On the Ground in Mayapur

Gauranga! Every day is a festival in Sridam Mayapura, West bengal. Today is especially festive as it is the celebration of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's Dissapearnce day.

In December 1974  Dina Bandhu Prabhu the Portland temple president announced that we were going to Vancouver, Canada for this festival. Devarsi Dasa explained to me that in Hare Krishna we celebrate a death day as much as a birthday because that is when a devotee goes back to godhead. It was a new concept. We loaded into a couple of vans, picked up a few more in Seattle, another carload in Northern Washington at a little farm, and the devotees from New Saranagati. We were greated by Bahudaka Prabhu and a roaring Hare Krishna kirtan as we pulled up the driveway into ISKCON Vancouver. The next day we had mangals, Tulsis and a class by Srila Prabhupada about his Guru maharaj.

That  morning we fasted and cut up for the feast that was supposed to be served at noon thirty.  Instead the 12:00 arotik was so ecstatic that Sukadeva led Hare Krishna kirtan through the 4:00 arotik. Fianally the prasadam came out in 50 gallon drums. Three Subjis, rice, chutley, pakoras, puris, sweet rice, gulabjamins, and more. In those days there was no oil in Krishna's kitchen in North America, everything was cooked in ghee and other dairy products. The strawberry halavah had so much butter you could have floated a boat. Aw memories, memories.

41 years later I am still feasting with the first class prsadam made by Bhakt Vidya Purna Swami's boys at the Gurukula Brahmana school. They produce their own ghee, from their own cream, from their own cows. It is a good meal. Maharaj said that "The rules of Bhakti Yoga should be presented at different levels so that a person can accept them. All the rules are there so that we can remember Krishna. The principle is the idea to think of Krishna." 

One hundred and one thousand visitors came to Sridam Mayapur Chandrodaya mandir on Christmas weekend. To engage them in Krishna Conciousness as Gita Mela was constructed. This was a themepark with many booths. Visitors poured through a big golden and white archway with releifs ofdemigods and clubs guarding it.

The first thing the folks see is a wax museum type diorama exhibit of various pictures from the Bhagavad Gita. The three modes of nature, changing bodies, the senses as horses carrying away the souls, a man eating like a pig becoming one, naked lady into a tree, and a starving bird in the cage getting the cage cleaned.  Other booths were for japa, kids corner, books, questions and answers, and more. A main stage had rotating show of Indian dance, Hare Krishna kirtan, and Bengali lectures on the Bhagavad Gita. 

Sri Mayapur International School had their own Hari Nama sankirtan party and an art exhibition. There were many Hari Nama Naga sankritan parties all over ISKCON Mayapur. Along with them are dozens of sankirtan devotees ditributing Srila Prabhupada's books to the crowd. Laxmi Moni Devi Dasi spoke about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati opening temples all over India and preaching in Burma, England, and Germany. Srila Saraswati said "We should call at the door of each and every seeker of the truth. Bearing on our head the baggage of reak truth for them."

I hope this meets you well, Your servant, Mishra Bhagavan Dasa

ASA - Jaya!!  Incredible!!!   Now, please try to write some poetry for the next letter also!!!!   Thank you so much!     We have one foot on airplane for South America.