Arriving in Mayapura; the Road from Kolkata



Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai,
Who have kindly allowed us
to come to Sri Mayapura Dham

  We left Vrindavan for Mayapura on the 10th March. The day before I took my last set of pictures (for the time being) of the Deities at Krsna-Balarama Mandhir.


Sri Sri Krsna-Balarama
Presiding Deities of Krsna-Balaram Mandhir,
Sri Vrindavan Dham

 We left Vrindavan at 8.30 am to arrive at Delhi Airport by 12.30, which we did. Our plane was scheduled to leave at 1.40 pm, but unsurprisingly, was 1 hour late so our arrival in Kolkata was 1 hour behind. But our car was still there waiting and we were 'safely' delivered to our new residence by about 10pm. A very long day, most of it spent in cars and the last leg was something like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. My friend, Pranada, had told me once not to travel at night, but I thought she was referring to being a female travelling alone. But after that drive, which Bhaskara is saying, 'never to be repeated ever again at night' and how 'we were reduced to quivering on the floor of the backseat', 'the most terrifying adventure' and more! Especially after the driver we had from Vrindavan to Delhi who was most careful and not rushed, this next driver was driving as madly as you expect from a Bengali. It is so amazing to see... or not see, as the case may be... how many people are walking about on the edge of the roads, or crossing the roads, in pitch blackness. You can't see them until you are just about on top of them or

silhouetted in the headlights of other vehicles coming at you and everyone driving at breakneck speeds. I reckon India should have a national movement that every human being, at birth, should be fitted with reflectors, front and back and perhaps on each shoulder as well!

 

Here are some pictures I took as we were navigating through the streets of Kolkata:

 



As we waited for traffic to clear.
Appeared to be an accident ahead...



 

 

 

 

 



Whipping through the streets of Kolkata



There was a bit of difficulty in actually finding the new place but we were eventually met by Sadbhuja's secretary, Radhanarupa dasi and she took us in. We are on the top floor (not the best level in hot climates such as this) of Sarasvati Bhavan, room 8. As we entered our voices echoed amazingly in the near empty rooms, an entrance, bedroom with ensuite - which wasn't bad for India, sitting room and kitchen. There was a table, 2 beds pushed up against each other with single sheet and another top sheet, a chair and gas stove and bottle but the hose was all perished. And that was it...oh! and a bucket for bathing. No hot water. the doorway is a bit strange with a door, 3 inches too short with very old style lock that opens onto a gate:

 

 

The internal gate with new padlock



The door with old style lock.

 

We arrived in Mayapura during the month long Mayapura Festival which ends on the 19th March with Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Chaitanya as Mayapura is the place where He appeared, just down the road from our place.

Friday was our first day here which we spent just 'landing' and meeting with Sadbhuja who Bhaskara is to work with. Don't really remember everything, but things are sure going on here with the festival. Ran into Rasarani and Sukla from Australia and met up with Sadhana and Siddhi. The next day we went into Nabadwip to get some basic supplies. Sadbhuja arranged with one of his local men to meet us on the other side of the Ganges/Ganga were Nabadwip is located and where most shopping is done. You have to take a rickshaw to Hular Ghat where we take a boat across the Ganga. There we met Bappa, who was born in Nabadwip and he took us to the various shops where we bought things like plates, bowls, spoon, fork, buckets for laundry and bathing, fry pan and 2 pots, a floor mat (so we didn't go deaf from the echoing in the bare rooms), some tea, sugar, salt, container to collect milk (when we get a fridge), a tiffin and other odds-n-ends...all on the TOVP (Temple of the Vedic Planetarium) account. Wish I had got a few other things like soft mattress for me and cleaning clothes and few other things. But there's always another day!



The view from the edge of the Boat
Nabadwip in the distance.




Some of the other passengers with Mayapura in the distance.



Where we disembark in Nabadwip. When I was here in 1980
there wasn't a pier but we would have to scramble
up the bank under the big tree there on the left.



The return trip with Mayapura in the distance.



A very old door that dad wanted me to
take a picture of...actually, I made him
take the picture.



 

We were back by about 3.30pm but a trip like that is enough to exhaust you. Plus I was already sick with a head cold after coming from the cold weather in Vrindavan to the warmth of tropical Bengal. The next day I just crashed out and spent the whole day in. Monday we had to go into Krsnagar to register Baz as a foreigner resident. That was as crazy as expected, dealing with Indian officialdom. We were 2 days late with registering so we had to pay a fine before we could complete the registration. This meant going to the State Bank of India and having already heard of the madness there, I wasn't holding a whole lot of excitement. The place was packed - must've been nearly 100 customers with long lines at each of a dozen windows. It takes at least 15 minutes for each customer to complete his business. We were about 6th in line so we were there for about an hour and a half to pay the rs.1300 fine, have his papers signed and stamped and then return to the FRO (Foreign Registration Office). There we had another long wait, which fortunately I had a chair and could nod off with my fever. Dad got called back to correct his form where he had left out the comma between Brisbane and Australia as well as between Mayapura and West Bengal. So once all his "i's" were dotted and "t's" crossed, literally, he got his seal of approval and we returned to Mayapura 5 hours later... and just in time for lunch at the Gada building. We are very lucky because we are both disciples of Srila Prabhupada, we get to eat for free and usually don't have to stand in lines and get to sit at tables. Lunch consists of rice and dahl (of course), 2 subjis (one with curd), pakoras, puris or chapattis, pickles, sweet rice, fruit, water and juice. That usually takes care of us for the rest of the day as lunch is served about 3pm and we are always fairly late. And this follows a huge more than you can eat breakfast at the Lotus Building with upma or idli, coconut chutney, fresh fruit, sambal, rasgullas, juice and water. Very well cared for!

The garbage truck in Mayapura Chandraya

I should have sent my kids to this school! Don't worry, I'm sure it's
just a communication gap...I'm sure it is.... It is, isn't it? I'll have to ask
one day...



Showing his teeth which is a defensive gesture.



Here is the monkey you asked for Chela, but I would have thought that Alakai was enough of a monkey for you. This is known as a "Hanuman monkey" from Nabadwip but has been taken to Vrindavan to help clear the living quarters of the local monkeys there who can be quite a bit of trouble, stealing things out of you hands including chadars, glasses (as with Baz's glasses), food (you always have to hide food if you are carrying any) and will even attack you for no reason in particular.

And once again I'll try to upload that video of the ride to Loi Bazaar in Vrindavan as the internet is more consistant here than in Vrindavan... nope, apparently still can't do it...