I arrived on the 14th of May - this was my first visit to the Zurich yatra. Divyasimha Prabhu, one of the leaders of Zurich temple had participated in some courses on spiritual culture which I had given in Mayapur this year, and he had repeatedly requested me to visit their temple until I finally decided to accept his invitation. After all it is not too far from Goloka Dham, where I am regularly visiting.
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I arrived in Budapest on the 4th of May - it was my second visit to this yatra. I stayed one night in the city temple, and on the next morning I traveled out to New Vraja Dham, a two-hours' drive.
I arrived in Simhachalam on the 29th of April - a few days before the Nrsimha Caturdasi Festival, which fell this year on Saturday, the 2nd of May.
For many years this event has been one of the main Festivals in Western Europe. Lord Nrsimhadev is here in His large murti form - one of the very few in ISKCON world wide. Devotees from all around Germany and other neigboring countries such as Poland, Czech, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Swizzerland and Austria are assembling here every year to celebrate the Lord's appearance in His most amazing and famous lila avatar. This year more devotees came to join the auspicious event - maybe around five hundred, which almost reminded me of the 'early days', when we attended this festival some 25 years ago. On the 18th of April I flew from Stuttgart to Graz (Austria), and Gauracandranana Mataji and her husband received me to drive to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.
On my arrival in Radhadesh on the 7th of April I settled into a little room high up in the tower of the castle. I stayed here also on my first visit last year - a quiet bhajan kutir, and close to the roof top where one can chant nicely.
On my arrival at Frankfurt Airport on the 27th of March I took an evening train to Cologne. By the time I arrived it was 3am according to Bangladeshi time. Needless to say, I was exhausted after the long journey, but happy to be welcomed by Rama Gopal Prabhu, one of the leaders of Cologne temple.
I met Vicaksana Prabhu and his wife Nanda Gopi Mataji for the first time in the year 2000, on my first preaching tour around Ukraine. In those days he was the temple president of a small yatra in the city of Nikolaev.
Over the years we had established a nice friendship, and I was always very happy to serve them by trying to give some inspiration and support. And they both responded in an eager mood - eager to inquire and deepen their spiritual life, and to exchange thoughts and realizations. Sometimes I would give him some new books in English language, and he always gratefully accepted and eagerly read them. Chandigarh is situated North of Delhi - a recently established, well planned and modern city. Apparently it is the best organised city within India, with wide streets and plenty of parks.
The preparations for our symposium "Celebrating the Glories of our Mothers" in Mayapur had kept us very busy. So many things had to be arranged, which created some anxiety. But it was a blissful anxiety - being intensely absorbed in serving the devotees, going beyond our usual comfort zone. Pushing oneself to one's very limits is indeed very purifying.
Yatantas ca drdha vrata - endeavoring with great determination.... As Prabhupada explains in the purport to SB 2.9.24: "An easygoing life and attainment of perfection in transcendental realization cannot go together...." On Sunday, 22 February 2015 the Institute for Spiritual Culture in Mayapur conducted a unique symposium entitled 'Celebrating the Glories of Our Mothers'.
For the event we had arranged a large pandal in the open area of the Mayapur Goshala. The warmth of the pandal colours and the beautiful flower decorations created a welcoming and festive atmosphere. Guests were received with flower garlands while devotees were chanting in kirtana. |
Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel DiaryDevaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary.Welcome to relish this nectar! Archives
January 2026
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