Traveling to the Dhama

[Maitreya]

Hare Krishna,

 

In Sept. I will be making my first trip to India.I will be staying for about six months and don't plan on leaving Vraja on this my first trip.My hope is to receive some fresh inspiration towards Krishna.I need some Bhakti juice as I seem to be dehydrated and dried up in my present situation.

 

Fortunately I will be traveling with someone who goes every year so the how to get there is no problem.

 

I have however been receiving contradictory advice on health concerns.Basically vaccinations etc.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Also I would love hearing of others experiences there.Please tell me of this most wonderous land of Krishna.

 

Maitreya

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

As far as vacinations I wouldn't recommend them. I wouldn't expect any serious illness. You may get some minor indigestion from the food, water and climate, but nothing serious.

 

[Maitreya]

jndas,

 

Even for malaria?I remember Garamuni getting an attack in Hawaii years after he first contracted it.He was down for days.

 

I also am wondering about accepting prasad.I don't want to offend anyone but it may not be safe for me to just take all that may be offered.What is the etiquette for such situations?

 

Jai Krishna

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

I know many people who have come and gone without any problem (except, like I said, maybe indigestion). Personally I wouldn't go for a vacine, but if it makes you feel safer, and if there is no side effect, go ahead.

 

 

[shvu]

I was under the impression that Malaria is non-existent in India now.

 

Whether to accept Prasadam or not is a good question. My suggestion is accept it always; if you do not feel like eating/drinking it then don't force yourself. There is no compulsion or offense taken by anyone. Far as I know, Prasadam is usually clean and safe.

 

Sep-March is mostly winter and so you should have no problems with the weather either.

 

As for indigestion, I notice that you are in the Berkeley area. If possible, visit one of the many Indian restaurants in and around Sunnyvale [viz., Sneha, Banjara, Pasand, etc]. There are some in Berkeley too. Try some dishes like masaal puri, masaal dose, navratan kurma, etc. That should do the trick After that you should have no trouble with digestion in India (or anywhere else).

 

Cheers

 

 

[This message has been edited by shvu (edited 05-15-2001).]

[Maitreya]

Thanks for your respones.

 

Vacinnation is probably the big question for me.I have had a mild flu once in past 25 or 30 years and I never get flu shots.

 

About resteraunts shvu,there are many all around me.Berkeley is so diverse culturally.The problem with all the Indian establishments is that they also serve meat.I won't eat in any place that does, even if they have a nice variety of veggie preps.They will use the same cutting boards and knives etc.Also I don't want them to make profit off me if they are selling slaughtered animals.I am forced to compromise at grocery stores when buying fruits and veggies but what can I do.

 

I am thinking though the problem is one of organisims entering that my body is not used to rather than cooking styles.I suppose that may be unavoidable, although I will try.

 

I hope to hear some stories from the pilgrims out there.This is a great idea for a thread.There must be a huge mine of experience from those on these forums.How about you Jagat as well as others?

[animesh]

In the company where I am working, people from US and Australia keep coming. They usually get problem because of food. They like the taste of food here so much that they often eat a lot. Especially if you are visiting South India, then try to avoid oily food.

[atma]

Lucky you that you're going to the Holy Dhama! Don't worry too much. I'd seen foreigners that don't even drink charanamrit thinking that they'll get sick because of the water used or don't take bath in the Yamuna thinking that She is polluted. Those are the ones that get sick all the time!

Just don't eat too much. I would be careful with malaria though. There are some good ayurvedic and homeophatic preventive medicines that I hope someone can help with the names. Get your mosquito net and citronella and you'll be more or less OK. The mosquitoes are so smart that wait for some blood in the showers and toilets.

Just relax and get ready for the mercy that is waiting for you.

Atma.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

And don't mind the mosquitos too much. Someone has to feed them.

[Maitreya]

Thanks for the tips prabhus.Mosquitos.I know citronela works and nets of course.The fact that they wait for lurking in the showers is rather distressing.I didn't know they were that organized and clever.jndas, why do I have to feed them?Is it true they are especially fond of tourist blood?

 

In Hawaii I noticed that they wouldn't bother me when I was consuming large amounts of brewers yeast.I think it may have been due to the vit b-12.Any experience with b-12 to keep them at bay.Can I get nets and citronela oil in Vrndaban?I would think so.I want to travel as light as possible.

 

Who will tell some stories of their travels?Adventures and mis-adventures in the Holy Land.Who did you meet there?Been blessed? Been robbed?Tell it all.

 

MC

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Originally posted by Maitreya:

I didn't know they were that organized and clever.jndas, why do I have to feed them?Is it true they are especially fond of tourist blood?

I think local people are just so used to them they don't notice it unless the number of bites crosses a certain limit per minute. When you come from a place like California, where there are zero mosquitos in the populated cities, you will definitely notice the difference.

 

In Hawaii I noticed that they wouldn't bother me when I was consuming large amounts of brewers yeast.

It is said if you eat fresh neem leaves every day, mosquitos won't bite you. I never got around to testing it though. You would need to start a few onths before your trip to have it work.

 

 

Can I get nets and citronela oil in Vrndaban?I would think so.I want to travel as light as possible.

Yes, you can get all of that in Vrindavan. Try to bring no luggage at all. Just the emergency stuff. Otherwise your travelling will be less pleasant. You can buy most of what you need in Vrindavan.

 

Who will tell some stories of their travels?Adventures and mis-adventures in the Holy Land.Who did you meet there?Been blessed? Been robbed?Tell it all.

Since you are in Berkeley, why don't you go speak to Kritakarma (I bet you already did). Get some stories from him and post them here for all of us. He can give you a lot of advise on what to see in Vrindavana, since he has lived there for many years.

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

About luggage, I would strongly suggest you do not bring things like flashlights, mosquito repellant, etc. Just buy it all in Vrindavana. You can buy a good flashlight for $1.25 in Vrindavana, and most of the western mosquito repellant is less effective than the local stuff like "odomos" which is designed for indian environment. But you may want to bring some non-chemical mosquito repellants like citronella oil or tea tree oil. You wont get that here.

 

Think 10 times before actually bringing an item in your luggage. And if you have a doubt, just ask or send an email. The size of your luggage is going to determine how free you feel when travelling.

 

[JRdd]

I am still bothered at the idea of you not taking steps to prevent malaria, when my daughter almost died of it in Vrindaban. The shots are hard on the organs. There must be a place in Berkeley where you can get the Ayurvedic pills for this.

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Originally posted by JRdd:

I am still bothered at the idea of you not taking steps to prevent malaria, when my daughter almost died of it in Vrindaban. The shots are hard on the organs. There must be a place in Berkeley where you can get the Ayurvedic pills for this.

 

If there is an Ayurvedic preventative pill I would recommend it. But the shots? It would depend on one's own preferences for medicine. Personally I wouldn't take them.

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

...and homeophatic preventive medicines.

Does anyone here believe in homeopathic medicines? It seems to have become popular in India, and a lot of people here seem to believe it works. Personally I don't believe it at all. Perhaps the system may be authentic, but what I see practiced here is not all that believable. Just another easy way to make money by selling water and sugar tablets. Could some people give their own opinions and experiences.

 

I have taken homeopathic medicines many times (certain people here offer them to me and I don't refuse when they do). But I haven't seen any results at all.

[Guest guest]

MC:

 

I took the chloaquine(sp?) prophylaxis in the early 70's on my first trip to India and still caught Malaria. I only have a relapse if I fast for more than one or two days. It is all karma dude -- don't overendeavor to avoid something if it is your fate it is unavoidable, just as death.

 

At 48 years dead I am still healthier than most twenty years younger, but I attribute that to a diet of Krsna prasadam for three decades and lots of strenuous excercise in kirtans. (Well, lots of skiing on the side also....)

[atma]

Maybe if you contact Prahladananda Swami he may help with the names of the ayurvedic and homeophatic preventive medicines. he is really into health and has a newsletter about it. Anyone in COM can give you his e-mail.

One of my friends died of malignant malaria in Calcutta (within 5 days). I don't want to scare Maitreya but I saw many devotees sick in Vrindavan with it. Personally in my 15 years in India I never got it, and usually I was very healthy. Just a couple of times knocking in some stranger's house in Navadwip asking for the toilet.

[Maitreya]

That's it.I'm taking the shot.This is what I get for insisting on dragging a material body into Vraja, I guess.

 

Thanks for the tips and stories all.There are more out there who have not yet been so fortunate to make such a journey so please fill this section with your experiences.

 

Somehow hearing the common srories of that land seem un common and wonderful.

 

MC

[dasanudas]

Maitreya Prabhu,

What happen to the last time you endeavoured to do pilgrimage? I hope you make it this time, whatever may happen physically, it definately opens up your life to a whole other world spiritually. I think you really have to go with your own feelings and the lord in your heart on medical options.

From my experience for what it's worth apr. 15 trips to the holy land over the last 30 years. I found my 1st pilgrimage one of the most dynamic, enlightening, traumatic, rich in experience and full of wonder. It's ones first impressions that seem to leave an indelible stamp on your soul.

I once expressed to Srila Guru Maharaj I had to leave Navadwip to go to Vrndavan. His reply was, "Only by the grace of guru and Gauranga will you ever go to Vrndavan" Of course he meant Vrndavan proper which is not so easy to reach. Still those early experiences gave me much encouragement and some unforgettable memories to inspire me on. Just associating with fellow pilgrims meeting inumerable vaisnavas, and actually doing what our great preceptors have recomended and encouraged us to do is such a reality wonder in itself. A great blessing prabhu, just thinking about your prospect excites me, because you've kept it all ahead of your whole devotional life. A nice position.

Your street wisdom should protect you from the jackals and wolves on the way never the less keep your valuables close to your heart especially on trains and particulaly on the train to and from Mathura. The first day i arrived in India a so-called brahman managed to fleece a camera from me and I was fairly seasoned in travel and i even had the firewall up, so let it be known there are some master theives in the land of Bharat. If you can afford it it's better to travel 1st class, especially long distance, for health and safty. If you want to experience 2nd class for some comic relief and tales to tell y frens, do a short trip you'll never forget it. The only way i ever travel 2nd is with a sankirtan party as you can take up a whole carriage and chant all the way, which is actually better than 1st class. Stay as short as possible in the capitol cities unless you've got friends there. Don't waste time getting to the Dham, diversions have been known to happen.

Theres a show on the tube I want to see just now, so I'll continue on later with some accomodation tips if you like.

[atma]

Reading the previous post, I couldn't stop laughing because I remembered my first train journey in India!

Completely naive I went to India with one girlfriend whose experience of Bharat was like a hippy in a previous journey. We arrived in Delhi beginning of January and we were shocked how cold it was. Somehow we got a car ride with the Vrindavan temple president to the Holy Dhama. After few days there (next post will be about the animals in the holy dhama), we decided to go to Mayapur. Full of enthusiasm, we just jumped in the public bus to go back to Delhi. After 3 hours or so we arrived to Old Delhi and the quantity of traffic and people there was fascinating and scary at the same time.

Somehow we managed to reach New Delhi train Station (I forgot to mention that we hardly spoke any english!!) My friend went inside to get the tickets to Calcutta and went she came out she told me to hurry up because the train was leaving in 15 minutes! I had no idea that you can reserve in advance your seat and sleeper berth. I just trusted my friend because she got some experience of India before. Somehow one coolie showed us which compartment to get into. I'm not exagerating but hundreds of people wanted to get in the same compartment that we supposed to go in.

I guess that because people saw us foreigners, young and in saris they took pity on us and they let us squeeze in the coach. More mercy and somehow we got to be seated, somehow unconfortable because were was meant for 3 they put 6.

With all the people staring really hard at us and everybody smoking, I was wondering how we'll pass the night, because the only thing that I knew was that Calcutta was like 25 hours away.

Around 10 PM somehow everybody accomodated everywhere,even in the floor and they gave us a berth (meant for 1) for both of us to lie down. All this time I though that this was the normal way of travelling in India, so I didn't mind so much. I was still in awe that somehow I made it to India and that was enough.

After sharing the night with more than 100 people with all the noises, grunts and worst of all all the men staring at us, I discovered that I got Indra's course and heavy crumps. I'm not going to describe the toilets here, it's a painful memory. I knew that I had to do something to stop the pain and I remembered that cumin tea was good for that. Slowly slowly, early morning, I made my way through different coaches and finally I found the kitchen! Only because Krishna is great I managed to get my cumin tea from that kitchen, the guys there didn't have a clue of my presence there and of course didn't understand a word of what I said. "Comino chai"

The day went very slowly and went we entered Bengal in the evening the train got stuck, didn't move anymore! After few hours we saw all the people taking their luggage and just leaving the train! We were in the middle of fields not even in a train station! We just followed the people (good that we didn't have too much luggage) through some fields and boarded a local train.

We reached Howrah Station in Calcutta at 1 in the morning! No way that I was going out of the station at that time then I asked my friend were we'll pass the rest of the night, she just looked around, saw everybody sleeping on the floor and got the bright idea of saying "here like everybody else!"

Still stupid, I thought, OK I see hundreds of people sleeping on the floor, this must be the way of doing it. And in that way we spent the night trying to sleep on the floor of Howrah Station with all the lepers, beggars, thieves and homeless! By 6 in the morning we took a taxi to the ISKCON temple and by 6.30 we were in the bus bound to Sridham Mayapur!

Later on when I knew the way the different trains run and the classes, etc, I wanted to kill my friend. She just took me in the unreserved coach! Never,never, travel like that. Is really hell!

Second AC is the best for long distance travel. First class is almost as expensive as flying. The best is to fly everywhere.

The only good thing out of this was that most of the people were kind to us and took pity of our ignorance, they didn't take advantage.

 

 

[dasanudas]

Yes we can all relate to the ole Indian Rattle snakes, makes me wonder how they keep on with the sheer volume of people they transport.

 

How's this it's a little off the beaten subject and somewhat mundane but a very human tale Krsna is somewhere behind it all no doubt.

On my first trip I was intrigued with the indian coastline, as I grew up a surfer, so here I was luggin' a surfboard all around India, talk about travelling light. Anyway after a few months I decided to make a beeline for Jugganath Puri as it seemed it had great potential and I'd also heard Lord Caitanya swam there every day so altho I was already rather depleted from some intensive travel I decided to check the waves. Unfortunately i went to another spot on the coast first where our bus got pulled up in the middle of the night by a linch mob of vigilantes hunting down a murderer and they were mad as hornets. a long night in a very remote place south of Calcutta. Any way that episode is a book in itself. t'cut t the mainline I ran out of money and could'nt change travellers checks, at the same time I dehydrated in the hot season, somehow I managed to squeeze onto a train with no ticket and there was no where to even stand on this animal and produce train, so as I slid between the sweaty bodies none of whom could speak any English, I had to brace myself between two walls above the crowd of people suspended with a surfboard, and everyone was complaining. I was almost non-compos from the dehydration and truly wondering if I would arrive at my destination which was Bhubaneshwar. Eventually when some of the passengers alighted, I managed to slide down the wall, to get to stand on one leg and had to fight for that with an irate 80 year old man who was screaming obscenities at me. I was trying to explain I was sick but nobody took any notice, I was slowly losing consciousness in the heat and don't remember most of the journey. But we did make it to Bhubaneshbwar only to find out it was a Saturday and no banks were open, so there was nowhere to change travellers cheques. So I conveniently collapsed at the station totally exhausted. Next thing I knew as I awoke I was looking into the face of an angelic fellow countrywoman, who was enquiring after my welfare. After telling a delirious tale she hired a rickshaw and hauled me off to the local hospital where I passed out again and didn't wake for about 36 hours, when I did come too, she helped get some sustenance for me and cashed a travellers cheque and got me on the road to recovery which was a bus to Jagganath Puri ki jaya!! When I arrived in the holy dham refreshed from my convalescence, in the process of searching around for accommodation an American devotee offered for me to stay on the roof of a guest house on the beach. It just so turned out to be looking into the courtyard of Haridas Thakur's samadhi mandir where we could hear 24 hour kirtan all through the day and night. This kind of accommodation couldn't be equalled anywhere in India as it had airconditioning straight from the ocean so we could sleep in the open under the stars to the sound of the waves and kirtan, no mosquitos that constantly played on my mind with the various beggars of Jagganath Puri stricken with elephantitis.

 

Anyway, for six weeks I convalesced and relished the holy environment of Purushottamaksetra. Some days the only one surfing uncrowded waves alongside the fishermen in their dugouts, to standing ovations from the amazed spectators on the beach who had never seen such water sports. These days that building has been demolished to make way for a luxury resort hotel. But just a little further south Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math has been established with wonderful accommodation for all pilgrims

with a very friendly company of devotees there to help with pilgrim's needs. A great place to stay while in Puri.

 

I'll continue with some Brajadham information a little further down the track when I find some time.

 

affectionately in the service,

 

dasanudas

[Maitreya]

Originally posted by rand0M aXiS:

MC:

 

I took the chloaquine(sp?) prophylaxis in the early 70's on my first trip to India and still caught Malaria. I only have a relapse if I fast for more than one or two days. It is all karma dude -- don't overendeavor to avoid something if it is your fate it is unavoidable, just as death.

 

At 48 years dead I am still healthier than most twenty years younger, but I attribute that to a diet of Krsna prasadam for three decades and lots of strenuous excercise in kirtans. (Well, lots of skiing on the side also....)

Is that the shot you took?Still got it anyway.I'll probably get it from the shot somehow.You are right about the over endeavoring.I'll do what i can and forget the rest.Hell, it's probably more dangerous in my own neighborhood here.

 

Yeah that skiing in the mountains must keep you really fit.My energy has been at low tide.I best do some training for the trip.

 

What are you up to?Why no posts?Is WW3 about to break out in the Mideast or what?

 

MC

 

 

[Maitreya]

dasanudas,

 

WOW 15 trips.I have been such a coward.Krishna says he is adventure, so let me see Him in this trip.I'm thinking of using superglue to bond my moneybelt onto my flesh.And then wrap that in something knife proof.

 

Fortunately I will be going with a well seasoned traveler to the Dhama.The plan is straight to Dehli and then taxi to Vrndaban.For my first trip I plan on staying there the whole time until I am driven out by the heat.We shall see if Gopisvara even let's me in at all.

 

I was going last year but plans became muddled and I had recently developed Diabetes type two and the fatigue was crushing.

 

jndas, I hear you on traveling light.I figure a change of clothes and health supplies.If it doesn't fit in the overhead compartment it doesn't go.

 

I can get neem here,so maybe I'll try it as a defense against those blessed[residents of the Dhama]little bloodsucker mosquitos.

 

Great stories on this forum.I'm sure I'm not the only one enjoying them.

 

MC

 

[This message has been edited by Maitreya (edited 06-03-2001).]

[Maitreya]

atma, between just you and dasanudas I bet you have a book just on train rides alone.What to speak of all the others who haven't posted their's yet, but are just about to.

 

YS MC

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

jndas, I hear you on traveling light.I figure a change of clothes and health supplies.If it doesn't fit in the overhead compartment it doesn't go.

Thats the best way to travel. You cant imagine how much more pleasent your trip will be if you just have a single bag to carry.