THE LAST DAYS IN WEST BENGAL
Undaunted despite the constant rain
The Padayatra in Bengal took place during the rainy season. It rained every day. On some days it rained so strongly that all we had to do to take an ablution was to stand outside for a few seconds. In spite of the weather the padayatris continued their regular program of sadhana, book distribution and evening harinams. As a result of this hard work and intense determination to serve the Lord no matter what, while in Bengal Padayatra India distributed
5000 maha big books and 87500 small books. Prasada was distributed to more than 210 000 people, and roughly one million people received the darsana and carnamrita of Nitai-Gaurasundara.
Valuable assistance of the Bengali devotees
While walking in Bengal the localISKCON Bengali devotees helped us to preach the mission of Sri Caitaya Mahaprabhu and to distribute love of God by chanting His Holy Name. The Nama- Hatta devotees performed wonderful service by cooking daily bhogaofferings for Sri Sri NitaiGaurasundara. They also served prasada to the padayatris and the local people.
Together with the Nama-Hatta devotees, Param Doyal Dasa traveled with us during our last few weeks in Bengal, helping to organize daily festivals for the local people. These festivals were attended by hundreds of people everyday. Our Padayatra party was also fortunate to have the association of Gauranga Prem Maharaj, who traveled with us during our last two weeks in Bengal and for a few days in Orissa. He daily gave insightful lectures and always extended much kindness to all the padayatris
Padayatra in West Bengal had started on December 25, 2013, and it was brought to a close on the 3rd of August 2014. To mark the last day in that state we did harinam in Digha, a seaside resort town. The presence of the oxen and the Deities made it a majestic procession.
ENTERING ORISSA
On the 4th of August our Padayatra party entered Orissa. We stopped in a small village called Chandra Ishvar, home to the large ISKCON temple of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath. We stayed in a big hotel nearby and took bath in a beautiful nearby kunda. We also performed the morning and evening programs in the temple, during which Gauranga Prem Maharaja gave beautiful lectures.
Orissa is similar to West Bengal as there are a lot of Vaisnavas there, but they are less exhuberant and the population is not as dense. Every day ISKCON devotees from the local Nama- Hattas joined our party. It was wonderful to see how they took good care of us and assisted us in the organization of festivals. The padayatris still keep distributing many books, now in Oriya, the local language.
On August 10th we celebrated Balaram Jayanti in the village of Jalpur. This village is located on the banks of a beautiful river called Suvarna Rekha, in which Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara and we, Their devotees, took bath. We also performed abhisheka of theDeities in a local school. During the ceremony, Dhira Nayak prabhu lead kirtana then Kripa Sindhu prabhuand Hema Hari prabhuchanted Vedic hymns. Late on, all those present received the carnamrta from rom Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara. In the evening, as usual, we had kirtana , Gaura arati, lecture, and distribution of prasad.
The next morning, August 11th, at the invitation of Prataparudra Prabhu, a wonderful old devotee from Orissa, the padayatris visited the local ISKCON temple in his native village. It is due to him that there is now a temple of Sri Sri Radha Madhava and many devotees there. After kirtana Acarya Prabhu talked a little bout Padayatra, and Hema Hari Prabhu gave an inspiring lecture about the four asramas in Krishna consciousness. Another wonderful senior devotee, Hema Hari Dasa, joined us on the first day of Padayatra in Orissa. With his friend Gopi Prabhu, he’s been traveling with us to this day. Both of them are very helpful, especially in the preaching field. The same day Padayatra entered the town of Jaleshvar. In the evening we visited the famous temple of Kaliya. This temple is new, but the deity is very ancient. Somes say that once they even sacrificed people for her. But today another sacrifice was being performed, the sankirtana yajna !
Tasting the divine khira of Lord Gopinath in Remuna
On the 16th of August Padayatra stopped in the village of Remuna, where the famous lila of the theft of khira (sweet rice) took place. Over 500 years ago the great saint Madhavendra Puri was traveling to Puri to get some sandalwood for his Sri Gopal deity in Vrindavana. When he stopped in Remuna and saw the delicious khira offered to the deity of Sri Gopinath, he desired to taste it to offer the same to his Gopal deity. Since Madhavendra Puri was only accepting food that was offered to him, he left the temple without tasting the khira, as none was offered to him. After finishing his worship the pujari of Gopinath lay down to rest. In his dream Gopinath told him,” Get up, I hid a pot of khira under my garment for my devotee Madhavendra Puri. Go and give it to him” So the pujari got up, found the pot and gave it to Madhavendra Puri. Since that time Gopinath has been know as Khirachora (the one who stole khira) Gopinath. We got to taste the amazing taste of this divine khira, but, unlike Madhavendra Puri, we had to give Gopinath 25 Rs. for each pot. But it was well worth it.
Introduction of the new Padayatra India reporter, Vaikunthaloka Dasa, by himself :
I am an ordinary brahmacari who, like all brahmacaris, enjoys performing his sadhana and service. However, due to being born in Russia, I have constant health problems when travelling in India. It has therefore been a great austerity for me to serve on Padayatra India. I am very grateful to my fellow padayatris who are quite fond of me and are very understanding of my health and other problems. They always take care of me and even think of me as a sadhu, but I know that I am just a rascal. It has been through the mercy of Acarya Dasa, Padayatra India leader, thatI have been able to serve on Padayatra. He accepted me into the Padayatra party and now I am very happy to serve him and the other devotees. This is the only thing that makes my life truly valuable. It is only by the mercy of the devotees that I can come to Krishna. Serving the vaisnavas is the supreme happiness!