Twentieth Czech Padayatra! Young enough to be full of energy and flexible, and experienced enough to run very smoothly! This 2013 Padayatra was exceptional because the weather was extremely hot and sunny, which showed in the number of visitors to our blissful evening programs. I dare to say that these programs are quite professional and attractive consisting of chanting, bharat natyam dance, drama, lecture, singing and dancing competitions, sweets for everyone, painting of gopi dots and a book stall. This year we introduced another attraction – the throwing of maha bananas to the crowd from the padayatra cart!
A lot of devotees participated – there was always around twenty of us. The route was very appealing – we walked through Southern Bohemia, a very picturesque part of the Czech Republic with forests, fields, meadows, and many lakes. We especially appreciated the lakes due to the hot weather, and the friendly people ! We also visited some big towns and cities, and these were the places with record attendance during the programs: at the castle of Jindrichuv Hradec and the main square of Ceske Budejovice and Cesky Krumlov. In each of these places hundreds of people came! Our visit to Cesky Krumlov, a famous tourist destination with beautiful historical buildings and a wonderful castle, was a very nice ending to our padayatra . When our harinam was marching through the town with matajis dancing like gopis in front of the parade , people were fascinated and were taking pictures as in a trance! We were like a tsunami or like an avalanche of colorful spiritual energy!
The most special program was held in Ceska Koruna – a famous camp at the bank of the Vltava river where hundreds of water sportsmen were sitting and drinking beer. It was raining that evening, so we were wondering whether to do a program or not. At one point, the rain stopped and we decided to do it – a few cars of devotees came and hundreds of really badly conditioned souls in water sportsmen bodies were attacked by this Hare Krishna explosion. We came, started to sing and distribute sweets, then the rain came, but still Lila Mohini, our bharat natyam dancer, performed – and she really enjoyed dancing in the rain!
The mercy had to keep going out by the Hare Krishna S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons And Tactics)! Quickly! After the dance the rain was getting heavier, so we quickly packed everything and disappeared.
Besides these big programs, Padayatra was mainly passing through small villages. Often times there were not many people when we arrived in a village with the harinam party. But, as if by miracle, many came for the evening program. All glories to the advertizing group! There is nothing better than seeing people singing and dancing with us with sparkling eyes and Srila Prabhupada’s book in their hands. All the hardships and austerities of our two-week walk seemed insignificant at such a moment. And sometimes these austerities were quite substantial – sleeping in such incredible places as a cinema neighboring with a disco (there was no question of sleeping), taking bath outside in the cold mornings and walking at noon under the scorching sun. Didn’t matter! The mercy must go out! And it surely will, year after year!
Czech Padayatra 2013 ki jaya! Looking forward to the next one!
Muni Priya Prabhu speaking to the audience in Ceske Budejovice
news article
Nrsimha Caitanya, Sarasvati, Kamala Manjari and Sanatan in kitchen
on the road
procession
program on castle courtyard in Jindrichuv Hradec
winners of dancing and chanting competition
Lila Mohini dancing in the rain in Ceska Koruna