Raktak Prasna - Delhi Symposium
Respected Guru Maharaj, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad. Just now I read that you have expressed your appreciations for the services offered by the different devotees in Delhi, thank you so much for that, it would act like a big booster in their devotional enthusiasm.
HpS - Hmmm! AGTSP. We did not express enough our gratitude for their contribution. I think their enthusiasm comes more from their Prabhupada Krpa than our efforts.
Guruji! is it possible that can you kindly put in your newsletter or in this monkey warrior blog about your movements in Delhi, how many professors came,
HpS - About 25. Several retired and active Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors from Varanasi, Delhi, Simhla etc. We paid air fares for seven from Kolkata.
Where did they stay and what was their overall thought about ISKCON, did they get any prasad-
HpS - They stayed in the ISKCON Guest house. Several were already ISKCON Life Members. Many first time at ISKCON Project in Delhi. They all found the accomodations, dinning in Govinda's Restaurant, Campus, Devotees very nice. The ISKCON devotee: Mohan rupa, Vrajendranandana, Yuddhisthira Govinda, found them very intense schilars. They said that their evaluation for our NIOS preaching programs went up by 400%.
how was Doctor Samresh Bandopadhyaya
HpS - He is very intelligent. Practical. Of course we were all a little passoinate at times. As usually he worked harder than anyone, but like us he had serious energy loss by the end of the program. He came with his good wife, Nandini Bandyppadhyaya and it we here first time in Vrndavana.
and did you actually get the opportunity to see the President of India,
HpS - No. We had to organize the program on very, very, very short term notice, but it did stimulate us to see all of our contacts with Pranabha Mukherjee, Radhanatha Singh (Home Minister), President of ICCR, USA Ambassador et al. In the end Mukundakam Sharma, former Justice Supreme Court, released the book.
Almost nobody from outside came. It was Monday at 4.30PM. No other hall was available at that time. We advertised as best we could. Temple expected better crowd from our efforts, but is very special subject and short notice etc. I was very happy. We did your best and hall had nice decorations, boquets and nice souvenirs for all, nice Progamme and pamphlet. Everyone was very, very impressed with the book and made nice academic presentations.
Did you give any Bhagvatam class in Delhi or Vrindavan
HpS - Class in Delhi first day we arrived. They asked us later but it was just too much. Every minute was needed to organize the Release.
And where did you stay in Vrindavan. I saw one photo of yours with Dr.Samresh, and I think it is Radha Kund.
HpS - ASA - Cakori Radha, Radha-carana and Tunga-vidya Devi Dasis and Sri Hari Das arranged for us to stay in the MVT rooms. SHD daughter, Sataksi, arrange a quick but very, very professional Odissa dance program in the Temple that night. It was hot but so, so nice to be in Vraja. We read Vrndavana dhama mahimamrta to Professor and his wife and everyone on the way to Vraja. Left Delhi at 3PM and got to Vraja by 5.30PM. New superfast road.
Next morning we left for Radha-kunda by 6AM and had very nice tour led by Giri-dhari Das. The back to Delhi.
There is nothing more merciful than the dust of Vrndavana Dhama.....
Thanks a lot. yours servant, Raktak Das
HpS - Thank you. Excellent questions. You should really start working as a Journalist immediately. I think everyone agrees. Do five interviews with devotees and send the news here to the Blog. Start with the Radha-Gopinatha Pujari in Sydney(?).
