By Dayal Mora Dasa
For the third successive year Padayatra UK has been one of, if not the, highlight of the festival preaching season. But this year was special in many ways to the extent that I’m receiving a multitude of requests to make the event much longer next year because nobody wanted it to end.
This year we organised a 6 day walk starting at Ramsgate. We passed through the towns of Broadstairs, Margate, Herne Bay, Whitstable and finished in Canterbury. The total distance covered was just under 40 miles. As last year, we were walking alongside our two favourite Padayatra bullocks from the Bhaktivedanta Goshalla, namely Balaram and Govardhana. The main party consisted of 40 devotees including men, women and children. The party included one sanyasi (Mahavishnu Swami) and two other Prabhupada disciples as well as Padayatra legend, Parasuram Prabhu. This year we were also blessed by the association of four of the Harinam Ruci party, which certainly added a punch to the kirtana.
This year we also made some improvements in the organisation including a much more effective interaction with the press and local media. We met dignitaries as we passed through the various towns and gave gifts. We also had a program for follow up on the interest generated by the event.
The walk began at Ramsgate bandstand at 2pm on Monday August 20th. We were joined by the Mayor of Ramsgate who enjoyed being with us, even walking with us a significant distance and directing traffic for us. On this first day we also passed through Broadstairs where we performed an ecstatic kirtan to a large crowd on the seafront. This was followed by a very positive and appreciative speech by the Chairman of the local district Council. From there it was another hours walk to our campsite for the evening, a beautiful sea view at Joss Bay. Kirtana continued while prasadam was prepared and then well into the night. An ocean bath in the morning was glorious under the rising sun and yes, we were blessed with warm weather. Tuesday saw us walk through the old seaside town of Margate where we danced with the Mayor at the clock tower.
As we progressed along the route it became apparent that the British public is more charitable people than we expected as we were not charged for any of the campsites we stayed at. Nights 3 and 4 were spent at Hampton Bay Park Campsite just outside of Herne Bay. We travelled out from here to Whitstable and back where we made a big impression on the peaceful cobbled high street. The local church gave us shelter when the heavens opened at around lunch time.
The Maharaja led a nice kirtana inside the church before we headed back for the night. Night 5 was spent just 5 miles outside of Canterbury in an old Scout campsite and was particularly auspicious as there was a spontaneous initiation ceremony with fire sacrifice and all. The atmosphere was electric as the next day would be our final walk to the gates of Canterbury Cathedral. The kirtana went until 1:30 in the morning.
We finished the six day Padayatra in style by walking with the bullock cart right up the busy Canterbury high street on the bank holiday Saturday. A bunch of 40 devotees plus representatives from the Cathedral and the local interfaith group joined us. Handing out balloons, cookies, books, leaflets and the holy names, we were an unexpected sight to behold! Upon arrival at the gates of the Cathedral we let rip our final kirtana. Welcoming us to Canterbury and expressing their delight at having us there, the dignitaries, including the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, received the gifts we had lined up for them. The picture of the Cathedral Librarian wearing a set of Srimad Bhagavatam on his holy head would surely bring a smile to the lotus lips of Srila Prabhupada!
All in all we are very inspired after tasting such mercy to continue this Padayatra program in the
UK indefinitely for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.
Videos
Pictures
