Edition 5
June 2025 – August 2025
Summer has been busy, as usual, for the Sena. We have hosted multiple flagships, run back-to-back trips, enjoyed an incredible Janamashtami fortnight and even celebrated our very own Summer Party! It has been wonderful to have generations of Pandava Sena come together and we hope you enjoy reading what we have been up to!
A PS Update
Merch Update
SENA ZIP UPS have now been released… they sold out during Janamashtami but they are now back in stock!
£25.99 for students (DM Vishnu on +44 7413123698 for a discount code) and £30.99 for adults. Collection is from your next PS event! Purchase this limited edition drop on the following link 🔗
New PS Website
ANDDDDD… The newly redesigned PS website is now live!
A complete rebrand, including a one stop shop for all PS projects, an outline of all our initiatives old and new and lastly… an online merch store :)
Check it out on this link.
PS Flagships
“When I Chant, I Chant” with H.G. Mahatma Prabhu
July’s flagship program with H.G. Mahatma Prabhu was both transformative and engaging, giving audiences valuable insights into how to improve our chanting. One key method shared was to begin japa with appreciation for Krishna by thanking Him for the opportunity to chant His holy name. In this way, we set an intention for our rounds, rather than approaching them simply as something we “have to” do. The event concluded with hearty prasadam and an uplifting kirtan, leaving attendees inspired to treat japa as a heartfelt prayer beginning with gratitude.
In conversation with H.H. Sivarama Maharaj
The August PS Flagship event was graced by H.H. Sivrama Maharaj, a guiding light to our youth since the very beginning of Pandava Sena. As young and old(er) members gathered, the fascinating debate-style Q&A featured our Gor brothers Vishnu and Raam and spanned 4 key themes: practices, prayer, philosophy, and personal reflections. A highlight was the question of how to sincerely call out to Krishna and feel his presence in our lives – Maharaj reminded us that reciprocation often comes in subtle ways and requires patience and trust in Krishna’s timing. We are so grateful to all who attended!
Sena Summer Party
On Sunday 29th June, the PS community came together for our renowned Summer Party. With the sun blazing down, slip ’n’ slide inflatables and water gun battles were the perfect way to cool off - while the ice cream van and delicious food stalls kept everyone coming back for more. Henna, face painting, football, and bouncy castles added to the fun, though what really stood out was the buzz of friends catching up, laughing, and enjoying summer together. It was a joyful afternoon that captured the best of PS spirit. Catch up on a vlog of the whole day here – a big thank you to Shayen for his tireless efforts in curating and capturing the fun moments of the day!
RISE: An evening with H.G. Radhacharan Prabhu
In June, RISE organised an interactive session with H.G. Radhacharan Prabhu with the one and only Hersh as the host. Within an intimate forum of inquisitive youth, Radhacharan Prabhu was able to address, guide and advise attendees on their most burning questions. The session revolved around the themes of ‘money, marriage and mission’, with Radhacharan Prabhu speaking on how we can balance both our spiritual and career aspirations simultaneously – success in life is not just about what we achieve, but about who we become in the process.
KCSOC
KCSOC Summer Picnic
Last month, KCSOC swapped lecture halls for Hyde Park in an afternoon of pure fun. After meeting at Marble Arch (with a few fashionably late arrivals), we set up under the shade and dived into a rounders match. We also had snacks matched with everyone’s initials, a mafia game, and finally wrapped the day up with dinner – the perfect end to a wonderful outing of sunshine, friendship, and community spirit.
KCSOC FNK
One highlight over the past year has been the weekly KCSOC-run Friday Night Kirtan (FNK) at ISKCON London, Soho. There’s something special about ending work or a week of lectures with an evening of saṅkīrtan and meaningful discussions. Another beautiful aspect is that even those who haven’t sung or played instruments before are always encouraged to take part with lots of support. As the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.3.51) reminds us: "simply by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa, one can be freed from material bondage and attain the supreme." FNK offers this very chance to experience connection through the holy name. If you haven’t been yet, come along and give it a try… every Friday, 7:30-9:30pm, at ISKCON London, Soho!
A PS Summer
‘Saranagati’ | Main Trip
Our annual Senagetaway trip was to Almviks Gård, Sweden. We took 80 youth to immerse in 8 days of nectar-filled classes, inspiring workshops, melodious kirtans and delicious prasadam. The theme of our retreat was ‘Saranagati’, the six limbs of surrender and we heard incredible classes led by PS Alumni along with firey debates on philosophy with Navina Krishna Prabhu. Every evening, we were fortunate to hear incredible stories narrated by Madhuri Manjari Mataji, followed by the best kirtans PS has seen.
Daily workshops centred around our Srila Prabhupada, the Pancha Tattva, the four regulative principles, varna-asrama (careers and relationships) and the 9 processes of Bhakti. Sacred sanga in smaller groups helped foster connection with each other on the trip and discuss practical takeaways from what we had learnt. The activity day took place across five lakes, as we canoed our way from the first lake to the last. The Harinama day was epic with Sandipani Muni Prabhu leading a rocking kirtan as the Sena took to the streets of Stockholm. Overall, PS enjoyed our best trip yet with true friendships forged and memories made… a huge thank you to the Trip Team who made it happen!
‘Evolve’ | Kids' Trip
The annual Kids Trip to The Vedanta was, yet again, our best one yet. With over 70 attendees, our 5-day trip was an unforgettable mix of spirituality, fun, and friendship. We began each day with a yoga session, creating a positive and calming atmosphere. The sangas over the week were carried out by amazing facilitators allowing the children to think deeper and build stronger connections with each other. Throughout the week, we enjoyed delicious meals together and had multiple exciting workshops and activities from laser tag to inflatables, instruments and so much more. Every evening, we were fortunate to hear incredible narrations on the beautiful pastimes of Lord Krishna, followed by lively kirtans. The trip concluded with a cosy bonfire night, followed by a fireworks display which was the perfect finale to a week full of lasting memories.
Janamashtami
This year’s Janamashtami festival stood out as a vibrant blend of devotion and creativity, brought to life after nearly two weeks of preparation. The theme, a murder mystery set in a courtroom and centred on the four defects of the human condition, gave the dramatic performances a unique, thought-provoking edge with many plot twists. PS: the smoke was fake
Preparation was immense: the team built a 12-foot justice scales structure and transformed the stage into a courtroom, complete with judge and witness stands, engraved signs and posters. Beyond the performances, a key focus was welcoming visitors into the tent on both Janamashtami festival days, creating a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged many new sign-ups. This year also saw the launch of brand-new Pandava Sena zip-up hoodies, which proved incredibly popular and generated our highest merch sales ever.
Save the Dates
KCSOC Leadership Launchpad: Saturday 14th September 2025
KCSOC MOSS: Late October (TBA)
KCSOC Day Retreat: Saturday 22nd November 2025
Mentorship Trip: Friday 19th December – Monday 22nd December 2025
Thank you to our contributors for Edition 5:
Diya Thaker
Jay Patel
Keiyona Paretha
Keshava Joshi
Mehul Bansal
Oorvi Dabke
Sagar Mishra
Sahil Rathi
Shayen Unadkat
Deven Patel
Krishan Parmar
Vishnu Gor