Punjab Report

Posted on December 13, 2011 by admin-vasanti 3 Comments

On Fri 9th Dec 2011

As Gopabandu continued to drive the typical Indian car in a typical Indian manner I sat in the back in anxiety about where we were about to go and what I was about to do. We were in the car travelling through North India in Punjab, towards a state called Batala. In Batala, ISKCON were hosting a Jaganath Rathyatra celebration. I had been to many Rathyatras before, one from Gaudiya Math and a few from ISKCON, but never in India. With a strange combination of building anxiety coupled with mild detachment I continued to chant Japa softly until we reached our destination, considering what I was about to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon arriving at the Rathyatra, after encountering typical Indian traffic and numerous typical Indian traffic jams, I exited the car accompanied by Gopabandu prabhu from ISCKON, his brother Gaura prabhu, his Brijabasi wife, Laxmi Mata and my dear godbrother and Gurukuli friend Nityananda prabhu. Now it was crunch time, I took the books from my backpack, Srila Gurudeva’s “Origin of the Ratha Yatra” Hindi version, and took several deep breaths. So, here I was, in India, a place where I spoke none of the languages, at an ISKCON Rathyatra, surrounded by the expert ISKCON devotees distributing Srila Prabhupada Bhagavat Gita’s, armed only with my faith and Srila Gurudeva’s books. Gopabandu from ISKCON calmed my nerves somewhat when he told me that if there was any problem with me distributing the books then I should send them to him.

The first thing I saw on arrival was the typical Indian “Big Band” making its usual pleasant (for some people…) Indian music at the typical Indian volume, in front was the Indian marching bands, horses with banners of Nrsinghadeva, Mahaprabhu, the Pancha Tattva and Srila Prabhupada, and one elephant with its rider. Also present was a human sized dramatist representing Krishna, painted in blue, a drummer playing beats to the Maha Mantra, and the Gurukuli children practicing for the kirtan, dancing in unison. In the distance came the star of the show, Sri Jaganath, Baladeva and Subadra on the Rath Cart. I paid my obeisance’s, and prayed desperately for help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Nityananda prabhu started the show by beginning with kirtan, he asked for drummers and they came from the Indian marching band to help. From that poing on a rocking kirtan began. So, Srilad Gurudeva’s sanga, accompanied by Indian marching band drummers, were leading the ISKCON Rathyatra in Punjab! Good sign, I thought.

I walked to the front of the snakelike procession and began my desperate attempt to distribute the books, I had ten Rathyatra books and a few others and I really wanted them to be distributed, but how?

After a short time I managed to distribute one book, but then I experienced my usual block, I was never a very good book distributer…. Suddenly from behind came one ISCKON devotee carrying Srila Prabhupada Gita’s and heading straight in my direction! This could be trouble, I thought, now he will ask so many questions and so much problem and so many difficulties etc… As these thoughts were travelling through my mind, the devotee pointed in the direction of some Sikh men standing together in a group, curious I walked to where he was gesturing. I tried my usual approach, “book” *points* “Ratyatra” *gestures* “donation” *begs*. I was greeted with the typical Indian *nod* and *pranams*. Then from the side the same ISKCON devotee approached and proceeded to sell Srila Gurudeva’s book for me! Astonished I watched and took the donation; I then gave my thanks and my respects to the devotee and continued my quest.

Later on one devotee from the festival (from ISCKON) said another devotee wanted the book and that he would find me, return and then give me the money. Trusting him I gave him the book and moved on, during that time on other devotee came and brought Srila Gurudeva’s book with no prompting, shortly after the other devotee returned and said he could not find the devotee, but he himself wanted the book. After giving him the book I told him of the relationship between Sria Prabhupada, Srila Gurudeva and Srila Bhakti Prjnana Keseva Maharaja, the devotee was delighted to hear the stories and paid very respectful obeisance’s to our beloved Srila Gurudeva and Param Guru.

By the end of the festival, with the help of the ISCKON devotee’s, I had managed to distribute all ten Rathyatra books and five small books. So, all in all it was a very successful day of working in harmony.

Vaishnava das anudas.

Balabhadra das.

“There should be harmony; this is most essential.
You will be successful through harmony.”
~Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.