By Radhika Vallabha Dasa (Padayatra leader)
By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga the Punjab-Haryana Padayatra was inaugurated on July 29, 2024, at Vrindavan dhama. Bhakti Vaishnava Asraya Maharaja, Radhyeshyamananda Maharaja and first All India Padayatra leader Jaya Vijay Dasa graced the ceremony. Many other senior devotees such as Prahlad Vatsal Dasa and several All India padayatris also attended. Padayatra’s rath was parked in the Srila Prabhupada samadhi temple courtyard.
Radhyeshyamananda Maharaja did the first arati of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar. A grand sankirtan was then performed and all danced to their hearts’ content. Jaya Vijay talked on the glories of padayatra and what miracles it is doing along the roads wherever it goes.
We are ten devotees walking from Vrindavan and the initial route of our padayatra will take us north to Chatta, Barsana, Nandagaon, Chaumuha, Koshi, Hodal, Palwal, Faridabad and Delhi in Haryana; then on to Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana; Jammu in the Kashmir region; and Himachal Pradesh, the northernmost state of India.
I request all the Vaishnavas to bless us so we can preach and spread the message of Godhead and become instrumental in fulfilling the prediction of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma, “In every town and village throughout the world the chanting of My holy name will be heard.” (Caitanya Bhagavat Antya-Khanda 4.126)
It’s all the mercy and inspiration of our spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, that this padayatra has come up. We all beg for your blessings. Please pray for us.
Srila Prabhupada ki jai.
Srila Gurudev ki jai.
Padayatra walking festival ki jai.