Last week the devotee who makes these flower arrangements asked me if I could make them a couple days a week, as she's busy with other commitments. When she first asked me, my instant thought was "Don't you have to be initiated or chanting sixteen rounds or super special to be doing things like that?" I told her I didn't think I was that good, I can't make vases, I'm amateur! But she insisted, she needed someone with at least a little artistic flair, and was just too busy herself. The job entailed that you collect the flowers and greenery, and arrive at 6am in the Pancha Tattva pujari room to have them made by 7am. Easy right?
So I agreed, though rather hesitantly. It was Monday that she asked me, so I didn't really think about it again until Friday evening, when I was reminded by someone, and in a rush wandered round the compound for some flowers and leaves. It would've probably been better if I'd collected the greenery the next morning right before making the vases, in order for them to be fresh... but I was so nervous that I wanted to be extra prepared. I had no idea what I was in for, what size they were, how full they needed to be, whether it should be all green or all flowers, how long they would take to do, and even if they would turn out at all!
I guess party of the reason for me being so nervous, was that somehow, I had been asked to do some service for Pancha Tattva, and I was scared about messing it up. Service for the deities is a wonderful thing as it is, but here in Mayapur, the spiritual capital of the world... How fortunate was I! No pressure now, don't make a mess of it!
I set 4 alarms for Saturday morning, just to be sure I would be up with plenty of time to collect more flowers if need be, and be in the pujari room early in case it took me longer than I thought. Can you tell I was nervous? Of course Murphy's law - I was awoken by my mothers loud knocking on the door, half an hour after my alarm(s) had tried to wake me. In a rush I sat upright, panic rushing through me and tripped on the sheets and pillows to unlock the door.
I spent the next half an hour gathering leaves and a few flowers in my large canvas bag, but I really had no idea what I was supposed to be getting. Some greenery looked beautiful, but I was unsure if it was too large, too small, or if it would wilt easily. I was taking wild guesses with everything I picked, and praying to Mahaprabhu that I had something in my bag that would work.
I hadn't really been keeping an eye on the time, but I arrived at 6am sharp. The old arrangements sat there, wilted and sad, awaiting my supposedly artistic touch. This was it. No getting it wrong now. I took all the old flowers out and discarded them in the large green bin, filled the vases with new green foam, and tipped the contents of my canvas bag on the bench.
I had an hour. It was frustrating to begin with, in fact halfway through the process I panicked, and started all over again. Nothing was sitting right, some of the flowers I had gotten were useless and I threw them away, and some of them were perfect but I didn't have enough. I've done flower arrangements before, why was this so hard? I had half an hour left.
Suddenly it was 7am and I had two arrangements in front of me, somehow just done. I'm not sure how I managed to pull it off with the pathetic selection of greenery I chose, but they were almost done. Just needed a few touches here and there, they weren't quite perfect yet. I walked over to the cupboard to take the scissors out to use, turned around and one of the arrangements had gone! I stopped. Did I miss something? Did it fall and I didn't hear it? Before I started to think I was going crazy, the pujari came out from the deity room, picked up the remaining arrangement, and went back inside, glancing over his shoulder at me - "These are finished, yes?"
What could I say. No they're not finished, I really hadn't got them quite perfect yet, but apparently Mahaprabhu liked them just the way they were. Who was I to argue.
This morning I was a lot more peaceful, and a little more prepared. I only spent 20 minutes choosing the greenery and flowers, I'd brought my iPod to listen to, and I had a plan of attack. I went in the pujari room, a smile on my face... and finished with time to spare.
Have YOU ever noticed the flower arrangements right next to Mahaprabhu's feet?
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