The day the Gurukula children protested at the Soviet Consulate in Sydney.

Prahlad, Raman and myself went to the Sydney Morning Herald to meet Alan Gill, one of the most respected Journalists in Australia.

In 1985, Gill won a Walkley Award for excellence in journalism.

Whenever important religious leaders came, Pope John Paul II stepping onto the tarmac at Sydney, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, the Reverend Ian Paisley, or AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada back in the early 1970s - Alan Gill was waiting for them. 

And they always got excellent treatment from a man who knew his subject and was committed to it.

On entering the John Fairfax Building which prints the Sydney Morning Herald, we were all fascinated by a painting on the wall, obviously done back in the 1930s.

Under the painting of two people holding an edition of the Sydney Morning Herald, it read:

"Our editorial management shall be conducted upon principle of candour honesty and honour. We have no wish to mislead, no interest to gratify by unsparing abuse or indiscriminate approbation."

A security guard directed us to the reporters reception area.

Eventually Alan came and took us to his desk where a photographer waited.

The first thing Alan asked was:

"Did anyone ring the doorbell at the Soviet Consulate?"

I thought for a moment, thinking of Pratapana and Tripadi, knowing they didn't, and I certainly didn't.

"No," I said, unsure of the situation, "I don't think we did”

Laughing, Alan continues:

"I just rang them and they were going to send someone down to get your requests, no-one important, but at least it's someone, however, according to them no-one rang the doorbell."

“For God sake!", Prahlad smirkishly remarked, then continued,

"You mean we did all that and didn't even ring the doorbell?"

Embarrassed by Prahlad's innocent outburst, I quickly attempted to cover myself.

"We put our requests in their mailbox, they eventually received the information."

Alan Gill adds:

"I think it would have been more impressive if you had been seen by the media presenting them with your letter. Anyway, you're right, they'll get it anyway (laughing)."

I sat there totally embarrassed.

Alan continued:

"Anyway boys, what did you think of the demonstration? Are you happy with the result?"

Prahlad answers first:

"Yeah, a lot of media turned up. I think our message will get through."

Raman adds:

"People will know about what's going on now."

Alan commented:

"Well, I can't promise you anything. As you are all probably well aware, there is a serious crisis presently going on in the Soviet Union now with the nuclear disaster in Ukraine, and I don't know if your story will make it in the newspaper, but I'll try."

For the next half hour, the boys went through the Soviet manual explaining the situation in the Soviet Union.

Alan informed us that under Soviet Reforms of 1977, religious freedom was now allowed, and encouraged the boys to continue their fight.

He then told them how he first met Prabhupada in 1972, and was impressed with 'his theological understanding of Hinduism'.

I then noticed on the wall a framed extract that I read and appreciated:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." - American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

"Regardless of whether we appreciate American Imperialism around the world, the basic principles of their constitution does support individual freedoms," said Alan on noticing what I was reading.

On hearing our conversation, a journalist sitting across from us added:

“Don't let those words convince you that America has always been the land of the free. Thomas Jefferson eventually signed a proclamation outlawing the religious beliefs of the Sue Indians, ordering their tribes crushed. In those days being religious, or even being a man, meant you must have European ancestry and be white, as a young man Thomas Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves but later in 1784 said slavery was a stain on the new territories and attempted to ban slavery but his proposal failed in a congress by one vote.”

We then thanked Alan Gill for his interest and support and left.

On the way out, we met a Catholic Priest. Prahlad stared at him while he seemed fascinated by the boys robes, finally Prahlad asked:

"Do the Catholics teach that only the Catholics can go back to God's Kingdom?"

The priest smiles at the boy and replies:

"The Catholic Church teaches that it's possible for anyone Protestant, Mohammed, Hindu, Jew, Buddhist, anyone who does God's will according to his conscience can also enter back into the Kingdom of God."

Prahlad looked impressed by the priest's comment.

Looking at me the priest continues:

“I'm sixty-eight years of age, I've lived in Europe and travelled South East Asia, and you know, over the years I've learnt a very important lesson."

Looking over at the boys smiling the Priest continues,

"Sometimes we think we have a long, long road ahead of us, even to the extent that it's so long we may never see the end, then you start rushing, and you rush here and there, and every time you look up you see the road is no shorter than it was before.

Then you stress and you strain, then you start getting frightened and fearful of what the future holds and become exhausted, so much so you can't go another step."

He then lifts up his finger and again continues, attempting to give advice to all of us,

"You must never think of the whole road all at once, you should always think of one step at a time, that's all, just one step at a time, then life becomes fun, it becomes simple and not full of schemes and plans that depend too much on others.

Just learn to make your life simple by giving the best you can, and not what others expect of you. This is important, because then you do your job well and are able to go the full distance of life, and never be tired or out of breath."

Afterwards, curiously, Prahlad asked:

"Could you understand what he meant?"

"Well," I attempted to explain, "I think what he is saying is we should not worry about the future, but do what is right and necessary NOW, according to your own level of commitment.

I suppose what he is really saying is that we must just learn to be ourselves, then our future will work out for the better, he is 68 and I am 34, his words are his life time experience.

But sadly most religions today try to become comfortable in this material world because they do not know they are not their material body, whereas devotees of Krishna know it is not our real home."

Prahlad gives his opinion.

"Um, I suppose it's a bit like the story of Prahlada Maharaj; he told all his school friends to worship God while they were still young, and yes, not make mundane plans for the future in this material world."

“Anyway, we should see it through the eyes of our shastra (scripture) also as you just said because devotees are trained to get out of this decaying temporary material world and go back home back to Godhead.’’ I added.

That night we all crowded into the TV room at North Sydney Temple to watch the news. All the networks had shown the stories at length.

On Channel 10 the devotees appeared just after the Chernobyl disaster report.

In fact, the entire news was about demonstrations, from the Krishnas, Jews, Ukrainians, and the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union.

The next morning the heading on Page 2 of the Sydney Morning Herald was 'Soviets Face Day of Protests On Chernobyl And Krishnas' 

"About 250 Ukrainian Australians stormed the Sydney office of In tourist yesterday, covering the office with anti-Soviet stickers and hurling questions at the staff about everything from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster to Stalin's brutal collectivisation programs of the 1930s.

An hour earlier, the Soviets had been experiencing a more peaceful demonstration outside the Soviet Consulate as about 80 followers of the Hare Krishna religion released 25 doves to protest against religious persecution.

Freedom of religion is theoretically guaranteed under the Soviet constitution yet official Soviet publications have listed Krishna Consciousness as the third greatest threat to modern Russia. (The other two, in descending order of importance, are Western imperialism and rock and roll music)

The protest in Sydney coincides with publication of a report - authenticated by non-Krishna sources - of civil rights abuses affecting the Hare Krishna and other minority religions in Russia.

It includes accounts of interrogations, raids on meetings, beatings, and confinements in labour camps, prisons and psychiatric institutions."

The Melbourne Age showed the children releasing the doves.

These articles we read while driving back to Murwillumbah. We left at 3 am.

On arrival we discovered we were also on the front page of the Daily News and the Gold Coast Bulletin and in the Brisbane Telegraph on May 5th 1986.

"Children Join In Krishna Protest." (Daily News)

Thirteen children from the Hare Krishna Movement's Murwillumbah school joined 150 disciples yesterday in a peaceful demonstration outside the Russian Consulate in Sydney.

The movement's public relations manager in Sydney, Tony Foley said the demonstration was organised to protest the Soviet Union's refusal to recognise the religion or its members in the country.

He said 25 members have been arrested from 1984 with sentences from four to seven years for supporting their beliefs.

The demonstration, which had a Federal police permit, comprised chanting and the presentation of wreaths and banners on the steps of the consulate.

“The campaign will go on until the Hare Krishna Movement is registered in Russia,"

Mr. Foley said.

“The demonstration was coordinated with other protests organised outside Russian embassies and consulates around the world."

Mr Foley said there were 10,000 congregational members living in the Soviet Union.

"Sect Kids To Join Global Protest." (Gold Coast Bulletin)

Hare Krishna children from the sect's Tweed Valley commune will take part in a global protest against alleged persecution of the movement's followers in the Soviet Union.

About 30 flower-bearing students from the Hare Krishna school near Murwillumbah will travel to Sydney to join next Monday's protest outside the Russian consulate.

The children will lay a wreath at the consulate in memory of baby Marika Kiseleva, whom the sect says died after being taken from its jailed Krishna mother by Soviet authorities.

The sect says Marika's mother, Olga, 38, is one of 25 Hare Krishna devotees serving long terms in Russian prisons because of their beliefs.

"There is clearly a violation of human rights," said Krishna spokesman Gary Anderson.

"The Australian branch of the Campaign to Free the Soviet Hare Krishnas will take the issue to its limits, we will fight relentlessly for the freedom of our Godbrothers and Godsisters in Russia."

"Sect Plan For Vigil." (Sydney Telegraph)

Members of the Tweed Valley Hare Krishna sect will hold a four hour vigil outside the Russian Consulate in Sydney Today to protest against the persecution of members in the Soviet Union.

The Sydney demonstration will be repeated outside Russian embassies and consulates throughout the world in a bid to highlight the plight of 25 Hare Krishna’s imprisoned by the Russian authorities.

Spokesman for the Tweed group, Mr. Gary Anderson (Gauragopala Dasa), said 60 adults and 30 children had gone to Sydney to plea for the prisoners' release. 

He said devotees would use placards and chants to bring home their message to the Russian officials.

Children would lay a wreath on the steps of the Consulate in memory of a Hare Krishna baby who died at 11 months after being separated from its jailed mother, Olga Kiseleva.

Mr. Anderson said the arrests of the Russian Hare Krishnas had been documented by Amnesty International. They were being held against their will in labor camps, jails and psychiatric hospitals.

The movement had been outlawed by the Brezhnev regime, who saw it as a threat to communism.

"He is quoted as saying the three biggest threats to communism are Western culture, Western rock music and the Hare Krishna movement," Mr. Anderson said.

"He said the persecution of sect members was a violation of human rights, and the 45,000 followers throughout the world would fight relentlessly for the release of the Russians and their right to practise freely the religion of their choice."

Enthused to attempt to obtain more coverage on the letter before it was sent to Russia, we took Prahlad and Raman to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

I waited in the car while they went in on their own, I wanted to see the result of their preaching without an adult being there.

The journalist, Peter Nally, was impressed with the boys. The next day the article was mentioned on the front page and the full article was on Page 3.

The Daily News (Tweed Heads-Murwillumbah) and Northern Star (Lismore), printed articles too. 

Many letters to the Editor praised the boys efforts (many written by devotees)

Regardless of who wrote them, they further created more interest within the Australian community about the persecution of Krishna devotees in the Soviet Union.

One such letter is here-

(Reprinted from the Gold Coast Bulletin, Australia)

Dear Editor,

Those Hare Krishna kids who wrote to Soviet leader Mr. Gorbachev are right. Peace starts at home, and since home is where the heart is, those Russians should examine their own hearts instead of huffing and puffing about nuclear disarmament etc, while at the same time persecuting their minorities - religious and otherwise.

Just as in the final analysis a person is judged by what he does rather than by what he says, so will the Russians as a nation be judged.

Richard Lawrence - Broadbeach, Australia.

Teachers in schools around Australia were influenced by the Krishna kids campaign and encouraged school children to write letters to world leaders, expressing their views about Human rights and freedom during the International Year Of Peace of 1986.

Prahlad and Raman's letter to General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev.

Dear Premier Gorbachev. 

For a long time now we have wanted to visit your country, but we are a little bit scared about the things we have heard about Russia. We have heard some terrible things about what is happening there to the parents of Hare Krishna children. They must be strong devotees of Krishna to be punished just because they are following a religion that they feel is right, and put into labour camps and hospitals, and still be keeping their beliefs. We don't think you would like it if you were punished for a belief you have.

Hare Krishna, yours sincerely Prahlad (12 years old) and Raman (11 years old)*