By Damodarlila dasa, Maharashtra Padayatra leader
Since March 19 the Maharashtra Padayatra has been staying at Sawantwadi, a large town on Maharashtra’s tropical Konkan coast between Mumbai and Goa. Sawantwadi ISKCON leader Vasusresta dasa welcomed us with an open heart, saying it was always his desire that padayatris should give their association.
Balarama Jayanti
As Balarama Jayanti was nearing, the padayatris along with the Sawantwadi devotees began thinking how in this lockdown situation we would be able to observe the approaching festival period. Balarama is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master, and we thought that as Lord Balarama would appear, He would give us the spiritual strength needed to carry out our services nicely. We celebrated Balarama Jayanti on August 3. By the Lord’s arrangement our godbrother Nayanautsava dasa had been giving us his association for two months, and we requested him to speak on the glories of Lord Balarama, thus inspiring us to take shelter of He who provides adhyatmik bal throughout life’s ups and downs.
Janmastami
Beginning the day after Balarama Jayanti there was a week of Sri Krsna-katha by congregation devotee Bhakta Prahlad dasa, and I was invited to speak on one of those days. On the morning of Janmastami we had mangala-arati of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar. The decoration was arranged by Panduranga dasa who stayed awake the whole night, along with a few other devotees, adorning the deities and the hall. About fifty congregation devotees took part in the celebration. All the devotees had nirajala, although they looked bright and were ready to jump in the sankirtan. Devakiputra dasa’s chota Gaura-Nitai were brought for a grand abhisheka with a powerful kirtan going on. After abhisheka more than fifty-six bhoga were offered to Their Lordships, but just as the kirtan was roaring a police van arrived we were told to stop. When we explained to the police that it was Janmastami, the appearance of the Lord who would save us all from the pandemic and its associated problems, they were pacified but said social distancing and proper hygiene had to be maintained. When they left, we started kirtan again and finally the moment we anticipate throughout the year arrived. Haribol: it turned midnight and we all shouted “Krishna kanahaiya lal, ki jai.” Then there was the cake cutting followed by prasadam, the cooking seva, under the meticulous guidance of Prahlad Vatsal dasa, done by us padayatris.
Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day
The next day was the appearance of our beloved Srila Prabhupada. We cannot think of life without him. On the padayatra cart Srila Prabhupada is sitting and giving darshan to people of the towns and villages wherever padayatra goes. Many people come and as they look at him, they start talking to him and then ask us, “This maharaja is continuously sitting. He looks grave but doesn’t he talk?” Prabhupada is always with us when we are on padayatra. He helps us in preaching and when people look at him and buy books, we tell them, “This maharaja has written this book.” At every moment we feel his presence in padayatra.
The celebrations started with bhajans followed by katha glorifying Srila Prabhupada. After devotees had shared their offerings to Srila Prabhupada with all of us there was a pushpa-abhisheka of Prabhupada followed by guru puja and maha-prasadam.
The lockdown could not dampen our enthusiasm. We all participated in the celebrations and served with all our hearts. But we all miss walking on the roads with Nitai-Gaurasundar, book distribution and preaching. We all pray at Lords Krishna’s lotus feet that soon the situation will become normal and we can resume our padayatra.
Srila Prabhupada ki jai.
