Holy Name Retreat
  • Retreat at Ekachakra
  • Registration
  • Ekachakra
  • Devaki dd
  • Diary
  • Recordings
  • Photos
  • Testimonials

Holy Name Retreat at Ekachakra Dham

12/27/2017

 
On my arrival in Kolkata Aiport on the 8th of December I received my two assistants Olga and Aida - both coming from Europe, and together we traveled by taxi to Mayapur. We had many exciting events awaiting us.......
How wonderful to be back in Mayapur! Out of all places within this world I definately feel most at home in Sridham Mayapur. The construction of the TOVP had made great progress within this last year, and the blue domes where overseeing Mayapur's activities. As predicted, Mayapur Dham is more and more revealing itself, becoming more manifest, whereas Vrindavan Dham is becoming more and more covered over by the influences of Kali Yuga. On my last visit to Vrindavan during Kartik I could very clearly perceive this. I was shocked to see the ocean of high-rise apartment buildings appearing on the outskirts of Vrindavan - a result of greed and mundane profiteering. People are hoping to make big money by investing into accomodation at this holy place as the name and fame of Krishna's birth place is spreading more and more widely accross the globe.

Senior devotees in Vrindavan have shared with me the prediction, that Vrindavan would become a deserted ghost town - a desert, without any water! And the wast constructions around Vrindavan are already contributing to this development. The concrete construction needs so much water, which has made the groundwater level sink immensely, with its waters becoming increasingly salty. A reaction for the offence of purposefully trying to exploit the holy dham for business.
On my last visit to Vrindavan I remembered with pain in my heart my very first visit to Vrindavan in Kartik of 1989. It had then been such a peaceful and untouched transcendental village! The parikrama path had been a beautiful sandy walkway, and one could see and hear peacocks everywhere. Now the parikrama path is a tarred road, and the peacocks are hiding away. I have even heard some rumours that they are planning to establish a train going around Govardhana Hill - so that people can circumambulate this most holy place of all holy places in a more comfortable way! This is how pilgrimage turns into plain tourism. The mood of tapasya for the ultimate goal of purification and spiritual advancement is replaced with sense gratification and economic development.

The atmosphere in Mayapur is very different to those developments in Vrindavan, even though there is also a lot of construction going on. However, Mayapur is expanding its glories and potencies by flooding the world with Mahaprabhu' mercy - the only hope for humanity in Kali Yuga....!
In a room conversation in 1976 Prabhupada had stated: "My idea is to attract people of the whole world to Mayapur....."

Attending our first morning program now in Mayapur, many devotees greeted me with affectionate smiles and "welcome back to Mayapur", or "welcome home". Some inquired about my health - the news had spread that I had encountered another diagnose of cancer....

As usual it took a few days to unpack our boxes and get set up - ready to settle into a routine of daily activities. And at the same time we immediately prepared for our upcoming Holy Name Retreat at Ekachakra - the first exciting event scheduled for the 23rd to 27th of December.
This would be my ninth retreat at Ekachakra - gradually I am getting practice and experience how to arrange things more and more nicely. As every year, I had to go out to Ekachakra one day before the actually retreat  started - together with Olga - to get everything ready and nicely cleaned.
Picture
This year we had a wonderful and very harmonious group of 39 serious devotees from all corners of the world participating in the transcendental journey of exploring the secrets of chanting the holy name - in japa aswell as in kirtan. We were fortunate to have the association of two disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and also other senior devotees, which always uplifts the atmosphere of the entire group. One mataji brought along her two children aged 7 and 11, who participated with such amazing eagerness in each and every seminar session, attentively taking notes and contributing in our discussions. It was obvious they were continuing from previous life. The 11-year old girl manifested her remarkable talents in acting out role plays - she would coordinate the whole group and put together very sweet and deep little dramas. Needless to say, we were all charmed!
Picture
This must have been the sweetest of all Holy Name Retreats at Ekachakra Dham, and devotees' hearts were deeply affected by it! Lord Nityananda's birth place has become very dear to me - my original Vrindavan: so secluded and simple, with cows everywhere, and simple village life all around. No shops, no commercial tendencies. It is simply too far away from the hustle and bustle of sense gratification, and fortunately most people are very reluctant to accept the tapasya of traveling for 5 to 6 hours on the bumpy roads to reach there - a blessing in disguise....! Our new ISKCON temple has become the jewel of Ekachakra, with the most charming Deities of Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra and Lalita and Visakha - with sweet and cheeky smiles, and Their heads tilted to the sides.

Picture
What is "Jaya Radhe" in Vrindavan, is "Jaya Nitai" in Ekachakra Dham - the common way for the locals to greet each other, with simplicity and deep attachment to their beloved Nitai....
All glories to Ekachakra Dham - the sweet abode of Lord Nityananda's mercy!
Picture
​Returning to Mayapur on the 27th of December I felt the pain of separation from my beloved Ekachakra Dham, already planning for next year's retreat....

Your servant, Devaki dd

Comments are closed.

    Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel Diary

    Devaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary.Welcome to relish this nectar!

    Archives

    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.