“THE RETURN Ekadasi Rath Yatra”
Please accept our humble obeisance.
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.
Following the events of this July 11, a little past 1 pm, I went to the terrace to take my Ekadasi prasadam. The servants were taking their turns and the servant who was with GM needed help, so Daresha suggested I go to get help. Guru Maharaj was getting ready to go to the place where the Coaches depart with Jagannath Subadra Baladeva to return to their temple, as I mentioned in one of the last reports, it is known as ISKCON Jagannath Temple, which is relatively nearby. A devotee of Iran has been helping us from Kolkata.
For the past 2 hrs, we had been waiting for the Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subadra from Sri Panca Tattva temple and taking them to the place where their coaches were waiting for them. First Srila Prabhupada had been carried in procession in the midst of “drums and cymbals,” I say drums and cymbals as local devotees were young, apparently gurukulis students or those who ran such a “kirtan”. I put in quotes “kirtan” because it seemed strange not to do kirtan with karatalas mridanga and led the singing of holy names. Only heard “drums and cymbals.”
Sure, I have to inform you of why this kind of kirtan, maybe is traditional in these parts. The point is that from the 3rd floor of the Lotus building one could appreciate such a procession. Prabhupada came to the main entrance of the temple of Sri Sri Radha Madhava and the Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subadra, gradually followed and one by one by the main entrance of Sri Panca Tattva temple as I mentioned before.
I should also mention that before they started out with the Deities of the temple, a big storm was coming. But once the procession,of the the deities Floats and ceremonies left the storm had vanished. This shows the significance of Lord Jagannath is the Lord of the Universe. Another thing I want to mention is that all these Ratha Yatra that is celebrated ,Guru Maharaj has been directly involved with including the Kolkata Ratha Yatra events and are took place on the exact same days of departure and return of the original Great Puri Jagannath Ratha Yatra.
We got Guru Maharaj to where the whole crowd was gathered and the Deities in their floats ready to go. Next they built a stage or platform made for the VIPs who would participate and speak something of the glorious return of Their Lordships. All this arrangement was made in an extension of land behind the buildings and the Sankirtana brahmacaris ashram. Guru Maharaj climbed quickly onto the ramp and sat with the VIPs. In reality all these personalities seemed one family, but I just ask Madhava Kanta and told me that one of the ladies, which was one of the speakers was a movie star, and there was also a small boy around 12 or 13 years, he also was a star of film and television. The rest of them apparently were related to both. The lady ended her talk in Bengali and sang Holy Names. After we put GM in a special chair He then began His discourse in Bengali.
After the talk of GM and headed down towards the procession. There was much excitement in Kolkata, but still people around wanted to be as close as possible to Guru Maharaj . Also, the people of the press was present. For all these days, the humidity here in Mayapur is rather high and this makes the temperature feel much hotter and more stifling. So you can imagine how it feels in the midst of the crowd whilst holding on to Guru Maharaj whilst He is standing and offering the coconut with ghee lamps. But Guru Maharaj showed that His hands are completely transcendental to these external influences and only saw him completely absorbed in their service to make such offerings to their Lordships, and to have the Darshan of Them.
The order of the offerings was equal to that normally here in India, starting with Balaram and finally after Subadra Jagannath. In front of the chariot of Lord Jagannath, Guru Maharaj made offerings in his wheelchair.
He made the ceremony special by sweeping with the broom for the devotees and posed with their cameras and the press, to be photographed with most personalities. Finally, he asked to lift the rope of the chariot to touch with his hands and with this last ceremony we started back towards the building of the Lotus. Arriving there he prepared for his afternoon break.
In the evening at about 8:30 pm He went to the temple of Lord Jagannath and He was not in place, but as I could see in the pictures was just to take Darshan of Their Lordships, and he returned at about 9: 30pm. I was on the terrace at the time to start my shift. This time he looked tired and He had Srimad Bhagavatam class in the morning and the events of Ratha Yatra, all this together was quite tiring. The Internet has expired, so I do not know when to send this report. Hare Krishna.
Your Servant
The servants caring for Guru Maharaj.
See photos on www.jpsdisciples.com