Kumbha Mela 2001

[Guest guest]

On the 12th we took our Harer Nama procession with all the Manipuri drummers to

Dasasvamedha Ghat. This is the place where Mahaprabhu met Rupa Gosvami at Magh

Mela and instructed him in the science of Bhakti. Twice Mahaprabhu spoke about

this meeting in Caitanya Caritamrita. Once to Svarup Damodar and once to

Ramananda Raya. Mahaprabhu told the same to both of them that I met Rupa

Gosvami at Prayag and seeing him a fit person, I bestowed my full mercy on him.

So we can just imagine Rupa Gosvami's position.

 

We had an unbelievable kirtan as devotees rushed up the stairs to take darshan

of the footprints of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. At that very moment Radhanatha

Swami and 30 congregation devotees headed by Mahaprabhu das caught up with the

kirtan party. They had arrived just as we were going our our camp gate.

 

These footprints in a 1 meter white marble plaque were installed by the local

Gaudiya Matha at this very ancient temple on the bank of Ganga. It is hardly

over 1 km from our camp.

 

When we returned we found that our camp is overwhelmed by the influx of

devotees. We now are the largest ISKCON temple on the planet. The spirit of

cooperation for pleasing Srila Prabhupada is running high despite all the

austerities and cold nights and mornings. By the 14th we have more than 400

devotees here. Some people would like us to believe that ISKCON is dead, but

our camp is proof that it is very much alive. Meanwhile our rival camp has aout

10 devotees.

 

By the 13th our Food for Life distribution is in full swing running under Rupa

Raghunatha das, Bhima Prabhu, and Braja Hari. 700 people sit at one time and

there are 3 - 4 sittings in an enormous pandal with Yellow cloth roof. Even the

devotee pandal has to have 3 sittings to feed all the guests and devotees. On

Makara Sankrant Day the distribution was sponsored by Govinda Prasad Srivatsav

from Bombay. Gopal Krishna Maharaj was also there personally serving the

pilgrims. Besides puri, subji, dal and rice, there was unlimited sweet rice.

 

After Guru Puja on Makara Sankranti, we took chota Nitai Gaursundara and a

small Srila Prabhupada murti on procession to take bath. The Padayatra cart is

illegal to go out on the main bathing days. We went on procession with hundreds

of devotees and guests to take our bath. Unfortunately they had shut all the

pontoon bridges to the Sangam side until the Naga Babas would finish their

bath. Eventually we arrived at a bridge where the procession was returning and

we were cut off from going forward. So everyone got the rare opportunity to

have darshan of thousands of naked sadhus, bodies covered with ash all joyfully

returning from their bath.

 

After awhile seeing that the procession was going to take hours, we returned

and took another route. That route was very easy to move on and we circumvented

the procession. Finally we arrived at the bank of the Ganga. There was a large

area in front of where thousands of people were bathing. The Manipuris

performed for about an hour for the pleasure of all the pilgrims. Even the

police were dancing in ecstasy.

 

Then we all took Srila Prabhupada down to the Ganga and dipped him into the

Ganga. The Gaura Nitai pujari walked into the water with Gaura Nitai on his

head. THe devotees joyfully sprinkled water over them. The water was very

exhilerating and all the devotees were bathing while shouting "Ganga Maya ki

jay!" Then we returned to our camp with kirtan procession. This is the Harer

Nama paradise. All the pilgrims smile and raise their hands in the air. Sadhus

feel very happy and bless the devotees for spiritualizing the atmosphere. So

many smiles, some with teeth, some without, some crooked or with big gaps

between the teeth. Everyone loves the kirtan party.

 

Back at the camp in the afternoon, Saksi Gopal, Lokanatha Maharaj, and Gopal

Krishna Maharaja lecture to a packed panda. Thousands of eople are streaming

through the exhibits. This is KUMBHA MELA!