Welcome to unsung heroes column

 Written by HG Tulasi Krsna Preyasi Devi Dasi , 1st September 2024.

1.Childhood

HG Rupavati Sundari Devi Dasi was born on 27th October 1954 in Butterworth, Penang. Her family worships Lord Ram.

2. Education

She earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Nagpur University, India.

3. Grihasta-Asrama

She met HG Adharma Satru Das Prabhu, her husband (known as Alagasamy at the time), in 1982 at a supermarket. He asked if she had read the Bhagavad Gita, and she told him she had read it once when she was in India. This is when he decided he wanted to marry her.

Both wife and husband took Harinam initiation in 1991 and Brahmin initiation a few years later. 

She had four kids and raised them with both material and spiritual education. At a time when ISKCON Malaysia had a bad reputation for not caring for material education, she taught her children to study for Srila Prabhupada to be high achievers and preach using their profession to the public. Her children did very well in school and actively participated in temple programs, joining their parents in book distribution and other services. 

Their family became a role model for all Krishna Conscious families, especially in the Northern Region. She actively supported and inspired her children and other devotees' children to use their creativity in the service of the Lord.

4. Attributes in Development of ISKCON,Penang

She dedicated many years of her life to serving Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev Subhadra as Their Lordships' cook and providing Prasadam catering for devotees. 

They actively participated in the Temple Building Project when ISKCON Malaysia bought the land in Seberang Jaya to build a temple. When BCC was built. She tirelessly served Nitai Gauranga Rai, mentored devotees, and played a crucial role in establishing the BCC DRAMA AND DANCE TROUPE. 

Distributing Srila Prabhupada's books was her passion, and she engaged and made many devotees through this service. 

Furthermore, she was a mentor to many devotees and was known for her focus on the service of Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya. 

She was also famous for creatively propagating cooking of a variety during Ekadasi days and trained many devotees on deity cooking services. Her dedication to book distribution during Ratha Yatras and her unwavering commitment to this service, rain or shine, made her a beacon of inspiration to many.

Devotees often approached her for guidance, and many took her as their siksha guru or mother. 

In Mayapur, she was known for spending hours reading books to ensure a good selection to be purchased by ISKCON TODU for local Malaysians to read.

5.Jahnava Club In Bhakti Mandir,Penang

She successfully established she established Jahnava Club to encourage vaishnavis sanga and to get mathajis together in rendering seva. 

She instituted systemic gurukul in Bhakti Mandir consisting of Srila Prabhupada's biography, Mahabharata, Ramayana, BG, etc.

It was a success as it even produced thousands maha prasadam distribution packets during Ratha Yatra (at that time it was a huge amount, to the extend the packets were distributed for weekly harinams)

6. Her uncompromising nature is a testament to her strength and determination.

She has a strict sadhana of completing her 16 rounds which then increased to 24 rounds on normal days and goes up to 32 rounds on Ekadashi days.

Besides that, ensures her morning routine is not disturbed with her deity worship even on festival days before rendering service in the temple.

Every night compulsory to read min of 30 minutes of prabhupada's books and she covered even many other authors in our ISKCON movements. This also includes festival days. There is no exception. She also ensures hearing classes daily. 

Her principal is to share more with others to please Lord Nityananda, Srila Prabhupada and Guru Maharaj.