Feb 20
– Walked from Kumbha- mela ground to scout camp (6 kms)
– Total books distributed: 57 small, 25 medium, 30 Gitas
– School program conducted.
Feb 21
– Walked from scout camp to Shivpur, RP intermediate college (10 kms)
– Total books distributed: 289 small, 63 medium, 65 Gitas, 3 Ramayans
– School program conducted.
Kumbha-mela, Allahabad 2013 Sarvabhauma das
Feb 22
– Walked to Mahesh Ganj (10 kms)
– Total books distributed: 501 small, 66 medium, 1 big, 77 Gitas
The holy names transformed a mad lady:
In the village of Mahesh Ganj, while Gaur Nitai were out on their eternal sankirtan procession we came across one mad lady whirling a large log of wood at the oncoming cars. Our party was apprehensive to walk past her but to our surprise she suddenly dropped her log and started dancing with the kirtan. All the devotees were overjoyed to see such a dramatic change and we realized it to be the strength of the Hare Krishna maha- mantra. She even followed us back to attend the Gaura arati and the evening lecture.
Govinda das, Allahabad
Feb 23
Walked till Mansurabad (5 kms)
Total books distributed: 377 small, 75 medium, 1 big, 1 Ramayan, 79 Gitas
Nityananda trayodasi: evening abhishek festival attended by 50 villagers
Bathing in a very holy place:
Five kms near Mansurabad is the exact spot where Sumant, the charioteer of Lord Rama, drove Him to begin his 14 year exile. This is where the famous pastime of Kevat ferrying Lord Rama across the Ganges took place:
As Mother Sita, Lord Rama and Laxman were preparing to enter the forest, they came across a wide part of the Ganges . Lord Rama approached a boatman to ferry them across the river but the devotee Kevat wanted to serve Them by washing Their feet. So he started an argument and said “ I have heard that by the touch of Lord Rama’s feet a stone was transformed into a beautiful lady named Ahulya. I fear that if those same feet enter my boat then my only source of income would be transformed into a lady and I will be doomed. So the only way I will let You enter my boat is that I will carefully wash Your feet and spread leaves and grasses in it to avoid the same dust touching my boat.†In this way the most fortunate Kevat washed Lord Rama’s feet with tears of love streaming down his cheeks. After crossing the Ganges, Lord Rama proceeded to Bharadvaj Muni’s ashram in Prayag.
Devotees took their noon bath at that same spot where this pastime had taken place and later on performed harinam sankirtan while the amused crowd sang along.
Shivpur, near Allahabad
Feb 24
Walked to Lal Gopal Ganj (8 kms)
Total books distributed: 308 small, 84 medium, 86 Gitas
left to right: 1. Bhakta Pawan, 2. Balaram das (B. vikas swami), 3. visiting guest from South India
Feb 25
Walked to Chevanga (12 kms)
Total books distributed: 250 small, 49 medium, 2 Ramayan, 53 Gitas
Feb 26
Walked to Mandal Baso (10 kms)
Total books distributed: 442 small, 86 medium, 2 Ramayan, 89 Gitas
Govinda das (bulls left to right) Balaram & Nrisingha, UP
Feb 27
Walked to Saraianadev (18 kms)
Total books distributed: 476 small, 172 medium, 2 Ramayan, 179 Gitas
School preaching & village sankirtan
Kumbha-mela
Feb 28:
Walked to Pratapnagar (15 kms)
Total books distributed:480 small, 186 medium, 2 big, 2 Ramayan, 206 Gitas
UP
Balaram das
Sivaram das (saffron) and Bhakta Pavan, near Allahabad
March 1st
Stayed at Pratapnagar
Total books distributed: 710 small, 299 medium, 9 Ramayan, 343 Gitas
Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar toured Pratapnagar’s market places along with Their devotees chanting the holy names and vigorously distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. Today was a huge sankirtan score with lots of shopkeepers unhesitatingly accepting our books.
Bhakta Santosh and Vaikunthaloka das
March 2
Distance covered: 7 kms
Total books distributed: 195 small, 125 medium, 2 Ramayan, 126 Gitas
Stayed at Godegaon Durga mandir: devotees fasted till 12 noon honouring the appearance of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. We passed through a village called Amlapur which is famous for its manufacture of all kinds of amla products from jams, pickles and juices
to amla laddus. Upon arriving our destination, a small school in the middle of amla fields, we held a pushpanjali and arati for Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur along with some vaishnava bhajans. Hearing our kirtan all the school children came out and joined us in the celebrations. Later on we distributed prasad to all the children.
Amlapur UP
Nitai Gaurasundar went out for Their evening sankirtan yatra and all the school children joined us. The kids were dancing in a long line well ahead of us leading the route through the village. They loved us. They also watched a cartoon film of Krishna on the projector.
Amlapur UP
Bhakta Santosh, UP
March 3
Walked to Ram Ganj’s school (15 kms)
Total books distributed:298 small, 137 medium, 1 Ramayan, 154 Gitas
Balaram das, UP
March 4
Walked to Uttarigaon’s school
Distance covered: 12 kms
Total books distributed:175 small, 76 medium, 1 big, 82 Gitas
Ritudvip das
March 5
Walked to Sultanpur
Distance covered: 11 kms
Total books distributed: 271 small, 202 medium, 1 big, 4 Ramayan, 214 Gitas
Sitakund, UP
March 6
Stayed at Sultanpur
Total books distributed: 336 small, 239 medium, 2 big, 2 Ramayan, 272 Gitas
March 7
Walked to Khanpur, Katka
Distance covered: 10 kms
Total books distributed: 302 small, 1 big, 5 Ramayan, 82 Gitas
Govinda das, UP
March 8
Walked to Kurebhak
Distance covered: 11 kms
Total books distributed: 510 small, 3 Ramayan, 137 Gitas
The principal of the school where we stayed joined us on padayatra.
March 9
Walked to Khajrahat
Distance covered: 13 kms
Total books distributed: 494 small, 1 Ramayan, 102 Gitas
March 10
Walked to Nandigram, Bharatkund (where Bharat & Hanuman met)
Distance covered: 10 kms
Total books distributed: 498 small, 125 Gitas
5kms before Ayodhya
March 11
Walked to Faizabad
Distance covered: 13 kms
Total books distributed: 710 small, 2 Ramayan, 211 Gitas
Same place, Govinda das
Same place, Bhakta Pawan with hands raised
Acharya das
April and May
Padayatra is now walking through eastern part of Uttar Pradesh near the famous city of Gorakhpur. Srila Prabhupada once came there to meet the famous Hanuman Prasad Poddar and showed him his manuscripts of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
“Hitsaran Sharma was qualified to help for two reasons: he was the secretary to J. D. Dalmia, a wealthy philanthropist, and he was the owner of a commercial printing works, Radha Press. According to Mr. Sharma, Mr. Dalmia would not directly give money to Bhaktivedanta Swami, even if his secretary suggested it. Mr. Sharma therefore advised Bhaktivedanta Swami to go to Gorakhpur and show his manuscript to Hanuman Prasad Poddar, a religious publisher. Accepting this as good advice, Bhaktivedanta Swami journeyed to Gorakhpur, some 475 miles from Delhi. Even such a trip as this constituted a financial strain. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s daily ledger showed a balance of one hundred and thirty rupees as of August 8, 1962, the day he started for Gorakhpur. By the time he reached Lucknow he was down to fifty-seven rupees. Travel from Lucknow to Gorakhpur cost another six rupees, and the ricksha to Mr. Poddar’s home cost eighty paisa. But the trip was well worth the cost. Bhaktivedanta Swami presented Mr. Poddar with his letter of introduction from Hitsaran Sharma and then showed him his manuscript. :After briefly examining the manuscript, Mr. Poddar concluded it to be a highly developed work that should be supported. He agreed to
send a donation of four thousand rupees to the Dalmia Trust in Delhi, to be used towards the publication of Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
(Lilamrita, by Satsvarupa Goswami)
Acharya das, UP
We are now very near to the border of Nepal (100 miles) and plans are that we will soon visit Nepal. Devotees are enjoying the cool breezes blowing down from Nepal and for April the weather is wonderful. It gets a bit cold at nights though and devotees have to wear shawls. We got a few light showers and some drizzling mornings. The bulls and devotees are happy with the weather.
Vaman, UP
The villagers we meet everyday are generally simple pious people. They are instantly attracted to our huge bulls, the life size of the deity of Srila Prabhupada and Their all-beautiful Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar. Many inquisitive people ask where the bulls are from, what we feed them and whether the deity of Srila Prabhupada is a statue or a real person. They happily accept Srila Prabhupad’s books and talked about the bulls amongst themselves. We must understand that these fortunate villagers have spent their entire lives amongst bulls, cows and paddy fields which are their source of livelihood. They love and respect the cow and the bull as mother and father and to see such a sight is a source of great joy and interest.
Mahavishnu Swami visited the padayatra 70 kms before Gorakhpur. He kindly spared some of his valuable time from his busy preaching schedule and enlivened the devotees with his melodious kirtans and wonderful Krishna Katha. Besides Maharaja we have with us Akhiladhar Prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who is giving us constant valuable guidance and association. He has been walking on Padayatra India for a total of 7 years and 2 years on the American Padayatra.
Khalilabad, UP
Devotees of foreign origin are a great hit on padayatra. They are an instant eye-catcher and the crowds are impressed at their sincere dedication and surrender. This a clever tactic devised by Srila Prabhupada after he saw the poor response of the Indians copying the western fashion. He presented Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message using his western disciples to attract the crowds and his plan will continue to strengthen the faith of Indian nationals in their own precious spiritual culture.
UP 2013
Lokanath Swami, minister of Padayatra Worldwide, is urging interested temples to start small padayatra groups and walk to rural areas in their vicinity. This is the ideal engagement for brahmacharis and vanaprasthas, as they can practically learn the life of simplicity, austerity and dependence on the Lord. It is beneficial for both us devotees and the general public. Those who are spiritually advanced should visit people in general to attract them towards spirituality and this is the essential reason of our acaryas forming large institutions and temples.
Kirtan organised by some resident diciples of HH Radha Govinda Swami.
Padayatra is not such a difficult task. All it needs is a group of fired up devotees who want
to serve Srila Prabhupada and the public by distributing the holy names and Srila Prabupada’s books to our rural masses. They are better recipients as they have simple lives and are trained to respect God and His devotees from their very childhood. If we don’t nourish their inherent culture then no doubt, within a short time the next generation will lose this culture. As
we are entering the 21st century, the age of information technology and mass media, they are already influenced by satellite television and internet facilities profusely available at nominal costs. No matter whether they have a mud hut or a straw roof, they must have a TV with a cable connection.
Mahavishnu Swami with his secretary distributing books, Khalilabad, UP
Padayatra will be entering into Bihar this June, distributing the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Gaura Nitai to all the eagerly awaiting souls.
If you are willing to be a part of this transcendental journey then please do contact our Padayatra leader on the road, Acarya Das. He is available on his mobile phone any time:
09 71 98 52 151
