Vrindavan, India
Maharaj ji's son, Dharma Narayan, speaking with Shyamdas at the ashram in Vrindavan
Radhe Shyam! A fine day here in Vrindavan: began with a slow morning at MVT and a quick check of e-mail at the webjoint across the way. A cycle rickshaw wala took us down the road and in for some morning shopping for textiles and wearables down at the Loi Bazaar. After an afternoon shower and freshen up, Shyamdas and Tulsi came by and picked up Shridhar and Marjon (sp?) and Sara and myself and we all went to visit the Neem Karoli Baba ashram.
Siddhi Ma is there for a couple weeks but she was laying low so we did not have darshan with her. Hung out in various sweet nooks there, and then we all had a nice group hang for a while with NKB’s son who lives over in a corner room downstairs. After a few minutes Sara was even able to set up our hi-def video scene and we captured a relaxed and extended conversation with Dharma Narayana and Shyamdas, SD offering a running translation. Mostly a conversation about Maharaj ji and various aspects of what Dharma Narayana saw and experienced being in the role of his son in that whole lila. Sweet time, and great video score. Also met another sweetheart member of the satsang, JR (Jai Ram), who got swept up in our afternoon adventures and so we got a chance to vibe in a bit.
Then we doubled back for a major celebration inside the grounds of the MVT complex, navigating hundreds of Hare Krishna devotees in the midst of a chanting frenzy, staying long enough to be ready to go.
The evening was topped off by a visit to Kesi ghat where another member of the extended satsang has been renovating a 200 year old haveli/temple trip on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River here in Vrindavan central. Amazing spot, stone steps down to the river, epic stone architecture, great restoration, with a wonderful sounding main courtyard that has fine acoustics for an evening kirtan chant. I’d heard about this project last year, it was cool to see it so far along tonight. I’d actually been to this same spot off the river on my first week in India back in 1998, it kindled an old memory…
Tomorrow, the lila continues.
The view from my mala wala's shop, looking onto the passing parade
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