Pancajanya Project (placing Bhagavad-gitas in hotel and motel rooms)
Under the guidance of His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu, ISKCON of Silicon Valley ("ISV") has recently started a program of placing soft bound English language editions of Bhagavad-Gita in hotel/motel rooms, similar to the placing of Holy Bibles by the Gideons. We started this "Pancajanya Project" in April 2008, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having received a great deal of positive feedback from owners and guests alike, we have decided to expand the program throughout the United States.
We have already placed many thousands of Bhagavad-Gitas, and are now poised to expand the program geometrically. Prominent motel owners, especially the Patels, have whole-heartedly welcomed and supported this program. We have already placed Bhagavad-Gitas in the following chains, among others:
Taking a booth at the national AAHOA convention in April marked a concentrated effort by Pancajanya Project to expand operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The experience was very encouraging. Convention organizers expressed their gratitude and offered to support the Project in the future. Many motel owners expressed their happiness to see this Project developing. Over 12,000 confirmed orders were taken at the convention, and contacts were made with owners who could potentially order twice that many in the near future. Pancajanya Project plans to attend future national AAHOA conventions and also regional conventions throughout the year, as well as meetings of other organizations.
Several motel owners not only ordered books for their rooms, but offered to personally take Project members to other friendly motels to encourage them to order as well. With orders for nearly 30,000 books and counting, the goal of placing 1 million Bhagavad-Gitas seems quite realistic.
Giving the opportunity to so many ordinary Americans to contact Lord Krishna in their motel rooms will have profound positive effects, broadly proliferating cross-cultural understanding and spiritual awareness. Many will respond like one California guest named Terrance, who wrote: "I got my first Gita in a hotel room and ever since I read the first verse my life has been ever-increasingly in Krishna consciousness. Life is a journey back to Krishna. Peace." Read more testimonials below.
Pancajanya Project organizers anticipate the need to accommodate exponential growth in demand, as this appears to truly be "an idea whose time has come." We expect to organize regional chapters to contact and meet the needs of motels in their local areas, and to account for local operations. Many volunteers are welcome.
We humbly request assistance in this great cultural and spiritual project. We need a lot of funds to actually implement this project and to eventually realize our goal of making it self-sustaining. By donating, you directly participate in helping make Srila Prabhupada’s books known all over the world. Such activity is not only extremely pleasing to Srila Prabhupada, but is the highest welfare work for humanity at large, and is at the cutting edge of the worldwide Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya.
If you would like to assist Milan prabhu and the other devotess involved in the Pancajanya Project distribute one million Bhagavad-gitas in hotel and motels simply go here and enter "Milan Dosi" in the field "I would like books sent to..."
This is His Grace Vaisesika prabhu whose broad mind and deep heart has served as an inspiration to many dedicated and wonderful devotees
Some Testimonials:
Terrence, A guest who read a Bhagavad Gita at a motel in CA :
"I got my first Gita in a hotel room and ever since I read the first verse my life has been ever increasingly in Krsna Consciousness. Life is a journey back to Krsna. Peace . . ."
Jitubhai Patel, owner Holiday Inn, Ukiah, CA :
Dilip Patel, Manager See Breeze, Pacifica, CA :
“One of our guest, a middle age lady, approached me at the reception counter and asked me if she could take the Bhagavad Gita along with her. She said that she picked up this book (Bhagavad Gita) just out of curioussity as she was not able to sleep at night. After reading it she found it so profound that she could just not put it down. I gladly allowed her to take Bhagavad Gita along”.
Nilesh P, Manager, Super 8, Sacramento : “I often see guests coming in for breakfast with Bhagavad Gita in hand and reading it while they are in the lobby or in the reception room. It is satisfying to know that I have contributed in spreading this knowledge.”
B Patel, San Francisco, CA : “People here are very inquisitive and would always like to try new and different things.Hence, I kept Bhagavad Gita at both my motels . I see that the guests like it too.”
Andrew Spencer,Guest at Howard Johnson, Houston
“This is very interesting. I curiously picked up this new book lying besides the bible and I found it very nice. It has so much depth. I have taken a copy along with me and will certainly read everything. It has opened a new horizon , hitherto unexplored by me.
Jon Rodriguez, Guest who dropped a complimentary Thank you letter at Best Western, Memphis.
The Bhagavat Gita is a profound literature. I thank the motel autorities who allowed me this opportunity. It has helped me to understand who am I and what is this life about. Life is much happier and less stressful .I still cant believe my luck.Thank you!
Vivian Browne, Guest at Rodeway Inn at Monrovia,CA
I have developed respect for the Hindu culture now that I have read and understood a little about it.