By Damodharlila dasa (Maharashtra Padayatra leader)
The Maharashtra Padayatra reached Akola on February 24, 2024, although Gaura-mandala Parikrama was near and we were due to go to Mayapur. Every year we padayatris attend the Vraja-mandala and Gaura-mandala parikramas, so as we couldn’t stay Akola centre leader Vaidarbhicaran dasa insisted we come back to join the local devotees for Gaura-purnima.
Accepting his request we left Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar and our oxen at the centre and went on parikrama. Upon our return we began preparations for the annual most-important festival of our lives, the appearance of our beloved Sri Gaurasundar, ably assisted by all the Akola devotees who are very enthusiastic and always ready for seva.
On Gaura-purnima day we all fasted till moonrise and then got ready for the evening programme that was to include a play. Abhisheka was performed of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar and fifty-six bhoga were offered to the Lord. I was tasked with giving a talk on the glories of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the significance of Gaura-purnima. Our spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, says we should celebrate Gaura-purnima like we celebrate Janmastami, that Gaura-purnima is equally important. It was the first time I was presenting a spiritual talk from such a big platform and I prayed to the spiritual masters that with the blessings of the Vaishnavas I could perform the seva for thirty to forty-five minutes. The programme concluded with prasadam distribution to all.
We were supposed to leave Akola after that, but zonal supervisor Anantasesh dasa said to stay for two or three days more and invited us to visit nearby places like Khamgaon to attend programmes about Gaura-purnima. Having discussed that with him we will schedule our next preaching programme in the Vidarbha region.
With the help of our senior and most dedicated disciple, Jiva Goswami dasa, we finished the colouring work on our new chariot while in Akola, Vaidarbhicaran and the centre devotees having sponsored the laxmi required for polishing the chariot.
I would like to thank Vaidarbhicaran and his team of devotees for arranging a wonderful Gaura-purnima festival. Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar would definitely be pleased with their service. This was the Lord’s arrangement and Maharaja’s desire that we came to Vidarbha at this time on our current round of Maharashtra.
Hare Krishna.
Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar ki jai.
Srila Prabhupada ki jai.
Srila Gurudev ki jai.
