Dear Devotees,
I first began to preach in Hungary in 1987 with the intention of someday establishing a self-sufficient farming community with Radha-Krishna Deities at its center. That plan became reality when in 1993 we acquired the land which is now Krishna Valley, and which today is the national headquarters of the Hungarian yatra. From its very inception, Krishna Valley was centered around Radha-Syamasundara. When Their Lordships were installed in 1996, there were only three other houses on the entire property and most of Krishna Valley’s residents still lived in the nearby village. Yet even then Radha-Syama were the focal point of the farm and the source of devotees’ inspiration. Since that time Krishna Valley has grown, and Radha-Syama have become the worshipable Deities of not only the devotees in Hungary, but of devotees worldwide. Indeed they are the enchant ers of the twenty-five thousand guests who visit Krishna Valley annually.
And yet the worship of Radha-Syamasundara is not stable. It is dependent on income from book distribution, tourism, and occasional donations, all of which still fall 50% short of the overall maintenance. That shortfall is presently made up of the income the entire yatra gets from Hungarian taxpayers’ tax deductible donations, income that should go for preaching in Hungary, and which is dependent on ever-changing government policies. The Nitya-seva Project was inaugurated in 2002 to ensure permanent income for Radha-Syamasundara and in the last thirteen years, 10% of the needed investment has been either donated or pledged.
In the next few years I would like to secure the full amount, the earnings of which would maintain service (seva) to Radha-Syama, in perpetuity (nitya). That is the Nitya-seva Project, a program that ensures the most important aspect of Radha-Syama’s worship—unwavering steadiness.
The tradition of Nitya-seva
Deity worship has been practiced in India for millions of years. Kings and landlords bequeathed to Deities surrounding lands and villages, the produce and taxes of which would maintain worship, including Deities’ clothing, ornaments, food offerings, and of course the devotees doing the worship, the pujaris. In addition, Deities’ patrons would donate money, jewellery, or other valuables which would be invested to generate further income for the Deities’ service. In this way many temples in India built up an asset portfolio that ensured that the steady worship of Deities remained independent from economic or political changes. This practice endured for millennia and has ensured that Deities in India, like Jagannatha or Balaji, have been consistently worshipped to the same standard over the ages. Srila Prabhupada also inaugurated a Nitya-seva program for the maintenance of Krishna-Balarama temple in Vrindavana and Radha-Madhava in Mayapura. He called this the Mayapur-Vrindavana Trust and one of its investments is the well-known MVT residence, hotel and restaurant in Vrindavana. A similar project is under way in Mayapur.