Seminar in Kumbha Mela

[Guest guest]

On Jan 16th Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Maharaj for the first time ever organized a

seminar in Kumbha Mela calling many noted scholars from Allahabad to come. The

topic was "The role of Spirituality in the New Millenium". It was organized by

two leading citzens of Allahabad who have been sent by Krishna to help us. Even

though it was on short notice, one of the senior most scholars of Allahabad,

Dr. Govind Chand Pande, agreed to be the Chief Guest.

 

As soon as it began to publicized, some reknowned saints asked to be included

as speakers. One was Gopal Swami, Saidas Babaji, and Raghavashray Brahmacari.

The scholars who spoke were Dr. Meera Srivastav, Dr. K. Sharma, Professor

Chattopadhaya, and Dr. Mishra, Surgeon, and Mrs. Khare. From our side,

Lokanatha Swami, Mother Narataki, and Deena Bandhu spoke. And Bhaktisvarupa

Damodar summarized everything at the end. Most everyone agree that now we have

had our fill of materialism so in the new millenium, we will see more and more

people turning to spirituality. Many of the scholars and saints had met Srila

Prabhupada and praised him immensely.

 

They were all very happy with the program even though it was at short notice,

but everyone felt it was a kickstart to get the topic going in intellectual

circles. They were all very anxious to call us back to Allahabad some time to

do a more extensive program. All of them took prasad in one very special tent

called darbari which we have erected just to host important people like this.

Each speaker was presented with a copy of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As

It Is.

 

Earliar in the day, we took the Harer Nama Sankirtan Party down to the Sangam.

Today Sarvabhauma, my co-president, came with us riding on the cart as due to

his great size, he's unable to walk. He looked like the grand Mahant with his

yellow Harer Nam Chaddar giving out little white Mahaprasad sugar sweets to

all.

 

As soon as we approached the Sangam Area, the police gave us an escort, many of

them singing and raising their hands in the air. Every so often we stopped and

addressed the crowds that gathered to take darshan of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura

Sundara and the many foreign devotees with us. All are amazed at the two

gujarati bulls, Krishna (who's blackish) and Baladev (who's white) with huge

curved horns who pull the cart. They are very peaceful and gentle despite their

formidable appearance. Pilgrims reach out to stroke their heads or sides and

bend to touch their feet.

 

Reaching the Sangam, we left Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara to mercifully glance

over us as all the devotees ran down to the Sangam to take an exhilarating dip.

The water is so cold at first. Everyone is yelling, "Ganga Meiya ki jaya!

Yamuna Meiya ki jaya!" After bathing, one feels as if 50 kilos has been removed

from one's shoulders and one's heart feels like it is shining like the sun. All

the foreign lady devotees are learning from watching the local women how to

expertly change their cloth without exposing their bodies. Then we went with

kirtan back to the camp for the seminar.

 

Food For Life is going on very smoothly which is amazing because usually it is

quite chaotic. We can sit almost a thousand people at a sitting and we do two

or three sittings. It is going on just like clock work. Rupa Raghunatha, Bhima,

and Braja Hari have organized it so nicely. At 11:30 we serve full prasadam,

puri, subji, rice, dal, and some sweet. In the night at 5 pm, we serve hot

kichari and burn your finger hot haleva. We sit everyone down and even that is

going on very smoothly, although previous Kumbhas when we served halevah it was

almost a riot. We have two lines blocked off from the rest just for serving

sadhus and mahatams. Somehow Prabhupada and Krishna must be very please with

us.

 

Yesterday to inaugurate the Food For Life distribution, the wife of Murli

Manohar Joshi came. Her husband is one of the most important and famous Central

Ministers in the Government. It was her birthday and she wante to feed people

to celebrate it. She was greeted at the gate by the Harer Nama Sankirtan Party

that was just leaving. Then Sura Das, Bhima, Sarvabhauma, and Narataki Mataji

escorted her to our huge Prasad Pandal. There first she served prasad to the

sadhus and then went to the other side to serve the pilgrims. Her face was

beaming. Later in the Darbari Tent, Rupa Raghunata presented her with a murti

of Makhanchor. She laughed and said this is the best birthday present she could

ever imagine. We also presented her with Bhagavad Gita our Kumbha Mela calendar

and diary. She then was served some snacks and one of the sweets was the sweet

that is traditionally given in her family on birthdays so she was very

appreciative. Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya! Maha Kumbha Mela Ki Jaya!

 

In service to Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa