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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   JULY 03, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 30

                              Chicago’s ISKCON Temple

               Celebrates Sacred Bond with Sri Sri

                                                   Radha Krishna

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            presidents fondly recalled replacing
                                                                                                                  a broken boiler around 1989 and the
            Chicago, IL
                                                                                                                  transformation of the brahmachari
                   n a warm Wednesday evening,                                                                    ashram.
                   June  17,  2026,  the  ISKCON                                                                      Multiple speakers emphasized
            OChicago Temple at 1716 W                                                                             the causeless mercy of Sri Sri Kishore
            Lunt Ave came alive with devotion,                                                                    Kishori.  Stories  flowed—of  prayers
            nostalgia, and heartfelt celebration as                                                               answered instantly, of protective spir-
            it marked the 53rd anniversary of the                                                                 itual spaces felt in the temple room,
            sacred installation of Sri Sri Kishore                                                                of families raising children within the
            Kishori (Radha Krishna deities).                                                                      community, and of lifelong commit-
            From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the temple                                                                   ments to service. Krsnarcana devi
            filled with longtime devotees, newer                                                                  dasi read from Sri Caitanya Carita-
            faces, and community members who                                                                      mrita, highlighting simple acts like
            gathered to honor not just a milestone,                                                               standing  before  the  deity  and  open-
            but a living legacy of faith, service,                                                                ing one’s mind as profound forms
            and transformation that has touched                                                                   of worship. Subala das  reflected on
            thousands of lives across decades.                                                                    dedicating decades to children’s pro-
                The evening unfolded like a                                                                       grams and Sunday school under the
            beautiful  tapestry  woven  with  per-                                                                guidance of his spiritual master, HH
            sonal  stories,  historical  reflections,                                                             Romapada Swami.
            and deep spiritual emotion. Devo-                                                                        The celebration also honored
            tees recalled how the beautiful de- tee who has lived at the temple for  on Lord Rama’s appearance day in   long-serving leaders temple presi-
            ities of Sri Sri Kishore Kishori were   over 50 years often responding to  1980.  The  purchase  of  the  building   dents, book distributors who trav-
            first  installed  in  a  pandal  program   late-night emergencies like plumb- for $140,000 was seen as a miracle,   eled through the night, devotees who
            in Bombay before making their aus- ing issues reminisced about the ear- especially with a neighboring bank   embossed the altar with gold leafing,
            picious journey to Chicago. On this   ly days. Other devotees spoke of the   eyeing the property for a parking lot.  kitchen teams, and countless others
            very day 53 years ago, the community  first small temple in an apartment on   Jitendriya das painted vivid pic-  whose quiet service sustained the
            became blessed with their daily dar- Halsted, the challenges of Chicago   tures of those foundational years: 24   temple. Gratitude extended to Indi-
            shan and worship. Lila Manjari devi   winters seeping through unscreened   sannyasis visiting, massive festivals   an community members who provid-
            dasi, one of the priests, noted with   windows, and the pioneering spir- with parades downtown, clay deities   ed crucial loans and donations during
            wonder, “Sri Sri Kishore Kishori to   it of early devotees who tolerated   before  the  grand marble  altar, and   the temple’s acquisition. The evening
            Chicago even before Srila Prabhupa- hardships to please the Lord. From   the evolution of the temple’s in-  concluded with a group photograph
            da visited in 1974-75.”           there, the temple moved to a former  frastructure  from  wooden  floors  to   of  all  assembled  devotees,  a  visual
                The program opened with warm  YMCA building in Evanston in the   beautiful marble, from a small Ja-  testament to the living community
            invitations for senior voices to share  1970s, facing city violations and op- gannatha deity to larger ones used   that continues to grow around Sri Sri
            memories. Jitendriya das, a disci-  position, before securing its current  in Rath Yatra processions. Sunil   Kishore Kishori.
            ple of Srila Prabhupada and devo- home. The grand opening took place  Madhava das, one of the ex-temple   --Asian Media USA

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