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WORLD January 10, 2000 VNN5249 Comment on this story A Y2K Report from Sridhama Mayapur BY JANMASTAMI DASA MAYAPUR, INDIA, Jan 10 (VNN) — The Millenium Bug took a big bite out of bookings for the Mayapur Festival. Radhasyamasundara Prabhu, the Festival organizer for the last twelve years, said bookings prior to January first were ninety percent lower than normal for that time of the year. He attributes this to devotees' fears of Y2K complications and considers Y2K, in this context, to be an extension of the mayic covering of the dhama that prevents people from entering. However, absolutely no Y2K complications entered the dhama! The electicity is working the same as always: on and off, on and off. Planes land and rise at the Calcutta airport. Trains come and go at Howrah. Mangala-aratika starts on time daily. Ganga Mata bestows her mercy on all bathers. "Devotees who avoid Mayapur during the Festival to avoid the crowds, don't have to worry this year," Radhasyamasundara said. Although bookings have picked up since January first, fewer people than he can ever remember will attend this year's festival. Reminiscing about the 1991 Mayapur Festival, which was attended by fifty percent fewer devotees than usual because of anxiety created by the Gulf War, Srimate Mataji said that this was the sweetest festival and parikrama in her seventeen years of living in Mayapur. Bear all this in mind if you like personalized education, because the Mayapur Institute of Higher Education (MIHE) begins its inaugural semester on February fourth. Twenty-seven senior devotees from around the world will offer twenty-nine interactive courses on sastra, health, Deity worship, strengthening ISKCON, preaching, managing, and teaching skills. Practically all our teachers received training in student-centered interactive and experiential learning methods. You will be surprised how much you learn in a short time while having fun doing it. And this year you will be able to take advantage of low student/teacher ratios. In Mayapur you'll have easy access to serene places of study, potent places of pilgrimage, a complete reference library, great association, gorgeous Deities, enlivening morning and evening programs, nice accommodations, and great prasadam. Be our guest for a truly uplifting experience. Please visit our Web site at http://www.mayapur.org/mihe for more details about the courses, accommodations, and prasadam, or write to me at janmastami.sdg@bbt.se. We look forward to your association. Comment on this story  Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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