Every year in the month of Damodhara, which is now, Amal, who represents the Bangla community, holds a memorable kirtan chanting session at his tiny home. In attendance there are no less than one hundred persons who relish the chants, the rituals, and the prasadam (sacred food). I must say, the Bengalis and the Bangladeshis churn out incredible food. Their veg prep called sukta is very tasty, and their version of shak (mixed greens) is out of this world. Then, there are the Bengali sweets such as rasgula and misty dahi which are world renowned. Mind you, I avoid the processed sugary stuff as much as I can.
My driver, Pradeep, and I then drove north to a village known as Everet (population 1,600) with the Royal Legion. ISKCON Angus utilizes this facility monthly. The area, including Aliston is known for its potatoes. “Who doesn’t like potatoes?” I asked Mickey, a German enthusiast who thoroughly enjoyed the chanting session of drums and guitars, and, of course, the mantras. Tara was the vocalist, and she is terrific. I conducted a “Conscious Kirtan Workshop” which offers helpful hints on standards for chanting. Those standards for kirtan established by our founder, Prabhupada, are invaluable. This group, the Angus group, very much were soaking in the information and experiences of the interactive presentation.
This lively program ended at sundown. As the sky glowed red, the maples also displayed their autumn red as Pradeep and I headed south for home. There is something to be said about this season when the atmosphere is calm, colourful, and content.
Source: https://www.thewalkingmonk.net/post/food-and-mantra
Comments