vandana Das
ISKCON NEW TALAVANA

Sustainable Organic Agriculture

New Talavan is a 1200-acre, 30-year-old spiritual community practicing sustainable organic agriculture and dairy farming, moving toward agricultural and economic self-sufficiency. Our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada instructed his followers and disciples to build self-sufficient farm communities practicing sustainable organic agriculture. His spiritual foresight revealed the end of the petroleum-based economy long before most people saw it coming. There is plenty of room for agricultural development at New Talavan. For an aerial view of the farm property, click this link (88-KB JPG file).

Organic Gardening Volunteers Program

Currently we are accepting applications for organic gardening and farming volunteers. We have a three-acre garden that needs care and maintenance, as well as working with our resident gardener for planning next season's crops and improvements. We have a year-round growing season, with only about a dozen light frosts per year. We also have lots of cows & oxen; we are currently milking two cows and training several oxen for plowing and other work.
As a volunteer, you would be able to pick a camping spot on our beautiful 1200 acre farm, and camp out while you stay. We provide showers, bathrooms and plentiful delicious vegetarian food. We also have a thriving Vedic temple and spiritual community. You would not be required to participate in temple services, but you would be required to observe spiritual principles while on the property: no intoxication, meat eating, illicit sex or gambling. Our motto is "Simple Living and High Thinking."
We would be delighted to have you as a volunteer to help us increase our gardening activities as we work toward sustainable agriculture and self-sufficiency. If you want to talk over the details, the best way would be to email the temple or call us at 601 749-9460 and we can chat.

Om Tat Sat

(Continued...)

(My humble salutations to the great devotees , wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )

Hindu Vedic Philosophy (Holy Pilgrimage - Theertha Kshetra)