SP did not like harmonium at Mangala Arati

[Guest guest]

> Another time, in Vrindavan also, devotees had started singing kirtan

> during aroti with harmonium. This did not please Srila Prabhupada. Once,

> Srila Prabhupada could hear a devotee singing with harmonium, and so he

> asked me to go tell the devotee to stop singing with harmonium. I went to

> the temple and saw that it was Baradvaja Prabhu singing. I approached him

> and told him that Srila Prabhupada did not want him to sing with

> harmonium. I then went back to Srila Prabhupada's quarters, and Srila

> Prabhupada asked me, "Who was the devotee singing?"

> I replied, "It was Baradvaja Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada."

> Then Srila Prabhupada replied, "Oh, it was Baradvaja? He can sing with

> harmonium."

 

In RDTSKP at Maya-ami, Florida, February 1974, I heard Riksaraja dasa

arguing with Suhotra about harmonium.

 

Riksaraja quoted, Srila bhaktivinode Thakura saying that' Harmonium was for

sentimental women', but Suhotra said "but our guru, plays it while singing

bhajanas, so we follow our guru's example".

 

but I never remember hearing it played when Srila Prabhupada was visiting a

temple.

 

... in 1975 in L.A. & Chicago, and in 1976 NV, WV I never saw it played for

arati, and especially Mangala arati..

 

When I joined Radha Damodara TSKP in MAY 1973 it was called (VJ's raiders

then). IN North American temples then, Visnujana Swami was famous for

leading Mangala arati with Harmonium.

 

After TKG joined June 7th 1974, after a few months being with him and VJ in

Berserkly, Calif, TKG had me go out with the van parties the other side of

the USA from him and VJ Swami, so I had very little association with VJ'

swami's harmonium style mangala arati.

 

I recalled it fondly, But in early 1976 at NY 55th st temple, VJ swami and I

were waiting to catch a rdtskp bus going to JFK airport, I remember sitting

inside the temple, with VJ Swami on a seat.

 

I asked Him, Maharaja, you used to play harmonium at Mangala Arati and all

the devotees where captivated by the sound, but I don't hear you doing that

anymore, why? He replied-visibly depressed", Yes I liked to play it very

much, but I was told that Srila Prabhupada didn't like Harmonium to be

played during Mangala Arati, so I stopped."

 

In 1977 September I saw paramananda dasa in Gita nagari play it during M.A.

and I was perturbed, knowing that VJ swami had said Prabhupada didn't like

it.

 

But still some people remembered VJ Swami doing it at one time or another,

so they tried to do it, (and still do, this year in KB mandir, vrndavana I

caught some indian boy kirtanier try to use harmonium at Nrsimhadev

prayers after M.A. and I stopped Him.

 

aspiring for eternal service of PrabhupAda's Krishna-BalarAma in VrajadhAma.

 

Vaishnava daasaanundaasaha,

 

TridaNDi BhikSu, Bhakti Visrambha MAdhava

[Guest guest]

Harmoniums are not traditional, Vedic instruments. It's all fine and

good to talk about recreating "Vedic culture," but harmoniums are

definitely not Vedic. They were adopted for use in India during the

19th century when French missionaries first introduced them.