Sri Puthige Swamiji's St. Louis visit

[Guest guest]

Dear Krishna Bhaktaas,

 

Shri Swamiji arrived in St. Louis on 11/11/99, Thursday. Shri Vittal Bhat, a

VMS member, picked up Shri Swamiji and group from Bloomington, IL. Shri

Swamiji performed the evening totillu pooja at the Hindu Temple Auditorium.

About 60 people gathered to witness the pooja. The turn out belied our

expectations because it was a week day. Swamiji delivered a very

appropriate lecture after the pooja stressing the importance of Temples and

why we should visit them. All the devotees assembled were treated to a

complete sumptuous traditional Udupi dinner prepared by Shri Rammohan

Kodancha which included the hard-to-come-by item of " holige " . Shri Rammohan

was assisted by the ladies of St. Louis Kannada Sangha.

 

Swamiji stayed overnight at the residence of Shri Ramakrishna Rao and

performed the morning pooja of 11/12/99 there. Being a week day, a small

group of a little more than 10 people had gathered to witness the pooja.

But the grandeur and the spirituality that accompanies the pooja were

definitely there. That afternoon I had the opportunity to talk to Swamiji

about various things including activities in St. Louis.

 

That day's evening pooja was performed at the residence of Mrs. Revathy

Nagarajan. This pooja was well attended by more than 30 people. Swamiji also

delivered a very memorable lecture on the importance of religion in

day-to-day life, non-procrastination of good things and the need to have

absolute faith in Lord Krishna with excellent examples drawn from

Mahabharatha and his interactions with commoners. Swamiji stayed at the

residence of Shri Apte Friday night and Saturday morning pooja was performed

there. Though the pooja started at 6.30 in the morning, it was enjoyed by

more than 20 people. Some people who witnessed Swamiji's pooja were so

enamored that they expressed a wish to have pooja in their homes, the next

time around.

 

Then Swamiji and group left for Oklahoma City. A group of volunteers drove

Swamiji and group in 2 vehicles to Joplin, Missouri from where the host from

Oklahoma City picked them up.

 

All devotees gathered during various poojas were left spellbound by the

spiritual atmosphere that was created by the soul-stirring bhajans of Shri

Vageeshachar, the vedic chantings of Shri Vageeshachar, Shri Prasanna

Acharya and Shri Shrisha Bhat and the divine poojas of Sri Swamiji. This

included some of my Advaitic friends.

 

For me personally, it was a very emotional reunion with Shri Swamiji after

having organized his St. Louis trip during his previous visit. When I was

driving Shri Swamiji and group to Joplin, I was blessed with the opportunity

to have a brief Q & A with Swamiji and listen to impromptu Hari Kathas which

Shri Vageeshachar kindly consented to deliver upon my request.

 

As before, I was left amazed at the various facets of Shri Swamiji and his

humility.

 

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- Girish M. Aswathanarayana