Damodara World Launch Diary 1, Part 2

By Uttama Chaitanya Das

Day 5: Monday, Mumbai – Ahmedabad

Flight 0835 delayed by an hour. Reached Ahmedabad, capital of Gujarat, at
1030.

My first trip to this city. My last visit to Gujarat was in 1992.

I was received at the airport by a devotee and it took some 40 minutes to reach the temple.

I was astonished to view such a huge, ancient-looking temple.

The old temple-building houses a simple temple – Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and the temple guest rooms.

Everything looks ancient here and little run-down.

Almost immediately I went to take darsan of the most resplendent deities –Sri Sri Radha-Govindaji.

Three magnificient altars are the star-attraction in this huge temple hall. The hall is some 5-6 times bigger than our SJM.

The presiding deities are Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Radha-Govindaji, Sri Nathji and Sri Sri Sita-Rama-Laxmana-Hanumanji.

Srila Prabhupada sits right opposite the centre altar.

The architecture resembles the old Rajput temples. I actually thought this was an ancient temple than was renovated. But to my surprise it was only built some 12 years ago. Much of the building needs care and maintenance. It could be very costly to upkeep this temple.

I was met by HG Savyasaci pr (a brahmacari with a medical degree). He shed some light on the preaching activities here. The congregation is only about 200 – pretty small for a huge city.

There are about 8-9 Nama Hattas and a few college preaching. The goshala is about 40kms away housing 150 cows.

The evening programme was arranged at 7.30pm. Some 25 devotees attended the session. I did presentation on Damodara and Sraddha Kutir.

I was handicapped due to my lack of Hindi skills.

The congregation was impressed with the Damodara programme and a few volunteered to start on a small scale.

Day 6: Tuesday, Ahmedabad – Vadodara

Mangala arati – 4.30am. 20 devotees.

I was invited to give the SB class at 0645. Verse 3.3.24. A very wonderful verse on Vaisnava aparadha. The verse explains how the princes of the Yadu dynasty were cursed by the sages. Srila Prabhupada writes that even though they were related to Krishna, they were not spared by the reaction of
Vaisnava aparadha. SP warned us to avoid aparadha at all cost.

I was blessed to carry Srila Prabhupada circumambulating the altar three times and then to perform Guru Puja.

Left Ahmedabad by bus to Vadodara at 1100.

1230 arrival in Vadodara, another first.

Decided to go to the airport to get the flight ticket for Thursday back to Mumbai. And then reached back to the temple. Had a nice chatty autorickshaw rider to keep me company.

The temple is a not as big as the Ahmedabad, but looks very pleasant from the outside. Nice lawn in the front.

Nice guest room. The temple is situated on a 6-acre land. At the back-end of the land is the goshala that houses 60 cows. The cows all looked nourished and well-fed.

The evening seminar was held in the temple hall. Forty-odd devotees turned up. HG Nartaka Gauranga pr is the leader for congregational preaching. Another devotee HG Damodara Caitanya pr (Dr) is a young, pint-sized youth preacher was assisted me in Hindi translation.

A Tamil bhakta amongst the group was excited to know that about my background.

 Nartaka Gauranga pr was willing to give it a go.

Somehow in these few temples, Damodara programme has not been a major event.

Day 7: Wednesday, Vadodara – Vallabha Vidya Nagar – Last Day of Navaratri

I gave the SB class on verse 2.7.15. Another excellent chapter relating the Lord’s various incarnations. This particular verse dealt upon Gajendra-moksa topic that is described elaborately in 8th canto.

The purport by HDG Srila Prabhupada was very extensive. I chose to speak on how Krishna and His devotees are the ‘real’ saviours.

Tomorrow I leave to Mumbai from Vadodara.

I decided to stay in Vadodara tonight so that it would be easier to move from here to the airport.

That means I had to take a bus to Vallabha Vidyanagar (1 hr ride) and then by auto to the temple. By the time I reached, it was 7.15pm. The temple is small but sweet. There is only one altar with the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari. Gorgeous deities.

VV Nagar is an education city. So many students are visiting this temple. The main preaching here is in colleges.

This is the first temple in Gujarat that I see with 10-over young brahmacaris.

At the back of the temple they have constructed a 4-storey building that houses other facilities.

I spoke in the large hall on the ground floor to some 80 devotees. It was amazing to see how so many are unaware of the glories of Damodara lila and Damodara/Kartika month.

A few devotees immediately decided to start to do daily offering of ghee lamps to Damodara and a few more wanted to host home programmes.

After the programme, the devotees were kind enough to arrange for a car to drive me back to Vadodara.

I was told that temple was previously a boys’ welfare home run by a miserly businessman. Once  a devotee approached him for some facilities for preaching but he was refused. One day the businessman dreamt Krishna instructing him to give this property to ISKCON. That was how he decided to hand-over the wonderful place to the devotees.

It was Krishna’s desire that a temple be established here.

Today is Ghagra celebrations – last day of Navratri. Navarati is very famous in Gujarat. In the evening we can see so many ladies dressed in traditional Gujarati attires streaming to pandal programmes that goes on till late at night. Another attraction is the dandya dancing. It is a very colourful and
riotous festival.

The festival also has a the darker side. Over the years it has some what lost its spiritual significance. Instead of religious songs, we can now hear Bollywood songs blaring through the ear-piercing speakers. Not only that, much free promiscuous activities take place during this season. This is
tainted the image of the festival, esp in Gujarat.