Padayatra enters Kumbha Mela 2001

[Guest guest]

Yesterday the Padayatra arrived in our Camp after a procession with ecstatic

kirtan from the middle of the town. They stopped at Sri Rupa Gaudiya Math which

is just near the Mela Area and is the place where our Srila Prabhupada took

initiation from His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada.

Then they went through the main road of Dara Gunj where the Veni Madhava Mandir

and Dasasvamedha Ghat are located. Mahaprabhu took darshan of this Mandir and

instructed Rupa Goswami for ten days at Dasasvamedha Ghat. Today they didn't go

there but sometime during the Mela we will come with our harer nama procession

and hundreds of devotees.

 

By this time they asked me to lead the kirtan. Then we proceed to the main

entrance of the Mela first stopping to have an enthusiastic kirtan in front of

the Government Mela Offices. Everyone came out to take darshan of Their Most

Merciful Sri Sri Nitai Gaursundara in Their brand new beautifully hand carved

rath. By Lord's will many press reporters were there with their cameras and we

got nice coverage.

 

Then we came down the broad road from the dike into the Mela Area. We crossed

one of the many pontoon bridges (peepa pul) erected across the Ganga into the

camp area. Many saints and sadhus came out of their camps to take darshan.

 

When we reached our ISKCON Camp, Sarvabhauma was waiting with lovely garlands

for the Deities and Srila Prabhupada and dozens of garlands for the Padayatris

headed by Sanak Sanandan (German) and Istadeva (Orrian). He had wanted to greet

the Padayatra at the dike when they entered the Mela, but somebody from BBC

came to the camp, then someone from Indian Express, etc, so he was not able to

leave the camp.

 

Already we have almost made one new devotee. One lady from Spain named Olga

(her parents were athiest communists) wandered into our camp one foggy morning.

She had never been to any temple, but very enthusiastically listened to

Prabhupada's message. Now Sanak Sanandan's wife, Sita Sundari, is taking care

of her and she very enthusiastically engages in service. She says after bathing

in the Sangam of the holy Ganga and Jamuna, her life can never be the same.

Today she was blissfully chanting with the Padaytra procession wearing tilak

and bindi.

 

On the 6th of January, His Holiness Bhaktiswarup Damodar Maharaj is arriving

with 100 Manipuri Drummers. They will stay with us up to the 15th and come

every morining on Harer Nama with us and we will beat back the age of Kali with

the trancendental sounds of Holy Name mixed with their traditional drumming.

This should create a sensation in the Kumbha Mela Camp. They will also be

performing on the stage in our Pandal. If you have never seen Manipuri Mridunga

players, it really a sight to see. They use large wooden mridungas and

sometimes even do somersaults in mid air around their mridungas.

 

In service to Sri Sri Krishna Balaram,

Deena Bandhu dasa