8By Ritudvipa Gaurachandra dasa, Uttar Pradesh Padayatra leader
The Uttar Pradesh Padayatra reached Pukhrayan, a town 65km southwest of Kanpur in the Kanpur Dehat district, almost two weeks before Janmashtami. The padayatris were invited to stay at the home of devotee Shri Anil Gupta, a padayatra well-wisher. I had been looking for a suitable place to celebrate Janmashtami but could not find any. I discussed this with Mr Gupta and he said, “Let’s leave searching for the place, let’s go to my house. Just behind our house is my shop which is under construction, so you can have the celebration there.” It was the Lord who answered our call. We were very happy and started preparations for the festival.
However, the place was not clean and Mr Gupta had to call up some boys, who with cement, stones and sand levelled the ground. Whatever was needed, he made it available. He helped with everything and with his heart he served Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar. He also set up a big pandal for the event and sent a person around town in a rickshaw with a microphone to make announcements about Janmashtami and padayatra’s arrival, as well as advertising with flexes, banners and handbills. The Gupta family also joined him in padayatra’s service.
We invited senior devotees like former All India Padayatra leader Rupa Goswami dasa, Vishwambhar dasa, and Nitya Krishna dasa to the celebration. Everyone fasted on Janmashtami day while many of us were busy preparing bhoga for Their Lordships. In the evening we did Gaura arati as people began arriving. We then started our sankirtan and after that Rupa Goswami gave a lecture on the advent of Lord Krishna as the assembled devotees listened with rapt attention. Following this we did abhisheka of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar, inviting the dignitaries and the Gupta family members to participate.
After the abhisheka Rupa Goswami gave another short lecture on the glories of Lord Krishna and more than 100 bhogas were offered. For preparation of the ekadasi prasadam Abhiram dasa ran a full kitchen and all devotees did the seva given to them, even while fasting nirjala – without water. All the assembled devotees then honoured prasadam.
The next day, Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day, the Gupta family again provided assistance, this time at mangal arati. The padayatris fasted until 12pm, when arati and bhoga were offered to Srila Prabhupada and prasadam was served to all.
As we were about to leave Pukhrayan the following day our things were spread all over, so Mr Gupta helped us wind it up by calling his children and others to help. When padayatra departed the family were overwhelmed, for they had become attached to us and the oxen from so many days of serving us so well. Mr Gupta gave a set of dhoti and kurta to each padayatri and took our leave offering tilak and garlands to padayatra’s devotees. He then walked with us barefoot from his house to the national highway. We headed to the next town and that evening the Gupta family joined us there, just to be with us. Mr Gupta often calls me to ask after padayatra.
Janmashtami was thus celebrated very nicely this year.
