It was a long exhausted flight from Trinidad and Tobago to Louisiana La Fayette but enjoyable with a great friend Maddy and my mom Maduree, the flight was perfect. Coming to the country side was a beautiful experience I must say thanks to Maddy if wasn't for her I might never visit and learn about the country side.Staying at Evagaline Downs with my mom we had a great time, however, I missed my temple (ISKCON TRINIDAD) there weren't any temples at this location but somehow Krsna made a way for me to render a small service of book distribution and little preaching. While walking around and chanting my rounds in the hotel two young security officers came up to me with questions about what I was doing and where I came from. They were both surprise know to that a Trinidadian came to the country side. Knowing that people are different I was amazed by the questions asked simultaneously , one asked about the women in my country and the other was more concentrating on my bead bag. The guy who came to me about the woman in Trinidad was going on and on about our carnival and parties which I gave a short simple answer its beautiful you should visit one day. The other guy however came to me and started asking questions about who is Krsna, what happens after death, how to become eternally happy, why not to eat meat etc.. I was in my glory because I got an opportunity to preach about Krsna. He was so amazed by the answers and was thinking a totally different way about life, he said "I don't want to be rich I want to be happy" I told him he is a smart individual. Luckily I walked with my sachet (my sister calls it man purse) with Srila Prabupada books and gave him "Beyond Birth and Death''. He was very pleased to learn about how to be happy and I tried my best to introduce him to Krsna. I told him any question all you can do is google ISKCON and you sure to get in contact with a devotee. The hotel was full of Maya but trough the supreme personality of godhead (Krsna) I was able to get trough it chanting and trying my best to think of Krsna.
Prior to my visit at Louisiana I was determined to find the nearest ISKCON temple which I was able to find, ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABUPADA. I had an appointment with the doctor at the hospital in New Orleans which was two and a half hours drive which thanks to Maddy drove us. With my hand in my bead bag and the lovely scenery I considered myself lucky. We all decided that if I had to do any testing we would stay the night at the hotel which is connected to the hospital so we packed for one night. I was a little nervous meeting with the doctor so i did not eat anything was chanting the Maha Mantra in my head to cool me down. The doctor on that same day did all the testing that he needed and sadly a decision was made to go back to Evangaline Downs and stay one more night there so it was two and a half hours back up the road and come back down the next day to spend the rest of my visit at the hospital hotel.
Coming back on the next Maddy son-in-law carried us with his wife so I was again in my bead bag completing my rounds of japa.
The hotel people are very friendly and humble, service was great her and thank god they catered for vegetarians.
Prior to this trip I was more concerned with the nearest ISKCON temple, luckily it is twenty minutes drive from the hospital hotel. The next morning i got up with so much excitement to go visit the temple. I decided to go for midday arati because I was not well to wake up for mangal arati. Arriving at the temple by cab my heart started pounding, getting belly tickles and was very anxious to go in which I met a prabu and offer my dandavats to him who started speaking begali to me and I told I am sorry prabu I do not speak beangali then he gave me directions to the temple hall where the deities are present. While walking down going to the temple hall I rang the bell, breathing heavily I open the door, hearing bells ringing and Srila Prabupada singing the maha mantra my eyes filled up with tears. Entering the temple I offer my pranams to Srila Prabupada and then went up to the alter.
The Deities are so beautiful SRI GAURA NITIA, SRI SRI RADHA RADHAKANTHA and the lord of the universe SRI JAGGERNAUTHA, BALADEVA AND LADY SUBHDRA I went down and offer my obeisances instantly. The pujari was doing the arati and the other devotees was just taking darshan and swaying side to side to Srila Prabupada Kirtan.
I was amazed by the life size deities and how beautifully dressed they were. The temple was so beautiful walls painted in sky blue with white to give that Viakuntha effect and pillers that are painted gold and beautiful large pictures of the lord pastime at every corner my mind instantly said this is where I wanna be for the most of the time in my visit.
The Devotees at the New Orleans ISKCON temple are mainly Bengali and it was a bit difficult to speak to them because I have no knowledge in any other language than english (maybe Krsna might grant me the mercy of learning). So I met a devotee who is very very short and from Mayapur and know how to speak english. VEER RAM DAS, very good humble soul. He started talking to me about the devotees and the standards in the temple and I was so happy for that sadu snaga. After he carried me to part take of Krsna prasad, I was so happy that I got this opportunity because I was missing the enjoyment of eating prasad, especially yellow dhal, rice, chapati, curd subgi, aloe gobi and halawa, I was back in Trinidad.
On the sunday the love feast program my mom and I reached temple half hour before service start, so I tried to do any service I possibly can. Tulasi puja started at six in the afternoon and I was very excited to be a part of it. Devotees coming in the temple fulling up the temple hall, chanting for tulasi maharani was perfect feeling the love in the air. After tulasi arati it was the main arati. The blowing of the couch shell buy the pujari indicated it was time to see the lord, all devotees pay their respect to the deities and hearing them saying their guru mantra. As sandhya arati started a group of white non devotees about twenty mixed both man and woman came with their short dress and pants and the guys in vest and short pants it was amazing to see them joining not know what they are doing they started dancing to kirtan following my steps I formed a circle and everyone was dancing and singing, that was a great experience, which then lead to lecture which was based on the introduction of Srila Prabupada's mission.
After the lecture everyone gathered outside for prasad. I went with my mother to the door standing seeing over 300 non devotees in a line for prasad my eyes opened big and was happy to know that these people are getting Krsna mercy. I, however, took this as an opportunity to preach to them about Krsna and what we do giving them a pamphlet stating "On Chanting Hare Krsna'. Everyone were pleased and happy to get this little gift I offer and they all said Hare Krsna, that was very sweet to hear. On taking prasad a few devotees asked me to stay permanently and help preach and do harinams but I told them I would not be able to but I can do as much as I can while I am here, so said so done.
Every sunday I take it up as my service to preach to these youths and educate them a little on Krsna and ISKCON. To be honest I am not the best but I tried to share the little knowledge I have, I am only a dust trying my best.
After going every sunday to the temple I got the mercy of two gurus HH BHAKTI CARU SWAMI MAHARAJ and HH BHAKTI NITYANADA SWAMI MAHARAJ, I am so happy for their blessings.
I also got an opportunity to sing for the sunday love feast and share prasad to everyone.
While going to the temple I met a devotee by the name Mandakini Devi Dasi,a Venezuelan and Vrndra Devi Dasi both are great souls. Mandakini DD brought prasad and stayed with my mom while I was unable to do so due to unforeseen reason. Also mataji Ananadini Devi Dasi and her daughter Gourangi Devi Dasi came with prasad for me and my mom when I was unable to go to the temple. They are very humble devotees which I would always remember.
It was a great experience and hopefully by Krsna mercy I would return to worship and render more service to these deities.
Till next time CHANT AND BE HAPPY ( HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE)
Your humble servant
NandaKumara Das (GPS)
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