By Jayabhadra devi dasi – IGF preacher ISKCON Amravati
Following the ISKCON Girls’ Forum Vaishnavi padayatra at Amravati, I had been looking for the opportunity to hold such walks in our nearby centres. When the chance came to have a children’s padayatra at Dhamangaon it seemed natural to follow that with a Vaishnavi padayatra later that day, an idea to which ISKCON centre leader Damodardulal dasa kindly agreed. At the end of the little Vaishnavas’ padayatra on the morning of May 19, we then made ready for a Vaishnavi padayatra to be held that evening.
A cycle cart was decorated with balloons and colourful laces and a photo of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara was framed and put on the rath, so that everyone could have darshan. In front of the procession would be small Gaura-Nitai deities, behind Them two matajis holding the banner, and then the rath followed by matajis singing kirtan.
Damodardulal’s mother, Kamala mataji, waved the flag and inaugurated padayatra outside the centre at 5:30pm. About thirty matajis joined the parade, and when I sought assurance along the way that no-one was getting tired, their answer was “the Lord is with us – how can we be tired?” We happily walked and sang for about 5km in the pleasant evening atmosphere, stopping at every square to make announcements about the glories of the holy name and the goal of our padayatra. We also performed street plays on four topics: “What is Padayatra?”; “The Importance of Bhagavad-gita”; “Glories of the Holy Name”; and “Regular Satsanga Programme in Dhamangaon,” which were all much appreciated by the public and our matajis.
We reached our destination at Mr Yadav’s house in Dattapur at 8pm, where the family welcomed us with garlands. It was Mr Yadav’s daughter’s birthday, and we joined in the celebration with a birthday song for her, ISKCON style: “Hare Krishna to you, Hare Rama to you.” Then we all honoured prasadam and shared our realizations, thanking each one who joined the party and declaring padayatra successfully completed.
