𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 & 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐀 (𝐀𝐤𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐲𝐚, 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏)
＆ 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐁𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐀 𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐀

 

All Glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga!

Hare Krsna! Dandavat Pranams.

​

First of all, we hope this message meets you well. For most of us, this past year has been quite tough on many fronts. Yet, somehow by Srila Gurudeva's supreme mercy and desire, Audio Seva was able to progress, although, at a slower pace than we hoped. 

Before we get into further details of this update, we are especially remembering Sriman Isa Prabhu, who started this entire initiative by collecting, organising and digitising Srila Gurudeva's tapes since early 2000. He was always joyous to see the progress of this seva. We will forever remain indebted to his tireless efforts for 18 years.

​

𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕:

​

As most of you are aware, the organised efforts of the Audio Seva Team began in February 2018. We started with content reporting for each audio file. Sound Editing (Audio Restoration & Track Editing) had begun by January 2019. 

(To see the detailed process we followed for each audio, please watch: https://youtu.be/R-ZyCz38cEY)

​

𝗕𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬, 𝟱𝟱𝟬+ 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝟰𝟵 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬+ 𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀. 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟬+ 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱. With most of the content reporting done, in the second half of 2020, we started consolidating the data, preparing and checking the audios for launch on the official archive website, in time for the glorious Centennial year of our beloved Srila Gurudeva. 

​

The audio files go through various checks before being tagged as 'final'. Hence, in principle, while many files may be at various stages of readiness, they cannot be released 'officially' as an archive file unless all checks are done. For instance, currently 2,600 files are Audio Restored and 3,000 files have been Track Edited (Cut and Merged) but only 1,500 of these files are finalised for the audio quality and content. 1,100 of these 1,500 files have been checked for typos etc. in the titles, sound rating and other details (hence only 1,100 can be launched on the archive website.)

​

Having said that, we wanted to start sharing the restored files sooner, so that devotees could benefit from the restoration done so far. So, we found a way to share the audio-restored 'work-in-progress' files by 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬. 

​

This was met with great appeciation from the devotees, many of whom said: "𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲!" Not only have we been posting audios as per the relevant tithis but we have also released various series such as Kartika Special Damodarastaka and Bhajana Rahasya Series, Vrajamandala Video Parikrama Series, Ratha Yatra Series, Rupa Gosvami series, Gauramandala Parikrama Series, Purusottama Masa Special Raya Ramananda Samvada, Venu Gita & Gopi Gita, among others. 

​

Now, Srila Gurudeva's harikatha is being posted everyday on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, YouTube & Podcasts. Our WhatsApp group itself has 𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬+ 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. Our YouTube Channel (Gurudeva Lectures) has 15,500 subscribers, 𝟲,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀!

​

We also increased online advertising and promotions for Srila Gurudeva's harikatha in 2020 and it will remain one of our major focuses in the coming years. Already, we have received many enquiries from devotees who weren't hearing Srila Gurudeva earlier but are now his ardent followers, eager to know more about him and his teachings.

​

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗸𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵  𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗿𝗶 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗶-𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘂-𝗩𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 (𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻!) 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 for Srila Gurudeva with the first 1100 organised and restored. 

​

This archive website will eventually also host the 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼, 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗮.. Progressively more and more audios will be uploaded as soon as they are finalised. We expect to have 3,000+ audios ready by the end of 2021. 

​

𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.

​

𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕:

​

During the period from 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬, we spent a total of $𝟲𝟭,𝟵𝟮𝟭 on Sound Engineering (Audio Restoration), Contracted services, Automation, Miscellaneous.​

​

The breakup is as follows:

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀  $ 𝟮𝟳,𝟴𝟭𝟭 
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴   $ 𝟯𝟭,𝟯𝟯𝟰 
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻                 $ 𝟮,𝟭𝟴𝟵
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀             $ 𝟱𝟴𝟳
 
We are happy to report that the average cost per audio-restored file has 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 $𝟮𝟮 from $28, because many were done in-house. We spent slightly more on Contracted Services in 2020. Contracted Services refers to the full-time, committed, backend support team (currently 10 devotees). Given the complexity and variegatedness of the raw archive, a well-trained and consistent team becomes a deciding factor for progress. 

Our backend data management and allotment systems are all automated. Costs incurred towards this as well as cloud storage and website development have been clubbed under 'Automation'. ‘Miscellaneous’ expenses include banks fees, advertising costs, data costs etc. 
​
​During Jan-Dec 2020, we raised  $103,627 and until the completion of this project, 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 $𝟭𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲.

For any further information, please write to us: contact@audioseva.com

​

We are very, very thankful to each and every devotee who has made this mammoth effort possible. And especially to Srila Gurudeva and our senior Vaisnavas for kindly giving us this golden opportunity to serve in some way in this once-in-a-lifetime seva. 🙏 It’s been like a wonderful worldwide family, with all of our effort and attention going towards pleasing the centre - Srila Gurudeva ❤️

​

Your Servants
Srila Gurudeva's Audio Seva Team

​

​

​