By Damodarlila dasa, Maharashtra Padayatra leader
The Maharashtra Padayatra reached Beed, a city in central Maharashtra, on February 2, 2022. As we arrived at the outskirts of the city, we were welcomed by ISKCON’s Radha-Govind temple president, Vithalananda dasa, and the temple devotees with arati plates and a grand sankirtan during which Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar and Srila Prabhupada were loaded with garlands, something I always appreciate despite having seen Their Lordships and Srila Prabhupada adorned with more than seventy garlands.
Vithalananda had spread the news of padayatra’s arrival all over Beed, so the roads were decorated with rangolis and flowers and the devotees were eager to receive us. After the welcome, we were escorted by Devakiputra dasa to the temple where devotees and about 150 congregation members had assembled for a greeting ceremony followed by katha, kirtan and a great surprise of fifty-six bhogas offered to Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar.
There are many devotees in Beed and every day we were invited to a different area for a house programme and sankirtan. We took our chariot wherever we went so that all Beed residents would have darshan of the most merciful Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar. Wherever we went the congregation devotees joined us in sankirtan and book distribution. The house programmes consisted of Vaishnava bhajan, katha and sankirtan and after the programme full prasadam was served to the assembled devotees. We were also fortunate to be part of the nineteenth anniversary celebration of the Radha-Govind temple, where the devotees attending had darshan of our Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar.
The Beed devotees also organized a one-day festival attended by about 500 new people, the holy name thus entering so many hearts. The congregation devotees were extremely happy with the presence of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar in Beed, their lives now revolving around the padayatra. Since padayatra had entered the city, it had been filled with daily sankirtan festivals. One congregation devotee, Mr Suresh Ghodke, offered a new outfit to Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar along with a box of dry fruits.
We stayed in Beed for ten days and from day one experienced grand welcomes throughout the city as the enthusiastic devotees assisted and joined us in all our endeavours. We would especially like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Vithalananda who helped us in every way. Each day we were busy preaching and dancing on the streets and these ten days packed with programmes just fled away. Thank you also to all the congregation devotees for making our stay successful.
All glories to Sri Sri Radha-Govind.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
