Kumbha Mela 2001

[Guest guest]

My dear Prabhujis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

By the grace of Srila Prabhupada, we have managed to get 3 acres of land in

Kumbha Mela in one of the most prominent locations. This year, as you may know,

the Ganga floods have taken away some of the most prized locations where all

the akharas usually have their camps. This forces them to have their camps on

the opposite side of the Ganga up to Shastri Bridge, the place where we had our

camp in '89.

 

Still Mahamantra Das from Delhi came here and with his gentle persuasion, we

are just 200 meters down Shankaracharya Marg from our previous camp and just

over 1 km from the entrance of the Mela. In fact, Shankaracharya Marg is the

first major road to the left of Kali Marg, the main road into the Mela. Our

actual address is Sector 6 plot no. 8 Shankaracharya Marg right next to the

Railway Bridge, so it is very easy to find.

 

**The government estimates that 7.5 crores of pilgrims will visit the Mela,

with 3 crore alone on the main day Mauni Amavasya.** This will be the first

grand preaching opportunity of the new Millenium! The first picture on the

welcome page of the Official UP Govt. website <www.kumbhallahabad.com> features

a picture of Indradyumna Maharaja, with my self in the background, chanting at

the '89 Kumbha Mela.

 

When we got here, there was just empty sand in all directions, dotted with

electric poles and a lattice work of steel plates laid across the sand for

roads. Now our camp is almost ready, and most of the other camps are just

starting to spring up.

 

We have managed to erect more than 50 Swiss Cottage tents and 40 EP tents for

our guests and devotees, with about 8 dormitory tents ready for the heaviest

rushes. We have a huge pandal with Sura Dasa managing the stage program. We

have even heard from him that Anup Jalota may come and stay in our camp and

sing bhajans for the pleasure of the pilgrims.

 

Many senior devotees and sannyasis will be blessing us with their presence and

giving lectures in the pandal. Already we have heard that Gopal Krishna

Maharaja, Bhakti Caru Maharaja, Radha Govinda Maharaja, Indradyumna Maharaja,

Lokanatha Maharaja, Radhanatha Maharaja, Vedavyaspriya Maharaja, Kavichandra

Maharaja, and many others will be there. Saksi Gopal, Kurukshetra President,

has also promised to come and speak and, of course, my co-president Sarvabhauma

will also enliven us with his lectures.

 

There is an enormous prasad pandal where Bhima and Rupa Raghunatha Prabhus plan

to feed thousands of hungry pilgrims full plates of prasad daily. Next to that

is the prasad pandal for our guests and devotees, with raised brick platforms

for the plates to avoid sand being kicked onto the plates. Still, we have

already resigned ourselves who stay here for the month to eating at least 1 kg

of holy Ganga sand.

 

In between we have 10,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space with many beautiful

dioramas, book tables, Q&A booths, College preaching booth, and a large booth

for showing Abhay Charan Video, etc.

 

On New Year's day, the All India Padayatra will arrive in our camp with the

most beautiful Nitai Gaursundara and Their gorgeous brand new carved wood

ratha. They will stay with us the whole time and there will be daily harer nam

parties taken out around the Kumbha Mela Area. The Kumbha nectar only comes up

a few auspicious times, but we will shower auspicious Harer Namamrita daily on

all the pilgrims. Sanaka Sanatan, the Padayatra leader is staying with us right

now helping to set up the camp.

 

Jagjivan Prabhu from Mira Road is organizing the book distribution which is so

dear to our Srila Prabhupada's heart. He has gotten sponsors to subsidize

special small books to be distributed to the crores of villagers who attend

Kumbha Mela. We will not only have tables inside the camp, but devotees with

push carts and shoulder bags will wander throughout the Mela Kshetra

distributing the nectar of Srila Prabhupada's books.

 

In this way our camp will be daily showering the Mela with different types of

Amrita. Please plan to come and help in this wonderful endeavour to please our

dearly beloved Srila Prabhupada. In '89, our camp was the talk of the Mela and

we all felt Prabhupada's blessings on us. Again we have a camp that he would be

proud of. Come and get the nectar.

 

So many guests are anxious to stay in our camp. Already all the Swiss Cottages

are booked up for the Mauni Amavasya on the 24th January and other facilities

are going fast. Still for Makhara Sankranti, Jan 14th, and Vasant Pancami, Jan

29th, there are reservations available. Sura Das in Bombay is also coordinating

the bookings for accommodations.

 

All accommodation includes bedding, hot water, bathrooms, and full prasadam.

Since cars are not allowed on bathing days, prices are per tent for 3 days on

any bathing day, including one day before and one day after. We have 3 types of

facilities starting with the 3 bedroom Swiss Cottage Tents which come with cots

at Rs.15,000/tent/3 days. Holds up to 6 persons. Next is the European Plan tent

(EP) which is one 18x18 holding up to 12 persons without cots, and 8-10 with

cots. This is Rs.12,500/tent/3 days. Cots extra at Rs.300 ea. for 3 days. Then

we can divide the EP in half and we have Half EP tents for Rs.6,500/tent/3

days. This is good for couples or just a few friends who don't want to rent an

entire tent.

 

You can contact Sura Das in Bombay <surdas.gkg (AT) pamho (DOT) net> or your nearest

temple for making reservations. Or you can visit our websites

<www.kumbhamela2001.org> or <www.iskcontrust.org>.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

In service to Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa