Diwali

Srimati Tulasi Devi

Last week we acquired a Tulasi plant in our house. I chose her from a row of "retired" Tulasi plants behind the temple room (retired only meaning ones that weren't used for offering to the deities anymore), and for some reason I liked the one that had a small broken branch, and had been "bandaged" and tied up with a silk yellow ribbon.

Yesterday I sprinkled her with a light layer of haldi powder - apparently this helps to keep away any diseases - and left her out on the balcony to enjoy the days sun. This morning Ishaan went out to the balcony to eat his breakfast and after a few minutes called out to me - "Tulasi is just beautiful with turmeric all over her isn't she, she has yellow powder on her and she just looks so beautiful mama."

I agree. She is so beautiful.

A simple prayer

Okay so for a few weeks now I've had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that in less than 5 months, I'll be back in New Zealand. I don't care to think about that too much, and I've kind of been avoiding facing the reality of that.

This morning one of my close friends asked me that if given the chance, would I stay in Mayapur forever? I answered straight away without thinking and without any hesitation. "Forever". And then I thought back to all the fleeting moments here in Mayapur, where I was genuinely happy to be right there.... making earrings for Radharani and the sakhis, signing up for the basic deity worship course and the cooking classes, working on the floor layout and marble placement for the new temple, singing the damodarastakam prayers and offering a lamp, sitting and laughing together in a room with my friends enjoying Jagannath maha-prasad... the list in endless... and I realised I just don't want to to leave.

I really do think that if I had the opportunity, I would live in Mayapur for as long as I could, as long as Sri Sri Radha Madhava allow me to be here. The longer I stay here, the more I grow attached to this place and the more I don't want to leave.

Radha Madhava are you listening? Gauranga Mahaprabhu you are so merciful and can deliver the most fallen of souls... that makes me a perfect candidate to deliver. Let me be here and continue to serve You in whatever small way possible. That is my only wish.

All Blacks

Is it offensive that I dressed Anapayini Radha in black (and white) in celebration of the All Blacks playing in the Rugby World Cup final this afternoon? I hope not because She looks super cute today.

For details on RWC fever in Mayapur, check out this post

Prayers during Kartik

I arrived at the temple amidst a roaring kirtan, everyone turned towards Lord Nrsimhadeva. Hands were high in the air, sweat beads dripping from foreheads, mouths open in loudly chanting the Lords prayers and best of all, faces of ecstasy and absolute happiness. The resounding "Jaya Nrsimhadeva" came to an end and everyone scrambled for a small space to bow down in front of this ferocious form of the Lord. The room was packed full of people, pilgrims coming from far and wide to catch a glimpse of Sri Madhava.

I came around and up the back of the temple room, and surveyed the ka-zillions of people for small area to sit. As I inched my way closer to the front of the room, the main lights were switched out, and the whole mood of the room changed. Ghee lamps lit every corner of the temple room. The kirtan began a slow tune and everyone's eyes turned to the main altar of Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

I sat down right in the middle of the room, feeling the sweat dripping down my back and not caring about how uncomfortable it made me feel. The Damodarastakam prayers began slowly and everyone hushed, ready for the beautiful song to begin. I love these prayers.

As the eight verses are sung, people move about, offering their small deepas to the deities. Pilgrims, devotees, brahmacaris, young children, old ladies, everyone is there. I observe the flow of the people about me. Some like to offer their lamps fast, like they have somewhere to go, somewhere to be. Some have a path they follow - Radha Madhava, Panca Tattva, then Nrsimhadeva. Some come with friends, some with family, kids, dadi-ma, some come and offer alone. Some hold two lamps and offer them together, like they are offering on behalf of someone. And some are so absorbed in their prayers and offering to Lord Sri Krsna, that they are in a world of their own, as if nothing else is around them.

The Damodarastakam prayers continue, and I listen to each verse, trying to remember the translation for each one. I make a mental note to bring the translation with me on a piece of paper tomorrow, to remind myself what I am singing about. At the end of each verse, the singer goes back to the first and main verse of the prayers, and with that brings a faster and more excited beat, as if everyone were about to get up and jump around the room. The temple room fills up around me with more people sitting down after they finish their lamp offerings.

Soon, the beat gets faster and faster, as the prayers come to a close. Madhava's face is shining above all the accumulated deepas and He seems to be smiling a little wider than usual. The gopi's jewellery sparkle in the dim light and Sri Radhika sweet face glows. What better place to be than here! How can I imagine life beyond this?

As the kirtan party begin a new beat and song, I bow down in obeisance and head out to the back door to get my small lamp. Outside the night air is refreshing, and the fairy lights draped over the large lotus building create dancing shadows everywhere. I enjoy the cool breeze for a short while before dipping my un-lit wick into a bowl of camphor and entering the temple room again.

Now its my turn to offer a lamp, and I have a few prayers of my own.

Photos by Mandakini

Kartik in Mayapur

Kartik always reminds me of the Vraja Mandala Parikram of 1994. I would've been about 11 or 12, and I was travelling through Vraj with my father... and about 500 other devotees. I have good memories of that particular Kartik - early morning wake up, kichari and yoghurt for breakfast, checking the book to see how many kilometres we would be walking that day, stopping under the shade of some trees to hear Deena Bandhu recite many wonderful stories of Krsna's pastimes, performing in the dramas, swimming in all the holy kunds... the list goes on. Because of that year, kartik time has always been the sweetest time of the year, my most favorite.

This year will be a whole different experience, and one I can't wait for. When I first knew I was going to be living in India this year, I had some idea that I would go to Vrndavan for at kartik time, but somehow that hasn't been possible. Instead tomorrow begins a month of lamp offerings, damodarastakam prayers, and candle-lit aratis.

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"If somebody burns a lamp in the temple of Lord Shri Hari even for a short time (in the month of Kartik), then whatever sins, he has acquired for millions of kalpas (one kalpa equals 1000 yugas) are all destroyed." - Padma Purana