My first visit to this sacred land of New Vrindavan was back in the summer of ’73 at Janmasthami time. It was a real treat because for some months after joining, I had been a bit claustrophobic from being in the city of Toronto. For twenty years of my life, I was accustomed to country living which included getting up at 5:30 am to milk our family cow. But when I arrived here in the Appalachian destination with Toronto pilgrims, I found it to be as country and rustic as could be.
All the visitors, young and adventurous as we were, took our early bath in the brown waters of clay-laden waters outside. I was also shy to ask where to sleep, so I ended up resting that weekend on a mattress located under the house with stilts where some dogs lie at night. This was their spot. It was, indeed, rustic.
Now, to current day, while at my early morning walk in the circumambulation of the lake, nostalgia hit me. The setting is still rustic like it was fifty years ago. There are no more outhouses, though. Things have drastically improved, to some extent, in terms of living conditions.
You still have all the racoons scavenging at night. There’s deer galore. And the place, as natural as it is, has some of the most diverse herbal plant life on the continent.
While the scenic aesthetics of New Vrindavan charm me to no end, I am primarily here to participate in the Vaishnava Arts Festival, my focus being presenting the drama Witness Gopal. I’m feeling fully engaged in the service of Krishna.
Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/first-visit-to-now
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