Here is a brief report about Bangladesh – the land of natural opulence and
flourishing sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya! Almost half of Sri Gaura
Mandala Bhumi is situated here, such as the Sripats of Sri Rupa Sanatana,
Saci Mata, Pundarikh Vidyanidhi Dhams, Narottam Das Thakur’s Kheturi! ISKCON
has built temples in many of these places and we can see that ISKCON has
made a great impact by its preaching activities and festivals. According to
HG Jagat Guru Gauranga Prabhu, one of the local leaders, ISKCON has a total
of 30 temples, 250 Namahattas and 80 Bhakti Vrikshas all around this
country. They perform some 22 ecstatic Ratha yatras, all on the same day all
over the country! I still remember attending one of the Dacca Ratha yatras,
where not less than 50,000 people had filled up practically every inch of
the road.
Prior to the stroke, Guru Maharaj has been visiting Bangladesh twice or
thrice a year for over 30 years. The recent visit was the first visit to
Bangladesh almost after two years. He was scheduled to visit around the 3rd
week of July 2010 but it was postponed because of the sudden urinary tract
infection, due to which he needed to be hospitalized. So the Bangladesh
program was rescheduled on the 23rd till the 28th August.
The place Guru Maharaj visited is called Rupa Sanantan Smirti Tirtha
(RSST), which is about 10kms away from the birthplace of Sri Rupa & Sri
Sanantana. It is also known as Prema Bag. Some say this is only the bhajana
Sthali and the birthplace is somewhere else. Anyway RSST is located about 2
hours drive from the border of an Indian Town called Haridaspur. Rich with
lush greenery and naturally decorated by various and numerous fruit trees
such as banana and papaya growing in abundance along the both sides of the
road, this part of the land appeared like a picturesque from the ancient
times to most of us, who are habituated with busy daily city lives! This
experience was a practical example of what Srila Prabhupada always
emphasized in his books about simple living and high thinking. Acres of
paddy field and vegetation covered most of the land. People had food growing
right outside their houses. Modern days big advertisement of “eco-friendly”
and “organic food” is their natural lifestyle! Varieties of sak and spices
decorated their courtyard of cozy thatched houses. Our ISKCON temple was
practically the only double storied concrete building in the remote
surrounding! Some surrounding villages were even without electricity.
I have been to Bangladesh many times with Guru Maharaja but this time I
noticed a drastic change in many aspects compared to all my previous visits.
Our car drove past these lovely villages, rubbing against the haystacks
alongside the road, and reached around 8 pm. Generally whenever Guru maharaj
visited Bangladesh, a huge number of devotees would receive him about a km
before the temple with resounding kirtan. They would swarm up to his car
like honey-bees and sometimes it used to go beyond control. But this time I
was surprised to see how about 3,000 devotees were standing systematically
in the dark on both sides of the main road till the temple as Guru maharaj’s
car was nearing the temple. Uludhwani and kirtan rocked the entire
atmosphere with most of the devotees’ cheek wet with tears. When Guru
maharaj came out of the car, devotees were crying as most of them were
seeing him after his stroke for the first time. Special devotee volunteers
security team, mostly from youth forums, clad in special devotional uniform
was arranged to control the crowd. Guru maharaj took darshan of the
presiding Deities Sr Sri Radha- Madan Mohan, Jagannath Balaram Subhadra and
Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. He addressed the crowd of 3000 devotees then went to his
room for Prasadam.
Next day morning Guru maharaj woke up around 6am and after breakfast he went
to the newly built pool to do his regular therapy. After an hour of therapy
he had darshan of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Jagannath Balaram Subhadra
devi, Gaur Nitai, and Srila Prabhupada. After darshan of Deities he went for
the initiation ceremony, which was going to be held at the main pandal. By
now the crowd had swelled to 5,000 devotees. The initiation ceremony was
extremely well organized, something that I have never seen before in any
part of the ISKCON world. HH Gauranga Prema Swami and HG Sarvadaya Prabhu
from the Mayapur Nama Hatta department went one month ahead of time,
travelled all over Bangladesh centers to do all the preliminary work. They
interviewed every single candidate, marked their papers, etc. They, with the
help of some local youths created a special software to manage the whole
ceremony.
There were some 1727 candidates for 1st initiation and 389 for 2nd
initiation. The managers of the festival had divided the entire country into
three groups, namely Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. On the first day Guru
maharaj awarded 1st initiation to 607 devotees and 136 devotees with 2nd
initiation. Second day was Subhadra group with 614 for 1st and 128 for 2nd
initiation. And on the last day, the Jagananth group 506 devotees receiving
1st and 125 devotees 2nd initiation. To facilitate and organize better, each
group was told beforehand to visit RSST only on the schedule day of their
initiation. They would arrive a night before and leave RSST before the next
group comes in.
The initiation arena was well organized. The entire area was fenced
intelligently and only those with special passes were allowed to go into the
arena. Rest of the devotees witnessed the ceremony from outside the arena.
All the initiation candidates had their special registration number and
coupon. In fact each of them was designated a sitting place with the same
number and sitting arrangements were done as per their serial numbers.
Candidates started gathering and taking their position on their respective
seat at around 7am. Ceremony started with SB class and very elaborate
explanation of the ceremony, 10 aparadhas, taking of vows by each and every
candidate. After a short lecture by Guru maharaj, HH Bhakti Purushottam
Swami and HH Gauranga Prema Swami, the name giving and handing of the beads
begun. Beads were handed out by Guru maharaj with HH BPS reading out the
candidates legal name serially. Every one received the beads personally from
Guru maharaj’s hands while their respective initiated name was being
announced. There were many volunteers with special devotional uniform
constantly checking at every 2 meters making sure that the candidates are
standing up on time, queuing serially, receiving beads, receiving names
according to serial numbers. The candidates were even pre trained as to how
to receive beads from Guru maharaj. At the final point HH GPS handed out a
small slip with candidates legal name, serial number and area they were from
and initiated name printed on it. At the same time there were few other
devotee volunteers counter checking whether HH BPS, HH GPS and the team were
doing the job properly. Every single male candidate was fully shaven and
clad with dhoti and chadar. After receiving the beads and names candidates
sat back at their respective seats. The whole thing was going on like a
gentle flow of river.
Every day it took an average of 46 minutes to complete the 1st initiation.
We had an average of 12 candidates receiving the beads at every one minute.
In short, every single candidate took their vows from their respective seat,
stood up in line, came forward received their beads personally from Guru
maharaj’s hands while HH BPS was announcing their initiated name. After the
handing out of the beads all the 2nd initiation candidates came forward to
reconfirm their vows and paid their obeisance and sat at their respective
seats and finally the fire yajna begun. Naru Gopal prabhu and others who
accompanied Guru maharaj for the first time were shocked and surprised to
see how everything was so disciplined!
In average Guru maharaj spent about 2 and half hour everyday for the whole
initiation ceremony. Everyday there were anna prassana ceremony too. After
the initiations Guru maharaj would go to his room for lunch prasad. During
lunch, HG Krsna Kirtan Prabhu, (one of the senior most disciples of Guru
maharaj from Bangladesh) and his kirtaniyas did special bhajans for Guru
maharaj. HG krsna Kirtan Prabhu is one of the world famous and rare
padyavali kirtan singer. His kirtans are heart melting. During 1980’s he has
travelled around the world and perfomed his kirtan in most of the countries.
Most of the devotees in his group know how to play atleast 12 musical
instruments like mrdangas, kartalas, veena, harmonium etc. I was told that
while HG Vyasaki Prabhu (Iskcon famous kirtan singer) was staying in
Bangladesh for almost 10 years, he would travel with HG Krsna Kirtan prabhu
all around Bangladesh and thus received some help in learning the
traditional gaudiya bhajan and kirtans.
Everyday after lunch Guru maharaj took one and half hour rest. After rest
and shower Guru maharaj gave out the gayatri mantra in the closed prasadam
hall. Then he would go to the main stage and give the evening class for
about 5000 devotees. There were other speakers too like HH BPS, HH GPS, HG
Bhadra Caru and Naru Gopal prabhus. Dramas and bhajans by Krsna Kirtan
Prabhu were special attraction. The first evening KK pr sang a padavali
narrating the jhulana yatra pastimes with full details through his kirtans.
It was mesmerizing.
I also noticed that no matter who spoke or performed the kirtan, all the
devotees (children, youths and adults) would be in rapt attention during the
programs. I noticed whenever Guru maharaj cried out Hari Bol! or Gauranga!
all 5000 devotees hands were up in the air repeating after him all together
Hari bol! and Gauranga! followed by matajis doing a loud ululation. This was
a spectacular sight to be watched from the main stage.
These simple hearted and sincere vaisnavas are always so eager to see Guru
maharaj.Whenever Guru maharaj appeared and disappeared from the crowd there
was a loud Ululation and chanting of Guru Maharaj Ki Jai!!!! Srila
Prabhupada Ki Jai!!! Without knowing where Guru maharaj was, only from
hearing the uludwani, we could easily guess where Guru maharaj was – whether
he was in the room or with the devotees. The team of devotee security was
working so hard controlling the crowd each time Guru maharaj came out of his
room. It was a wonderful teamwork.
On the last day we kept the entire day free for Guru maharaj so the local
devotees could meet him. After Guru maharaj’s regular pool therapy, HH BPS,
HG Caru Candra Prabhu (regional secretary) and Temple Presidents from almost
all over Bangladesh had a special meeting with Guru maharaj. Each TP gave
their report and shared many things with Guru maharaj. This meeting went on
for almost 90 minutes. Many leaders were recalling how the 2008 safari which
was led by Guru maharaj made a very big impact all over Bangladesh and still
remains the talk of the town. They requested the safari group to come again.
HH BPS commented how all the TPs of Bangladesh always work with a
cooperative mood. Every temple helps other temples financially and
physically whenever there is a crisis or festivals. After the meeting, we
had HG Krsna Kirtan Prabhu approcahing Guru maharaj for blessing for the
opening of a Vaishnava Music Academy in Bangladesh. Throughout the whole day
so many devotees came to meet Guru maharaj and had his darshan.
Bangldeshi devotees are rich with culture, simplicity, hospitality and their
generous hearts. They are expert in the art of taking care of their guests.
Everyday we all were served very simple but delicious prasadam on lotus and
banana leaves. Though most of the devotees are from poor financial
background they have very rich hearts. Almost every single devotee offered
their donations to Guru maharaj, from 1 takka and above. Of course this is
not something new. On the last day, as usual Guru maharaj returned most of
his donations to the development of the local yatras.
This other half of Gaura Mandala is a land where every vaishnava must
visit. There are so many vaishnava aspects that remain to be explored. So
many other beautiful places like RSST for visiting. Though every visit I had
with Guru maharaj before was memorable, this recent visit was an
extraordinary. Naru Gopal Prabhu and Bhadra Caru Prabhu who visited
Bangladesh for the first time commented that it was an eye opener for them
and they have many thing to learn from them.
All glories to every single devotee who hosted this festival and this
historic visit of Guru maharaj to RSST. All glories to all the leaders of
Bangladesh Yatra who have invested their energy in helping GM and Srila
Prabhupada to build this
wonderful spiritual nation! Hare Krishna.
Your Servant,
Maha Varaha D