Dharmsala is a beautiful hill station in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. Located at a height of 4800ft. from sea level, it is situated on the slopes of scenic dhauladhar mountain range. The view of these mountains from our host’s roof in Dharmsala is really fascinating. Dhauladhar’s snow covered peaks decorate this valley just like a mighty crown. It’s rich flora and fauna renders the landscape even more beautiful. Dhauladhar range is a paradise for worldwide mountain trekkers and Paragliders. Banana, Papaya trees, guavas, pumpkins, amala, various citrus fruits, pomegranates to name a few and also various aromatic flowers grow abound.
Rath yatra in Dharmshala had been continuing since the last seven years. Every year the devotees eagerly wait for the time to visit Dharmshala because of its nice location, nice weather and serene environment.
A natural spring sprouts fresh crystal clear water under the building. The spring provides yearlong supply of fresh water. We use that water for cooking, drinking, washing and taking bath, etc. That spring gives a feeling of living in a fairy tale land. Small crabs and fish live in the flowing water.
Surrounded by Cedar forest on the edge of the Himalayas, the hillside Mcleordgang in Dharmshala is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government -in – exile. Thekchen Choling temple complex is a spiritual Centre for Tibetan Buddhism, while the library of Tibetan works and Archives houses thousands of precious manuscripts. Dalai lama’s presence and the Tibetan population have made Dharmsala a popular destination for tourists from world over, people who are seeking something spiritual.
The local people are very simple and soft hearted unlike people in big cities. They are pious and they strictly follow their old traditional beliefs. They are little reserved but welcome whole heartedly anyone who comes with a kind heart. The local elderly mataji, who invites us, has a genuine urge for preaching and introducing new people with Krishna Consciousness. Unlike the elder people, the younger generation is pretty much westernized, maybe because of the presence of many foreign tourists.
Devotees reached Dharmsala on 20th September. The weather had stabilized after a long interval. Three months of continuous rain starting from June had damped the entire landscape. The Ratha Yatra date was regularly being postponed due to heavy rain this monsoon season. People were unable to move freely out of their homes. The abundant open land got covered with knee high grass.
As the devotees started to chalk out the program, dark clouds appeared again and the rain started to fall as if never to stop. Everything became wet, and came to a hault. Despite the bad weather we did our first program in the district jail in a small indoor hall. Around 200 jail inmates listen very carefully to a very meaningful lecture delivered by one of our senior Brahmachari. Later that day, five more devotees joined us with their sankirtan bus. This team of devotees is engaged in Sankirtan, distributing Srila Prabhupad books round the year. They reached Dharmsala according to a preplanned schedule. Temperature dipped low with rain and fresh snow, which fell on the peaks. The devotees had to put on their warmest clothes. After 4 days, the rain stopped and the sun appeared with a beautiful rainbow. Devotees felt relaxed, but things were not so smooth yet. Next day Lord Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev and Subhadra devi arrived for the festival. The devotees welcomed the Lordships. That day we saw a big snake basking in the sun just outside our building. Worst still, at night, a devotee stepped onto a smaller snake in the kitchen. The devotee shouted and jumped. But luckily the snake did not bite. A gloom of terror prevailed in the hearts for few nights.
Now was not the time for looking back. Srila Prabhupad says: “Utsaha, that enthusiasm is the real beginning of determination. Unless you are enthusiastic, how your determination can continue? So determination, your enthusiasm, patience, working in the regulative principle. These are different function of determination.”( Feb. 16, 1969 Los Angles Transcript (Bhagavad-gita 6.16-24 Sankhya Yoga system))
As the rain stopped the devotees began their service. Two devotees visited colleges for arranging seminars and rest were engaged in harinam Sankirtan in the city and nearby towns, publicising the program, distributing books and collecting donations. The schedule of going to Sankirtan continued for 15 days. We distributed about 15 Mahabig books on an average per day.
Srila Prabhupad says: “Our first business is this book distribution. There is no need of any other business. If this book distribution is managed properly, pushed on with great enthusiasm and determination and at the same time if our men keep spiritually strong ,then the whole world will become Krishna Conscious.” (Letter to Satsvarupa, Jan5, 1976)
Mcleodganj in Dharmsala is home for Tibetan Buddhist. Also many more Tibetians and foreigners were visiting Dharmshala to meet The Dalai Lama who recently arrived from a foreign tour. We got a nice opportunity to preach. We went a couple of times to Mcleodganj for harinam Sankirtan. All the devotees really enjoyed that. There were more westerners than Indians there. Many lamas and other foreign tourists enjoyed the kirtan and made videos of Harinaam.
One of the bright faced lamas was from Thailand, he was looking amazed. He never saw such a thing earlier. He enjoyed talk with our Brahmachari and clicked a photo with the devotees. Another tourist from Croatia, a big guy, responded in a heavy tone ‘Hare Krishna’, and shared that his sister was also a ‘hare Krishna’ since 25 years. When we went inside the Buddhist temple complex we saw many many young lamas engaged in debate, they were clapping their hands and putting forth arguments. We got to interact with few young lamas. One from Vietnam was very friendly & humble. He said that they were also strict vegetarian like us.
As the sky got cleared, next Sunday devotees visited the district jail again. This time the program was arranged in the open compound inside the jail, so all the inmates numbering 500 attended the program. Amazingly about 25 Maha big books, numerous small books and 25 japa mala sets were distributed. These jail programs were arranged by the jail Superintendent who is a devotee himself. He preaches regularly to the Prisoners and has made many of the prisoners to chant and read the Bhagavad Gita.
Srila Prabhupad says : “ For the time being you can go to the jail and lecture about Kirshna Consciousness and values of life. Preaching at these and other big institutions is solid work, so try to increase this activity.” (SPL to Nayanabhirama, April 4 1971, Bombay)
The other group of devotees arranged a four day seminar for MBA course students, with the help of an enthusiastic professor, in a College of Dharmashala. Bhagavad Gita was the course book for the seminar and a total of 110 Bhagwad Gitas were distributed among students. A devotee prepared the students for performing a drama on the final day of the seminar. By that time the students had already developed friendship with the devotees. They dramatized a famous story onstage, “The Boatman and the Scholar” . The students and staff were very impressed. Influenced by the seminar, 25 students came to our program to taste the 56 boga preprations, offered to their Lordships, after the performance of a yagna, one day before the Ratha yatra ceremony.
Srila Prabhupad says : “This is the way of our preaching work. Please try to infuse this Krishna Consciousness idea amongst the student community and it will be great success.” (SPL to Brahmananda, Feb. 27 1969, Los Angles)
The same number of students joined the Rath Yatra procession. Boys and girls chanted and danced on the tunes of the Maha Mantra. The Rath Yatra was a grand success. Everyone involved experience great pleasure in celebrating the Jagannath Rath Yatra festival.
5th October was Ekadashi. As on every other Ekadasi we performed the abhishek of Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. Yagna ceremony performed on the 6th was an added attraction. Shyamsunderanand Das Brahmachari from Mayapur performed a yagna for the satisfaction of Lord Hari. After the Yagya 56 Bhogas were offered to their Lordships Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev and Subhadra devi. About one hundred people including 25 students honoured Lords prasadam that day.
Ever since their arrival, the devotees had been regularly going out for Sankirtan to nearby towns, informing people about the Rath yatra, distributing books and collecting donations.
Early next morning after mangalarti, the devotees quickly tried to finish their prescribed 16 rounds so as to get ready for the busy day ahead.
Srila Prabhupad says: “But don’t decrease. Don’t decrease; increase. Therefore one number is fixed; “At least this much I shall do.” That is sixteen rounds.” ( Morning Walk, Nov. 10, 1975)
On the Ratha Yatra morning, October 7, 2018, two group of devotees went on a stroll and collected aromatic flowers including roses from neighbouhood. These flowers were especially used to make garlands for Srila Prabhupad, Jayanand Prabhu and for decorating the altar on the Rath. Fresh bamboo trees, growing besides the spring were cut and tied to make flags. Ratha decoation had started the previous night, devotee bore the chilling cold to hang Marigold and Ashoka leaf garlands all around the Rath. Four banana trees were tied to the altar on the chariots in the morning as a harbinger of auspiciousness. Deities Garland’s were made of purple and pink Orchids bought from market. Gorgeous Jagannath dresses were designed by a devotee mataji from Chandigarh.
Everything set, the ratha was getting ready to go to the starting point when two passer-by young British freelance photographers, stepped down from their car. They began clicking photographs of the ratha and Lord Jagannath himself using their antique cameras and enquired about the program. Soon they were satisfied and promised to attend. Wow! Lord Jagannath began to shower his blessings even before starting out. Great!!!
Srila Prabhupad says, “Preaching is our only business. Preaching. Whatever we do, it is aimed at preaching. In, in the practice or in the engagement of preaching, their position is better than those who are worshiping the Lord in a secluded place, bhajananandi.”(Room Conv., Sept. 18 1973, Bombay)
The ratha was taken to the starting point, Laxmi Narayan temple in Kotwali Bazar, Dharamshala. Shyamsunderanand Das Brahmachari spoke about the significance of lord Jagannath’s Ratha Yatra Mahotsava. Afterwards, a special audio recorded message from His Holiness Subhag Swami Maharaj was played in the microphone. The message encouraged everyone in the service of the Lord and instilled a new vigor in the devotees, giving a meaning to all their efforts. The Ratha began with a feeling of joy and satisfaction.
Prasadam was being distributed from both sides of the ratha. Many locals, foreigners and so many Tibetians and the lamas received Jagannath’s Mercy in the form of his prasadam. Hundereds of people were peeping through the windows of their shops. The ratha went down the slope towards ‘Dari’, a suburb of Dharmshala. Many Prabhupad books were also distributed during the procession. The devotee and the students swayed left and right all along the 6 km long Rath Yatra route. Sumptuous prasadam was soon to be served on the hosts roof, upon arrival of the chariot. All the people surrounded the Ratha at the destination and very eagerly grabbed anything which the devotees were distributing from the Ratha.
Srila Prabhupad says, “ The spiritual master encourages distribution of prasadam (remnants of Krsna’s food) to the Public. Ours is not a dry philosophy- simply talk and go away. No we distribute prasadam, very sumptuous prasadam.” (ch. 4 The Journey of Self Discovery )
The cooked items were kidney beans, black gram, urad dal, besan curry, chana dal, moong dal with basmati rice and sweet yellow rice. Such a feast in local language is traditionally called ‘Dham’ and people love to eat it. These items were really nicely prepared and offered to the Lord. Special cooks in clean clothes cooked and also served the feast. About 600 people honoured this feast. A devotee cook, cooked chikpeas paneer subzi, mix. Vegetable subzi, Halwa, puri, chutney, fried rice for another 50 devotees.
Everyone enjoyed a lot with Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Maharani. Another noticeable point was that none of the devotees felt a least bit tired, despite a long route of Harinaam Sankirtan, chanting and dancing, rather we felt even more fresh and jubilant. This may certainly be a glimpse of the spiritual world where the devotee are engaged 24hours in serving the lord and their happiness and joy increases more and more and more.
Srila Prabhupad says: “ …This Ratha-yatra is one of the activities of Krsna. Therefore to take part in the Ratha- yatra festival means to associate with Krsna directly.” (Ratha-yatra Address, July 16 1972, London)
The successful execution of the Rath Yatra was a result of the mercy of Srila Prabhupad and the blessings we received from His Holiness Subhag Swami Maharaj. Maharaj’s mere desire was enough to give us the strength to execute such a program.
Jai Jai Jagannath! Jai Baladev! Jai Subhadra!!!
All glories to Srila Prabhupad!!!
Yours sincerely
Aseem krishna Das
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