I arrived in Coimbatore on the 30th of October with a seven-hour delay. My flight left Indore two hours late and thus I missed my connecting flight in Bangalore. They re-directed me via Mumbai to catch a flight to Coimbatore, which was even more delayed than the evening flight leaving from Bangalore.
So I simply couldn't win....
The austerities of traveling....
So I simply couldn't win....
The austerities of traveling....
HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami had invited me to visit Coimbatore to give the course "Women in Spiritual Culture" to the ladies of the community. Maharaja had started to preach in this city some years ago, and gradually people are becoming devotees. Now they are endeavoring to construct a nice palace for Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra.
I stayed in a flat nearby the temple, and the ladies took nicely care of me. This was my very first visit to this part of India, and I was happy to discover that it was not as hot as I imagined.
Everything was very lush and green, and in the early mornings I could watch peacocks flying from roof-top to roof-top, calling out their well-known call - just like in Vrindavan. The mataji living next to me went on her balcony and answered by calling: "Syaaam, Syaaam, Syaaam....!
For the next day Kunja Mohini Mataji, who is in charge of the Youth Preaching had arranged a University program. Around 100 student boys and girls had assembled, and also a number of very eager teachers joined the program.
When I asked Kunja Mohini Matai whether we could have a little kirtan to begin with, she was not so sure, so I didn't want to push it. When asking whether it is OK to speak on a verse from Bhagavad Gita she was also a little reluctant. However, I strongly requested her to take some of Prabhupada's books along for distribution. Again she was a little doubtful, whether these students would buy anything....
I gave my usual presentation which I am often giving at the Universities in Bangladesh, introducing myself by sharing how I became a devotee, and I spoke on BG 9.2. and read one paragraph of Prabhupada's purport, urging my audience to aim for first class education by adding the king of knowledge: the science of the soul.
People were very attentive and asked good questions, and the teachers were impressed. We also distributed some books and gave out some little sweets. People really liked the program, and afterwards some of the students came up to me, expressing their appreciation and asking to take little group photos with myself amongst them.
Kunja Mohini Mataji remarked with a big smile: "Next time we have to have a kirtan too....!"
Once again I realized how as a Westerner in India, we can preach much more boldly, glorifying BG and emphasising the goal of human life. From a Western person it is well accepted, whereas Indian bodied devotees often rather opt for more indirect ways of preaching, by talking about stress management etc.
The same information coming from a Westerner is cool and revolutionary, whereas coming from an Indian person it seems like an old hat and outdated stuff....
This experience inspired me to try and also use my German body more here in India - for University preaching and cultivating the youth.
Everything was very lush and green, and in the early mornings I could watch peacocks flying from roof-top to roof-top, calling out their well-known call - just like in Vrindavan. The mataji living next to me went on her balcony and answered by calling: "Syaaam, Syaaam, Syaaam....!
For the next day Kunja Mohini Mataji, who is in charge of the Youth Preaching had arranged a University program. Around 100 student boys and girls had assembled, and also a number of very eager teachers joined the program.
When I asked Kunja Mohini Matai whether we could have a little kirtan to begin with, she was not so sure, so I didn't want to push it. When asking whether it is OK to speak on a verse from Bhagavad Gita she was also a little reluctant. However, I strongly requested her to take some of Prabhupada's books along for distribution. Again she was a little doubtful, whether these students would buy anything....
I gave my usual presentation which I am often giving at the Universities in Bangladesh, introducing myself by sharing how I became a devotee, and I spoke on BG 9.2. and read one paragraph of Prabhupada's purport, urging my audience to aim for first class education by adding the king of knowledge: the science of the soul.
People were very attentive and asked good questions, and the teachers were impressed. We also distributed some books and gave out some little sweets. People really liked the program, and afterwards some of the students came up to me, expressing their appreciation and asking to take little group photos with myself amongst them.
Kunja Mohini Mataji remarked with a big smile: "Next time we have to have a kirtan too....!"
Once again I realized how as a Westerner in India, we can preach much more boldly, glorifying BG and emphasising the goal of human life. From a Western person it is well accepted, whereas Indian bodied devotees often rather opt for more indirect ways of preaching, by talking about stress management etc.
The same information coming from a Westerner is cool and revolutionary, whereas coming from an Indian person it seems like an old hat and outdated stuff....
This experience inspired me to try and also use my German body more here in India - for University preaching and cultivating the youth.
On Saturday and Sunday I gave the first part of the course on spiritual culture to the ladies. We met for five to six hours on both days, and I had a wonderful audience of intelligent and educated ladies in front of me. Many people spoke English, and those who didn't received a simultaneous translation into Tamil.
The ladies performed nice role plays at the beginning of each session, demonstrating the topics discussed previously. It always adds a very humorous note to the course and deepens the learning experience.
I was surprised to discover that even here in South India spiritual culture has already been lost to a large extend. Especially now in these modern days, the young educated ladies look towards the Western world and are trying to imitate the Western life style of independence, which gradually destroys spiritual culture.
Once again I experienced that if these things come from the mouth of a German woman, it has a very powerful effect - much more than when an Indian woman preaches this!
The participating ladies were very happy and relieved to finally receive insights and clarity on the underlying principles of their own culture. Everything made so much sense to them, and they joyfully accepted it.
The ladies performed nice role plays at the beginning of each session, demonstrating the topics discussed previously. It always adds a very humorous note to the course and deepens the learning experience.
I was surprised to discover that even here in South India spiritual culture has already been lost to a large extend. Especially now in these modern days, the young educated ladies look towards the Western world and are trying to imitate the Western life style of independence, which gradually destroys spiritual culture.
Once again I experienced that if these things come from the mouth of a German woman, it has a very powerful effect - much more than when an Indian woman preaches this!
The participating ladies were very happy and relieved to finally receive insights and clarity on the underlying principles of their own culture. Everything made so much sense to them, and they joyfully accepted it.
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Some husbands approached me with a big smile, exclaiming: "Mataji, what have you done to my wife?! She is entirely transformed, and the atmosphere in our home has already changed!" And with great interest they came to know that we also offer a course for the men in Mayapur - "Men in Spiritual Culture"...
Some senior ladies came with personal questions, and I realized how many misconceptions and misunderstandings the devotees are carrying around which make their life difficult and ultimately cause miseries....
Some of the devotees from the Coimbatore community felt immediately inspired to register for the Holy Name Retreat in Ekachakra, which we will conduct at the end of December....
On the morning of my departure I met with HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami - he was very pleased to hear how well the course was received by one and all. And he requested me to visit their yatra once a year....
On the 3rd of November I flew on to Bangalore....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Some senior ladies came with personal questions, and I realized how many misconceptions and misunderstandings the devotees are carrying around which make their life difficult and ultimately cause miseries....
Some of the devotees from the Coimbatore community felt immediately inspired to register for the Holy Name Retreat in Ekachakra, which we will conduct at the end of December....
On the morning of my departure I met with HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami - he was very pleased to hear how well the course was received by one and all. And he requested me to visit their yatra once a year....
On the 3rd of November I flew on to Bangalore....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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