In soothing candle-lit ambience devotees were welcomed to the Lenasia temple on 26th October to celebrate the first day of Kartik. This is a time to make vows, to deepen our relationship with the Lord and it’s a time of festivities! To remind us of this wonderful time golden maha ropes were given to each devotee with unique messages attached to each of them.
With a host of festivals to look forward to, we were fortunate to spend some of them in the association of HH Partha Sarathi dasa Goswami Maharaja.
Maharaja arrived from Durban on 5th November; several programs were quickly scheduled starting of with a house program at Suraya Matajee’s place. Maharaja spoke from his new book, Journal of a Struggling Sadhaka Volume 6, giving further comments to the realisations described. Soon after, Maharaja attended the Krishna Balarama Youth Group where Maharaja spoke on the value of serving the pure devotee.
Maharaja spent Diwali with Vrshabhanu Prabhu who hosted a festival lighting up the sky with beautiful fireworks. A special Diwali program was also held at the temple with Nrsimhananda Prabhu who spoke on “Following in the footsteps of Bhakta Mortar”
November 10th we celebrated the pastime of Govardhan Hill. A beautiful edible hill was created in the centre of the temple room, at the top of which sat Sri Giriraja Himself. The program started off with melodious kritan, Vridavan style, continuing with a lecture by Maharaja, who then performed an aarti ceremony to Giriraja Govardhan. The program ended of with delicious prasadam which included the halva hill that Sri Giriraja had sat on!
November 14th was the disappearance day of the founder acharya of our movement, HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Devotees were in a sombre mood as we meditated on the great sacrifice Srila Prabhupada took in giving us Krishna. As senior devotees shared their realisations, the affection and dedication to Srila Prabhupada deepened in everyone’s heart. We were all very fortunate as we had the opportunity to put the actual kurta top of Srila Prabhupada to our heads.
On this auspicious day 4 of our devotees received initiation from HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja at the Pretoria temple. Congratulations to Rukmini Priya dasi (Prabha), Shyamarani dasi (Shalona) and Abirama das (Aveshan) on their first initiation and to Dvarikadisa Prabhu on second initiation. We wish you all the very best!
If you think that nothing more could possibly happen in one month, think again! There is nothing like a Ratha Yatra festival and this year’s Lenasia Ratha Yatra festival lived up to every expectation and more.
New deities had especially been made in India and arrived few days before the festival. However They were stuck in customs. On the very day of Ratha Yatra devotees managed to get Lord Jagannatha , Baladev and Subadra devi out of customs. As the pujaris welcomed Them to Johannesburg devotees at the Ratha Yatra site eagerly awaited Their presence. Weighing some 30 kg each Their Lordship’s finally arrived in grand style at the festival site. HH Maha Vishnu Maharaja eagerly urged us to come out and welcome Them with ecstatic kirtan. The Deities are most beautiful; Their glance of mercy fell upon us as we danced in delight.
(chariot decor team)
Sunday morning drew excited crowds near the starting point of the Ratha Yatra procession. HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja welcomed all and HH Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Maharaja and HH Maha Vishnu Maharaja led the procession with their customary, jumping kirtan. Onlookers enthusiastically joined in grabbing the cart rope and pulling with all their might.
Arriving at the festival site devotees were in high spirits having difficulty choosing where to go next! Should they watch the deities being taken into the Jaganntha Tent or listen to HH Bhakti Visvambara Madhava Maharaja in the Q&A tent or listen to HH Bhakti Bringa Govinda Maharaja and the Slik Road Bhajan Band on the main stage or chant japa in the japa tent or feed the cows at the cow protection stall or watch the puppet show in the kiddies tent or do some shopping in the boutique stalls or take more prasadam!
Jagannatha Lenasia Ratha Yatra Ki Jai!
