By Jayabhadra devi dasi (Padayatra coordinator)
Padayatra is a walking temple, every day is an adventure for the padayatris. Each day a new place, a new experience and meeting new people, with no idea where they will stay the next day and fully dependent on the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar.
One day prior to their arrival they go for advance party and some things become clear, like accommodation. Sometimes in spite of advance party they don’t get a place to stay, so they stay in a temple.
They need a place for all the padayatris, including their four-legged padayatris. Often in the rainy season our oxen do not get shelter, so they stand the whole night in rain. Tolerating all seasons while preaching, dancing and distributing books, everyone carries on with their journey.
For them festivals like the Vraja-mandala Parikrama, the Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama, and the Vyasa-puja of our spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, at Pandharpur are a great spiritual happiness.
This year all the padayatris from India’s seven padayatras – the All India, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal padayatras – attended the Ashadi festival at Pandharpur on June 29 that was also Maharaja’s Vyasa-puja celebration. The whole year they are walking and preaching in different parts of India, so getting them all together at one place is very difficult.
Therefore, the day before the festival we arranged a meeting at the Bhuvaikuntha office of ISKCON’s Pandharpur temple hosted by ex-padayatri Istadev dasa and Nagpur zonal supervisor Harikirtan dasa, both senior Lokanath Maharaja disciples, along with padayatra coordinator Meghashyam dasa, so they could share their experiences. Istadev guided them, Harikirtan inspired them and Meghashyam, a doctor by profession, discussed relevant health issues.
It was a wonderful experience having everyone together under one shelter. We thanked the padayatris for all they are doing and Maharaja expressed his great satisfaction with their services.
All glories to all the padayatris.
All glories to our inspiration, Lokanath Maharaja.
