The presiding Deities of the Toronto Hare Krishna Temple are Sri Sri Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinatha (Radha Krishna), Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. Everything we do in our Temple is a just a humble offering to the Lord and our Deities are the heart of our Temple!
Click HERE to visit our youtube channel, and don’t forget to subscribe!
Arati & Darshan Schedule:
In 1972 I wrote to Srila Prabhupada to ask if ISKCON Toronto could install marble Radha Krishna Deities. I envisioned smaller, marble Deities for our temple. We wanted to be able to make an outfit from one sari being cognizant of the tight financial situation of the temple. Also the altar area up until that time had been very small in size.
Srila Prabhupada wrote to me and instructed me to write to Kausalya dasi who was serving in Jaipur. She was working on getting some deities donated for Dallas and Detroit. Srila Prabhupada said that Kaushalya could do the same for Toronto.
Everyone was very excited and the rescue operation was put into gear. Jagadisha and I drove immediately to New York where we claimed all seven crates. We phoned Detroit and Dallas and arranged for them to meet us in Buffalo where the devotees could pick up their respective Deities.
In Buffalo, with all the crates safely retrieved, we pulled aside the two smallest crates, and opened the first. The Deities were very tightly packed in straw and cloth. There were many nails in the crates as well. It was very difficult to find the Deity inside. After some endeavor we found Shrimati Radharani who looked up from the crate with such incredible beauty that it took our breath away. We did not open Krishna’s crate deciding to leave that for Toronto.
After receiving our Deities in Toronto, we had to work very hard to prepare for the installation of Sri Sri Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinath. In order to finish the installation outfit on time, Pashupati, Varuni and Praharana did not go to New Vrindavan to be initiated by Srila Prabhupada. Koumadaki Dasi, who was to receive 2nd initiation also stayed behind. Drupada went however, and was initiated with several hundred devotees in a fire yagna before His Divine Grace.
In Toronto Gopanganopati polished the Deities, They were beautifully painted and the women sewed for many hours a day. Finally on Radhashtami, September, 1972 our Lordships Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinatha appeared on the Toronto altar and Toronto ISKCON became officially New Remuna Dhama. Pashupati, Varuni, Praharana and Koumadaki were also initiated on that auspicious day before the newly installed Radha Gopinath.
Over the next seven weeks, seven outfits were made. Their Lordships outfits were changed once a week until this was done. When there were enough outfits for seven days, then we started to change the outfits every day. These outfits were very elaborate and beautifully made. All the devotees helped including the men and samkirtana devotees who beaded and pressed stones in class. It was truly a community effort to welcome and serve Radha Ksiracora Gopinatha who had come to bless them in New Remuna Dhama.
At the time in Toronto, about 1973, we were worshipping a small brass pair of Gaura Nitai and had a large picture of Panch Tattva on the altar. We were really hoping that Neem wood Gaura Nitai Deities could be installed in Toronto and were making plans with Uttamasloka prabhu in Montreal to purchase two sets. At this time, Sudama Swami came to visit Toronto. He was traveling and preaching from a van. In the van was a beautiful set of Neem wood Gaura Nitai Deities!The Toronto devotees were alarmed however with this situation, because the van was small and the Deities could easily have become damaged. We asked Srila Prabhupada what should be done. He said that the Neem wood Deities should be installed in Toronto and the Sudama Swami should take the small brass Gaura Nitai to worship on sankirtana. Everyone was happy with this situation.
There are two sets of deities at the temple. The smaller, installed deities remain in the temple, while the larger deities go out to bless the residents of Toronto by giving them Their darshan during Rath-Yatra.Lord Jagannath is none other than Krishna during one of His Dvarka pastimes. Lord Baladeva or Balaram is Lord Krishna’s brother and mother Subhadra (Yoga Maya or internal potency of Lord Krishna, personified) is His sister. Their wide eyed expressions indicate the infinite ecstasy they are feeling upon hearing the pastimes of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan.