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Part 1 of 9
Here is a truly global community of devotees that works to inspire people from all walks of life to experience pure love for God, discovers RANJENI A SINGH during a visit to Mayapur
Part 2 of 9
The lush green paddy fields,mango orchards and numerous ponds dotting the highway was a welcome relief from city clutter. I rolled down the window of the Ambassador to feel the crisp early morning breeze.The 130-km drive from Kolkata to Mayapur that took two hours,was a rejuvenating one.
Part 3 of 9
And then I heard it — the mesmerising chanting of Hare Rama, Hare Krishna set to the rhythmic beating of a khol. I crossed several groups of people dressed in ochre and white.Where is the dancing-singing group headed to? “They are on their way to the Navadwip parikrama,” my driver said.A Navadwip parikrama is a sixday long pilgrimage around sacred sites in the Navadwip and Mayapur area, believed to be the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a Krishna devotee. As I got closer to my destination, I saw more such groups, consisting of an eclectic mix of Americans, Africans, Europeans and Indians.
Part 4 of 9
Diverse Groups
NearVamsi Bhavan, the guesthouse at Mayapur Dham where I was to spend a few days, I saw several young boys dressed in cotton dhoti-kurta,with sandalwood paste tilak on their foreheads,hurrying to their destination:
the daily Bhagwad Gita class.Again, it was a diverse group of students from different parts of the world.
NearVamsi Bhavan, the guesthouse at Mayapur Dham where I was to spend a few days, I saw several young boys dressed in cotton dhoti-kurta,with sandalwood paste tilak on their foreheads,hurrying to their destination:
the daily Bhagwad Gita class.Again, it was a diverse group of students from different parts of the world.
Part 5 of 9
Nestling amidst the rice fields of the Navadwip region, in Nadia district of West Bengal, the Mayapur municipality houses Mayapur Dham,the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon).
Mayapur is seen as a holy place by a number of traditions within Hinduism. However, it is of special significance to the followers of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism as it is the birthplace of Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu,propounder of the Vaishnava school of Bhakti Yoga that revolves around unwavering devotion to Krishna.
Situated at the confluence of the Ganga and Jalangi rivers, the ancient name of Mayapur refers to both the spiritual and the material energies of the Divine. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
was born here in 1486. His devotees regard him as a special incarnation of Krishna in the mood of Radha. His ebullient egalitarianism inspired people from different walks of life to
experience the highest spiritual state— pure love of God —and share it with others, irrespective of race, caste or creed.
Part 6 of 9
At the end of the 19th century, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a leading philosopher and proponent of Gaudiya Vaishnavism took Mayapur and Chaitanya’s teachings to the rest
of the world. He wanted to develop Chaitanya’s birthplace as a pilgrim destination.His son,Srila Bhaktisiddhantha Saraswati Thakur, continued to develop Mayapur, and asked his followers
to share the teachings of Chaitanya with the western world as well. His wishes went largely unfulfilled until the 1960s, when his student
A C Bhaktivedanta Swami, later known as Srila Prabhupada, founded Iskcon.Within a decade, he brought Mayapur to the attention of the world,establishing Krishna Consciousness
temples in cities across the world.
of the world. He wanted to develop Chaitanya’s birthplace as a pilgrim destination.His son,Srila Bhaktisiddhantha Saraswati Thakur, continued to develop Mayapur, and asked his followers
to share the teachings of Chaitanya with the western world as well. His wishes went largely unfulfilled until the 1960s, when his student
A C Bhaktivedanta Swami, later known as Srila Prabhupada, founded Iskcon.Within a decade, he brought Mayapur to the attention of the world,establishing Krishna Consciousness
temples in cities across the world.
Part 7 of 9
At 4 am, the next day, I woke up to a medley of birdsong.After a quick shower, I hurried to attend the Mangala aarti at the Radha-Madhava Temple.Devotees at the temple were offering ghee lamps, an act symbolising how our heart burns in separation from Krishna.Dressed in finery,Krishna and Radha looked resplendent. Sakhis,who stood on either side of them, looked eager to serve them.
“Mayapur Dham is a world in itself. I have spent six months here and I don’t want to go back.All that I hear and see here is a feast for the body, mind and soul,” said a young blonde standing beside me. She introduced herself as
Visakha Devi from Glasgow.As the chanting of Krishna-Krishna, Radhe-Radhe reached a crescendo, I saw Visakha swaying as if in a trance. In fact, most of the devotees assembled
in the hall seemed ecstatic with their love for Krishna.
“Mayapur Dham is a world in itself. I have spent six months here and I don’t want to go back.All that I hear and see here is a feast for the body, mind and soul,” said a young blonde standing beside me. She introduced herself as
Visakha Devi from Glasgow.As the chanting of Krishna-Krishna, Radhe-Radhe reached a crescendo, I saw Visakha swaying as if in a trance. In fact, most of the devotees assembled
in the hall seemed ecstatic with their love for Krishna.
Part 8 of 9
After a light breakfast of poha and tea at the dining hall, Damodara Dasa,who had been assigned to guide me around Mayapur Dham, suggested a trip to the goshala — the cowshed.
We walked on the tree-lined road,but many passed me by on oxcarts.The goshala has several sections for old cows, younger cows and bulls.The cows had beautiful names — Lakshmi,Ambika, Surabhi….When I randomly
called out the name ‘Radha’,one brown cow shook her head and the tiny bells around her neck jingled! Before leaving, I bought a carton
of freshly-made cow-ghee and several other products made from cow urine and dung.
On our way back, we crossed a group of students.“They study at the gurukul and learn vedic mathematics, English, music, martial arts,Vaishnava texts and organisational skills,” said Damodara.When I expressed doubts about their future, as vedic education is not recognised elsewhere, he smiled and waved to a boy to join us.“Do only those who have degrees from recognised universities survive? Are bosses better than Krishna? Don’t plants
and animals manage without education?” the boy asked.The boys sure knew what they were doing.And their faith in Krishna was admirable.
“They become teachers, run businesses,and assume important roles dependent more on tact and faith,than on degrees,” said Damodara, as he guided me to a nearby kiosk,where a shopkeeper was selling cake prasadam to visitors.
While visitors were busy admiring the circular-shaped Prabhupada’s Samadhi Temple and paying obeisance to the deity at the Narasimha Temple,two groups of women were engrossed
in drawing elaborate rangolis near the temples — one group used colours and the other, flowers.“We believe that while the aarti is in progress, Krishna and Radha come down to bless everyone.These rangolis are to welcome
them,” said Damodara.
We walked on the tree-lined road,but many passed me by on oxcarts.The goshala has several sections for old cows, younger cows and bulls.The cows had beautiful names — Lakshmi,Ambika, Surabhi….When I randomly
called out the name ‘Radha’,one brown cow shook her head and the tiny bells around her neck jingled! Before leaving, I bought a carton
of freshly-made cow-ghee and several other products made from cow urine and dung.
On our way back, we crossed a group of students.“They study at the gurukul and learn vedic mathematics, English, music, martial arts,Vaishnava texts and organisational skills,” said Damodara.When I expressed doubts about their future, as vedic education is not recognised elsewhere, he smiled and waved to a boy to join us.“Do only those who have degrees from recognised universities survive? Are bosses better than Krishna? Don’t plants
and animals manage without education?” the boy asked.The boys sure knew what they were doing.And their faith in Krishna was admirable.
“They become teachers, run businesses,and assume important roles dependent more on tact and faith,than on degrees,” said Damodara, as he guided me to a nearby kiosk,where a shopkeeper was selling cake prasadam to visitors.
While visitors were busy admiring the circular-shaped Prabhupada’s Samadhi Temple and paying obeisance to the deity at the Narasimha Temple,two groups of women were engrossed
in drawing elaborate rangolis near the temples — one group used colours and the other, flowers.“We believe that while the aarti is in progress, Krishna and Radha come down to bless everyone.These rangolis are to welcome
them,” said Damodara.
Part 9 of 9
Morning, noon, evening, night —life is a 24X7 celebration at Mayapur.Like Krishna’s hometown,Vrindavan,Mayapur exudes an ethereal charm.Here, every resident is soaked in love for Krishna — an emotion that transcends geographical boundaries.
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