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Hare Krishna chanters move across the street

This article, "Hare Krishna chanters move across the street" was published in The Province, January 9, 1970, in Vancouver, Canada.

Chant "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna" and you may be saved. 

So says Renato Carboni, 20, alias Rabindra Das (sungod servant), who chants downtown every day with other young persons dressed in orange robes. 

The chanters decided to leave the Birks building corner of Georgia and Granville after one of them appeared in Provincial Court on Wednesday. They moved to the Hudson's Bay corner Thursday. 

A complaint was laid by a group of lawyers and chartered accountants in the Birks Building that the Krishna followers were violating the anti-noise bylaw. 

A compromise was reached - the charge was dropped after agreement by the Krishna group that they would not chant outside the building. 

On Thursday, at the Hudson's Bay corner across the street, Carboni said he and the other chanters are trying to reach the general public. 
"The only way for spiritual development is to glorify in God and this is done by chanting his name.

He said the word "Hare" means "energy" and "Krishna" is the name of God. It means "all attractive.

The Hare Krishna movement was started in 1966 by East Indian Prabhupada A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. 

Carboni said the group accepts donations that are used to support a temple at 260 Raymur. 

"Rent on the temple is $250 a month and then there's groceries and clothing for the five of us. All we have is our robes and one change of clothing.

He said the idea is to renounce the material life and devote one's life to God. 

"We are in complete ecstasy chanting the name of God," said Carboni when asked why he doesn't become bored chanting 10 hours a day. 

Carboni said he came to Vancouver last summer as a hippie and then became interested in the religion. 

Clay Howard, leader of the group, said he is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara. He studied English and economics. 

Howard said the group may do their chanting as they stroll through Vancouver streets - "we haven't decided to stay in any one place.

On a good day, the group may collect as much as $50 by selling its literature, said Howard.

He said the Hare Krishna movement is world-wide with about 2,000 devotees. 

Photo: Rabindra Das, left, and "John," who has not been initiated, chant outside The Bay Thursday.



Reference: The Province, Unknown Location, Canada, 1970-01-09