Visit to Rajpur

While living in Mayapur, you meet so many people. Some are coming for visits, for prayers, for bringing ashes, for service or a combination of these reasons. If you desire you can find opportunities to join them on different parikramas.

It is the anniversary of Chudamani mataji’s mother’s departure, Siddharupa mataji. She had a special connection to Jagannath of Rajpur. She also was a Nitya Seva donor for that temple (one time donation of Rs 25,000 kept in an endowment fund for eternity to maintain the Lord's worship). Every year, on the anniversary of her donation, she would receive a letter thanking her and sending some Tulsi prasad. All Nitya Seva donors get that but there was something special about this mataji as she would infallibly dream of Jagannath on the eve of receiving this card. She would see Prabhupada leading her towards Jagannath at the crossing of roads, he would show her the way to Him.

As her death drew closer, she often dreamed of Jagannath. Once on Pasankusa Ekadasi, mid October, she dreamed that Jagannath called her over, “Come, come, come take prasad” There were so many clay pots full of prasad everywhere, lots of prasad. Jagannath kept telling her to come, she said it took her a long time to walk to Him, it was far. When she woke up, Chudamani, had arrived in the hospital with some Ekadasi prasad and proceeded to give it to her. "No, no thank you I am full I just ate" she was very exited to share her dream with her grown children who were there. “This was in your dream, you have to eat something for real” said Chudamani. "No, no I am very full. Please get me some water.” Chudamani got maha water for her. She was very thankful, more than is normal in ordinary dealings. How many times had Chudamani given. her partially paralyzed mother, water; it was just normal to bring her water. She drank gratefully, and said loudly: “Hari bol" breathing her last with her arms in the air, celebrating Krishna’s name. Glorious exit.

She passed away a year ago today, we honored her memory and shared prasad amongst the internet devotees, Mayapur.TV and Mayapur.com.

We were late for lunch artik but we sang for the Lord for about 30 minutes before He went to rest (or play) for the afternoon. He was dressed very opulently; His clothes looked like they were made entirely of jewels.

Some of us were lucky to receive garlands from Jagannath Swami, the merciful lord who chose ISKCON as His home from its early days.

Heading back we took a small detour to an area behind the temple where ISKCON owns land. We wanted to see the land. It is currently a thinly planted mango grove. As we walked in between mud houses to get there, we admired the different eatable plants growing, the villagers shared with us their knowledge, yes it is oll, yes this is kochu… they were eager to interact as though we were celebrities walking through their village.

On the way back I pointed to a mud hut I found attractive, It was a workshop where they kept their loom, it had a half completed simple sari stretched on it. We sat there enjoying the peace and tranquility these types of dwellings foster. Just earth, so cool in summer and temperate in winter, it feels like you are close to mother Bhumi, at peace, without destroying nature or environment.

Subhangi mataji who was with us would like to start a project based on the revival of this simple living within ISKCON, sort of a pioneer village a 500 years ago village and team park. Sitting in the shade of this mud room, we sat for a while then headed back.

More next time.

Happily and slowly taking one step at a time towards Radha and Krishna's Love.

your ever servant of the servants