Damodara Tour Diary – South India

By Rasika Murari dasa

Hare Krsna

All glories to Srila Gurudeva
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga
All glories to Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra Maiya

Please accept my humble obeisances

Day 1 –  27th September 2008, Saturday, KLIA ~ Chennai ~ Tirupati

We Left the abode of Sri Sri Nitai and Nimai at about 6.30am. Sriman Palani prabhu have mercifully offered his assistant to drive me to the KLIA and thus he had put up the night. We reached KLIA after an hour and half. It took another 45 minutes for the check-in proceedings due to very long queue. There was just enough time for me to change some Indian rupees and rushed through the immigration and security checks to the departure hall. People are already boarding the plane when I arrived at the
departure hall. .

The next 3 hours, I was just contemplating and praying to Sri Sri Nitai and Nimai so that these visits would be beneficial for both, me and the visited Yatras. The plane touches down at Anna International Airport, Chennai, at 11.30pm (local time). A pre-hired ambassador car was already waiting to drive me straight to Tirupati. It was an amazing 7 hours journey through the massive honking traffic of Madras city and the most breathe taking gorgeous Tirupati landscape. It was such a contrast as the journey pursue, we were gradually leaving behind the hectic city life into blissfully village settings of Sapta Giri Dham. Those transcendental hills were truly a tonic for my already exhausted body.

Finally the grueling journey came to a halt at the abode of Sri Sri Radha Govinda Asta Sakhi Giriraji Mandir, famously known as The Lotus Temple of ISKCON Tirupati, glistering with colorful neon lights. I have finally made it to the first of five destinations in this preaching tour. The devotees immediately made necessary accommodation arrangement and served me Kichori. I quickly checked thru their temple programs and timings, cleaned up and straight to bed.

Day 2 – 28th September 2008, Sunday, Tirupati

I was all geared up for the first Darshan of Their Lordship by 3.30am. The theatre curtain opened sharp at 4.15am, and Sri Sri Radha Govindaji with Their beautiful Astha Sakhis were beaming with smiles. I noticed a sign boards at the entrance of the Temple “do not close your eyes in front of the deities.” Now that sign board made so much sense, They were simply wonderful for us to even blink our eyes.

Participated in ISKCON Tirupati complete morning program; Mangal arati, Tulasi puja, Japa, Bhagavatam class, Darshan arati, Srila Prabupada guru puja, Kirtan, Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 1 (this is something new and it was so attractive, especially the tune that it made everyone glued on the floor for the entire chapter recitation), and finally the Prasad, simple but very tasty.

Met HG Revati Raman pr., the Temple President and he immediately made all necessary arrangement for the Damodara and Bhakti Home seminars. About 60 congregation members attended the seminar in the morning. Many prominent congregation leaders attended the seminar including HG Revati Raman pr. who stayed till the end, complimented our effort and urged their congregation members to take it up this year. The seminar ended at 12.30pm with a group photograph. These leaders have committed to reach out for 200,000 people in the city and villages for this year Damodara. HG Bala
Badra Madhav pr., assistance Temple commander, was assigned as liaison for Tirupati Damodara preaching progress report. Then, I was told that they have made another meeting, whereby, I am suppose to deliver a talk at their weekend Sreyahs youth gathering at 4.00pm.

After a couple of hour rest, I cleaned up and was guided to a large hall, where some 150 University and College students gathered. The topic of discussion was youth preaching and sadhana. The session ended at 5.30pm. They seem to be very inspired by the speech and asked many relevant
questions. I was then guided straight to Prasad hall. The day ended with Sunday Feast Sandhya arati with thousand of pilgrimage swamped the entire Lotus Temple building.

Day 3 – 29th September 2008, Monday, Tirupati

Today was a blissful morning. I was given the chance to perform Srila Prabhupada Guru Puja and gave a Srimad Bhavagatam discourse. As usual energetic and ecstatic kirtan ensued thereafter. After morning Prasad, there was a guided tour for me to Thirumala for Sri Sri Balaji?s darshan.
I was informed that the darshan will take about 4 hours, including the journey thru a winding hill climb. But, amazingly it was very short and sweet, like the Tirumala laddu Prasad. It took only an hour and half, and we were already on the bus climbing down the hill. I had a solid 30 second darshan of Sri Balaji. He is simply awesome.

The guest reception counter had book an air-condition bus for my journey to Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It was a night journey, 9.00pm and expected arrival at the destination 8.00am the next morning.

I paid my obeisances to all the devotees in Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Astha Sakhi Giriraji Mandir and left to Tirupati main bus-station and boarded the Volvo sleeping coach to Hyderabad.

Day 4 –  30th September 2008, Tuesday, Hyderabad

The bus pulled in at Hyderabad main bus station at 7.00am. It took another 15 minutes by auto to Sri Sri Radha Madhana Mohan Mandir, ISKCON Hyderabad. This Temple was personally established by Srila Prabhupada in 1973.

I was greeted by Nanda Gopal pr. (the head of Congregation) and Abhisek pr (TP?s Secretary). Briefly discussed on the seminar proper and they have agreed to have it the next morning at 10.00am after Temple’s morning program. Contacted Sahadeva pr., Temple President of ISKCON Secunderabad and he promised to attend the seminar at Hyderabad with some of his congregational preachers. Cleaned up and took Darsan of the presiding Deities, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Madhana Mohan and Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra Maiya. The 10 hours sleepless journey from Tirupati to Hyderabad left my body aching all over and I spend the rest of day quietly resting in my room.

Day 5 – 1st October 2008, Wednesday, Hyderabad

Attend the complete morning program and the seminar starts on time at 10.15am. This time there were mainly Bhakti-vriksa leaders who have participated very enthusiastically. Being a working day many could not attend but nevertheless the 20 who attended were very much inspired with what is happening in Malaysia during the Karrtika month. They have decided to discuss in their monthly leaders meet which is schedule in a week time to come up with some public pandal, home and harinam programs for this year Damodara celebration. Abhisek pr will be the liaison for Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

I took advantage of my free afternoon and evening, resting, as a preparation for the night grueling 14 hour?s journey to Bangalore. After paid my obeisances to all the devotees in ISKCON Hyderabad, left to main bus terminal to board the 10.00pm air-condition sleeping coach bound to Bangalore.

Day 6 – 2nd October 2008, Thursday, Bangalore

Bangalore is one of the most greenish lands I have ever observed in all of my visits to various parts of India. It has a climate similar to Malaysia. There were beautiful mountains and vineyards. Anyway, I arrived here after 14 hours in the bus and immediately got hold off an Auto straight to ISKCON Jagannatha Mandir. The presiding deities are Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda, Sri Sri Laxmi Narasimha, Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Maiya, and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. I took darshan, Prasad and checked in the guest house, cleaned up and straight to bed.

Woke up with a call from Hg Vibhav Krsna pr., the Temple President and we briefly discussed about the seminar proper and my returned journey to Chennai the next morning. The seminar was scheduled at 7.30pm, right after the evening arati and the returned train (Sabdadari Express) ticket booking at 6.00am the next morning.

The seminar was well attended. Most of the BV and CD leaders participated. They were overwhelmed with our presentation and asked many questions. They are very keen to start a similar approach for this year Kartikka month. Some of the senior congregation already started thinking on making a
gigantic poster of mother Yasoda and Lord Damodara for the street promotion and the have estimated about 100,000 people to be touched this year.

After Prasad and further discussion on some related matters with the Bhakti Vriksa leaders, I left to the guest house for rest in anticipation of early departure to Chennai thru Hyderabad main railway station.

Day 7 – 3rd October 2008, Friday, Bangalore to Chennai

After participating in the mangala arati and tulasi puja, HG Uttama Damodara pr drove me to the nearby railway station in Bangalore. He spotted the Sabdadari Express about to leave the platform and quickly made necessary arrangement with the officers to put me into the train. Apparently, the ticket booking was not done and it would cost me additional 300 rupees as a penalty (650 + 300 rupees). As I don’t mind paying extra, they allowed me into the train and just as I went inside, it started moving.

It was another 5 hours journey through a scenic villages, greens, river and mountains. I arrived in Chennai Central station at about 11.00am. I stayed and rested the next 12 hours in Chennai with HG Purna Rupini mataji’s relations. They are starting to practice Krsna Consciousness and took me to ISKCON Chennai Temple, which is under construction about 80% completed and a thousand year old Shiva Linga Temple.

I arrived at the Anna International Airport, Chennai, at 11.30pm the same day. After the check-in formalities and waiting for another 1.5hours, I finally boarded the plane and arrived in KLIA at 8.00am local time.

Spotted Bhakta Palani waved at me while exiting the arrival hall. He was so kind that he came all the way to fetch me back to Ampang. It was blissful with a lot of preaching and wonderful association of devotees throughout the journey.

p.s.
I could not make it to Coimbatore due to time constraints and ailing body due to hectic and long travels.

Srila Gurudev Ki! Jay
Srila Prabhupada Ki! Jay!
Sri Sri Radha Damodar Ki! Jay