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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
All glories to Ekachakra Dham - the sweet abode of Lord Nityananda's mercy!
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
Your servant, Devaki dd
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