Founded by Nityananda Ram Das, a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Radio Mayapur has grown from a modest vision to a thriving platform, connecting devotees worldwide through the power of Krishna Conscious music, podcasts, and positive spiritual discussions.

The seeds of Radio Mayapur were sown in the fertile soil of a simple realization – the need for a dedicated platform to showcase the diverse talents of ISKCON devotees. Nityananda Ram, in an ISKCON News interview, shared the genesis of this vision, “I wanted to create a positively potent space where the world could experience the devotion and creativity of ISKCON devotees through their music and life stories.” The idea sprouted not just from a desire to share devotional content but also to create a global community hub where devotees could feel connected, inspired, and informed about life in Mayapur and beyond.

Radio Mayapur is not a solo endeavor; it’s a symphony conducted by a dedicated team of devotees. Nityananda Ram highlighted the invaluable contribution of Ganga Das, a senior devotee who has lived in Mayapur for almost 40 years and who took the lead in producing captivating podcasts. “Without him, we wouldn’t have podcasts. He’s done half of them remotely when he travels, capturing the life and times of devotees around the globe,” said Nityananda Ram.

Krishna Sevani Dasi, the music and content manager, works diligently to expand the platform’s music library. Nityananda Ram emphasizes the significance of live announcements during music playback, stressing the importance of promoting individual devotees’ work, “The goal is to promote ISKCON devotees’ music, and by promoting it, you must say their name so that people know who this is from.”

Nityananda Ram expresses deep gratitude for the constant support and advice received from Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami, GBC Kirtan and GBC Padayatra Minister. “I’ve known him for a long time. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music as a studio engineer, so he is qualified to be working in New York City as a major recording person, but instead, he became a Hare Krishna devotee,” shared Nityananda Ram. “He’s been a constant source of my inspiration and has been instrumental in providing technical help and building our studio.”

What started as a modest initiative has burgeoned into a global phenomenon with listeners in faraway countries like Russia, China, and even a tiny island near Bora Bora in the Pacific. Nityananda Ram gleefully shared the unexpected success, “The concurrent users with the streaming music has been way beyond expectation. On an average day, we can have 100 concurrent users, and this past December, we had 1,200 listeners over the weekend. Krishna and Srila Prabhupada’s reach on this planet is amazing.”

The impact of Radio Mayapur is best reflected in the testimonials of its listeners. Devotees from around the world share their experiences, expressing gratitude for the comforting and elevating content. One listener attested, “Audio podcasts are like old-time radio for some people. It’s a comforting and easy way to connect with devotional content. I listen while driving, and it’s a lot different than pop music.”

Behind this divine symphony is the practical aspect of funding. Currently, Radio Mayapur relies on the dedication and financial support of its founder and volunteers. Nityananda Ram opens up about the financial aspect, “We are self-funded for now, using personal resources and outsourcing through online services. It’s a gig economy, and we pay through our pocket for services like Fiverr.”

While the project has thrived on personal commitment, Nityananda Ram envisions a broader community involvement in sustaining Radio Mayapur’s growth. “In the future, we are exploring additional funding options and collaborations to ensure the continuity and expansion of this divine initiative,” he added.

Beyond being a passive listener, Radio Mayapur invites devotees to actively participate through the SEVA Initiative. Nityananda Ram envisions this program as a platform for individuals with creative ideas and no resources to record or video them. “I hope prepared people with good ideas come forward and present to the world what they have to say,” he emphasized.

As the Radio Mayapur team looks to the future, they aim to expand their content, including preaching videos by knowledgeable Vaishnavas, travel vlogs by Ganga exploring ISKCON temples worldwide, and on-location cooking videos. Nityananda Ram shared, “We want to turn Ganga’s travel into travel vlogs so that he can walk around temples with temple presidents and showcase the different temples around the world.”

At the close of the interview, Nityananda Ram extended an invitation to the broader ISKCON community, “If you’re visiting Mayapur and you want to record in the Radio Mayapur studio, you can use the contact form on our website. I’d love to talk to anyone who wants to talk to me about Radio Mayapur Seva.”

Radio Mayapur has evolved from a simple vision to a dynamic platform resonating with the devotion of ISKCON devotees worldwide. Through music, podcasts, and personal narratives, it has become a bridge connecting hearts across continents. As the project continues to grow, the harmonious melody of devotion plays on, inviting devotees to join in the collective journey of spirituality, connectivity, and creativity. The call for community support and collaboration ensures that this divine symphony will reverberate far into the future.

For those eager to delve deeper into the harmonious world of Radio Mayapur and contribute to this empowering revolution, reach out to Nityananda Ram at +9191443 25890 or via email.

Listen anywhere in the world via the Radio Mayapur website, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.