By Dhirnayak dasa, All-India Padayatra pujari
Although the lockdown in India has kept the AIP confined to Mahuva in Gujarat, the padayatris’ hearts remain filled with love and enthusiasm to serve the Lord. Lord Balarama is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master whose blessings provide us with spiritual strength, and we planned to hold a grand celebration to honour His appearance day.
How the Lord arranged His own dress
I had been thinking that every year we offer a new outfit to our Lordships on Balarama Jayanti but how this year it was next to impossible due to the coronavirus. I was continually going over the possibilities for arranging a new dress, but could not find the solution. All the shops were closed so even if I could engage someone, how would that person obtain the cloth? Finally, just ten days before the festival, the Lord inspired me to call our god-sister, Jayabhadra devi dasi of ISKCON Amravati, to ask if she could do something. Jayabhadra has an affection for padayatras and Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar, she and her husband, Meghashyam dasa, frequently enquiring as to padayatra’s whereabouts. When I called her, she said, “Do not worry prabhu, if the Lord desires it will happen.” The lockdown inconvenience was the same in Amravati, but Jayabhadra sought the help of one of our god-brothers, Saktyaveshavatar dasa, who by the Lord’s mercy obtained the cloth and got it sewn by his sister, Priya, in two days. I advised him that mail from Amravati to Gujarat would take eight days to arrive so time was of the essence, and by a miracle we found a courier that delivered the dress to us in four days. Saktyaveshavatar said, “It was my good fortune Their Lordships made my sister and I useful.” Thus, the Lord ensured Saktyaveshavatar’s dress seva was accomplished.
Celebrations
Their Lordships wore Their new outfits with love. They were looking very happy on the nicely decorated ratha, like They had accepted the dress of Their devotees. Balarama Jayanti began with mangala-arati and throughout the day we were busy cooking fifty-six bhogas and making preparations for the programme, which along with the padayatris would be attended by the Mahuva devotees. In the evening there was abhishek of Their Lordships who were then offered the fifty-six bhogas. The congregation then sang the glories of Dauji, the brother of Krishna Kanhaiya, which was followed by maha-arati and prasad distribution. Finally, we all prayed at the lotus feet of Lord Balarama, who is Nityananda on our ratha, to continue to bestow us with spiritual strength so that we can carry on the order of our spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, and please him by our services.
