Sri Navadwipa Mandal Parikram 2005 (1st report)

[Guest guest]

Sri Navadwipa Mandal Parikram 2005

 

Dear Devotees,

 

Dandavat Pranams.

 

As every year we have the visit of thousands of devotees from the world over

who come to the most merciful holy dham of Sri Mayapur to join and

participate in our festivals organized by Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir as

per HDG Srila Prabhupada's desire giving the opportunity in all means to the

devotees to be engaged in devotional service and to take advantage of their

pilgrimage to this most holy place.

 

Amongst these services are the organization of the Sri Navadwipa Mandal

Parikram which takes the devotees for a spiritual journey to the tirthas in

Navadwipa dham where Their Lordships Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, Sri Adwaita Prabhu, Sri Gadadhar Pandit, Srivas Pandit and their

associates perform their transcendental pastimes for the wellbeing and

spiritual advancement of all living entities with no distinction.

 

This year as usual thousands of devotees from different countries who were

assisting for the Maha Reunion of Srila Prabhupada's disciples and for the

Sri Panca Tattva Bhagavan Maha-abhisheka decided to join this unique

opportunity to visit the holy places in Sri Navadwipa Dham along with

thousands of devotees from West Bengal and other parts of India making it

one of the biggest and most organized parikrams that we had in our society.

 

As you all know a day before the Parikram starts devotees go in procession (

Adivas Parikram) to Sri Yoga Pita ( the appearance place of Lord Gauranga in

Antardwipa) to have darshan of the highest spiritual place in the Universe

and to get blessings for the success of the parikram that starts on March

14th until March 20th, during this day a part from having kirtans devotees

have the opportunity to hear from senior vaishnavas some stories about Sri

Yoga Pitha and about the places that are going to be visited as well as

about some realizations that devotes have after this great experience.

 

For the pleasure of all the vaishnavas we are posting the itinerary that

devotees take during this Sri Navadwipa Mandal Parikram 2005, starting on

13th as we mentioned as Adivas Parikram leaving from Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya

Mandir till Sri Yoga Pitha carrying the deities of Srila Prabhupada as well

as the Deities of Sri Gaur-Nitai and having amongst the devotee for sure

Gulab (the elephant) that always is present in our processions in Mayapur.

 

While in Sri Yoga Pitha (Antardwipa) devotees had the opportunity to visit

the following Holy places:

 

1. Kshetrapal Shiva

2. Lakshmi Narasimhadeva

3. Gaur Gadadhar

4. Birth place of Lord Chaitanya

5. Bharadvaja Tala

6. Jayadeva Goswami Sripat

7. Mahaprabhu Ghat

8. Barkona Ghat

9. Vriddha Shiva Ghat

10. Madhai Ghat

11. Nagaria Ghat

 

After the program in Yoga Pitha, all the devotees came back to our temple

and prepared themselves for the main parikram tour which started at 5:30 am

on 14th of March.

 

The Parikram is divided into 2 groups since the pilgrims are in thousands,

1st The Namahatta group and 2nd the International group.

 

** 1st day on 14th of March 2005, devotees visited Godrumdvip (Kirtanakhya)

leaving from Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir to Hari Hara Kshetra, covering a

distance of 12 km. Starting from Samadhi Ghat at 5:30 am to Panchanantala

where they had breakfast and at night they stayed at Hari Hara Kshetra.

 

The Holy places devotees visited during this day were:

 

1. Nandana Acharya Bhavan: Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda Prabhu met for the

first time.

2. Narasimhapally: Sri Narasimhadeva rested after killing Hiranyakasipu.

3. Devapally: The devas worshiped Sri Narasimhadeva.

4. Mandakini Lake: Sri Narasimhadeva washed His nails tainted by

Hiranyakasipu's blood.

5. Alakananda River

6. Hari Hara Kshetra: Replica of Varanasi, Deity of Hari Hara-Half Vishnu

and Half Siva.

 

** 2nd day on 15th of March belongs to visit Godrumdvip (Kirtanakhya)

starting from Hari Hara Kshetra to Swarup Ganj covering a distance of 8 km,

having breakfast at Gauradaha.

 

The Holy places devotees visited during this day were:

 

1. Aam- ghata-Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu planted a mango seed, which

immediately developed into a mango seed, which immediately developed

into a tree bearing ripe fruits.

2. Suvarna Vihar-Site of the capital city of King Suvarna Sena, who

later appeared as Buddhimanta Khan, an associate of Sri Chaitanya

Mahaprabhu.

3. Gauradaha

4. Svananda Sukhada kunja- Gaura Gadadhara Temple, Residence and

Samadhi of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura.

5. Bhajan Kutir of Gaura Kishore Das Babaji Maharaj.

6. Samadhi Mandir of Krishna Das Babaji.

7. Surabhi Kunja-Lord Indra came with Surabhi and worshiped Lord

Chaitanya to beg forgiveness for his offense (Before Lord Caitanya's

appearance). Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura started the head office of

the Nama-Hatta preaching program.

8. ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Arogya Ashram. (here devotees stayed at night)

 

 

** 3rd day on 16th March 2005 - Madhyadvip (Smaranakhya) And Koladvip

(Padasevanakhya) Starting at 5:30 am from Bhaktivedanta Arogya Ashram to

Pratapnagar covering a distance of 12 Km. having breakfast at Gauranga Setu

and stayed at night at Pratap Nagar.

 

Holy places visited during this day were:

 

1. Hamsa Vahan- Lord Shiva rode on Lord Brahma's swan in order to reach

the place where Suta Goswami was describing the glories of Sri

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

2. Gomati River

3. Naimisaranya

4. Brahma Pushkar

5. Kurukshetra

6. Panchaveni (Confluence of five holy rivers)

Crossing Ganga by boat

7. Paramatala (Praura Maya Mandir) Maha Harinam Sankirtan through the

streets of Navadwipa town.

8. Bhajan Kutir of Jagannath Das Babaji

9. Sri Dhameswar Mahaprabhu- Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Deity worshiped

by his consort Srimati Vishnupriya Devi.

 

** 4th day on 17th March 2005 - Ritudvip (Archanakhaya) starting from

Pratapnagar at 5:30 am to Vidyanagar visiting on the way by boat Saudragar

and than having breakfast at Champahati, staying at night at Vidyanagar High

School covering a distance of 12 Km.

 

Holy places visited during this day were:

 

1. Siddheswaritala- This place is non different from Ganga Sagar.

2. Samudragar-King Samudra Sena used to live here.

3. Champahati-Gaura Gadadhara Mandir, Residence of Dvija Vaninath.

4. Ratupura- Replica of Radha Kunda

5. Vidya Nagar- Birth places of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and residence

of his brother Vidya Vacaspathi.

 

During all these days devotees have the association and hear lectures from

various Gurus, Sanyasis and senior devotees as Their Holinesses Jayapataka

Swami, Gopal Krsna Goswami, Sacinandana Swami, Mahavishnu Swami. Kavicandra

Swami, Paramgati Swami, Bhaktivrajendranandana Swami, Subhag Maharaja,

Gauranga Prema Swami, Navayogendra Swami. Radha Raman Swami, Bhaktisidhanta

Swami and HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu, making this parikram an unforgettable

experience for all the devotees since they are at the same place where the

nectarean pastimes of the Panca Tattva and Their Associates were performed

500 years ago.

 

This was a brief report on the places visited until today 17th of March, in

the next few days we will report more news on activities and places visited.

 

Please visit our website. www.mayapur.info for pictures and more news.

 

YS

 

Tusti Mohan Krsna das.

 

P.S. We would like to thank all the devotees who provided us with pictures

from this parikram.