Congregation devotees from Jalvayu Towers, Omni Tulsi and Shapoorji who are connected to Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata went for two-day Mayapur Dham Yatra (23rd Nov 2024 – 24th Nov 2024).
Everyone had a wonderful experience. Yatra started on 23rd Nov 2024, Saturday, morning. We had booked a bus for the yatra. Bus came at 5 am to Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata. Devotees boarded the bus from different locations like Iskcon Newtown temple, Shapoorji, Omni Tulsi and Jalvayu Towers.
Everyone was excited for the journey.
Fun filled spiritual activities in the bus
After everyone had boarded the bus and settled down, we had Mangal Arati and Narasimha Arati in which everyone enthusiastically participated. After that devotees were told about the importance of Mayapur dham and the mood one should have during the yatra.
Breakfast
As everyone was up early in the morning, so obviously all were hungry. So, we decided to have breakfast. The bus stopped at one place, so that devotees can comfortably have breakfast. The menu was sandwich, litti chokha and herbal tea. The interesting part was that sandwich was prepared in the bus only for which we had carried the ingredients. We had also carried muri from the temple which was mixed with spices to give it jhalmuri flavour. One packet was given to each devotee.
Dum Charade, Quiz & Chanting
After breakfast, bus again started. It was time for fun filled spiritual activities. First, we had dumb charades. One of the persons were asked to enact an act seeing which others were supposed to guess the character. Children as well as their parents participated. After that there was quiz in which questions were asked from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita.
The meaning of Bhagavad Gita verses was given based on which children were asked to recite the verses. And children were able to recite the verses. And those who gave correct answer either in dumb charades and quiz, were given gifts.
Since we were going to a holy place, so it was very important that the mood was always devotional. And one of the best ways to have that mood is by chanting the names of Krishna. Chanting beads were given to each devotee, children and elders, and everyone chanted the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.
We all were so absorbed in different spiritual activities in the bus that time passed swiftly and soon we found that we have entered Mayapur.
Arriving in Mayapur and taking darshan of the Lord
We reached Iskcon Mayapur temple by around 10:30 am. Our stay was at Gita Bhavan. Devotees got the keys, and they checked in to Gita Bhavan. Two families got room in Vamsi Bhavan.
After checking in and freshening up, we all went to take darshan of the Lord in the temple. Many were coming to Mayapur for the first time and they were very eager to visit the temple. We took darshan of Sri Sri Radha Madhav and Asta Sakhis, Lord Narasimhadev, Sri Pancha-Tattva and Srila Prabhupada. Everyone felt spiritually enlivened after taking darshan of the beautiful deities. Some chanted in the temple while others participated in the kirtan which was going on in the temple.
After taking darshan of the Lord, we came back to Gita Bhavan for lunch prasadam. Hundreds of devotees were taking prasadam there. We too sat with them. All the devotees relished lunch prasadam. For some, especially for children, it was a unique experience to see devotees in large numbers sitting in a prasadam hall and honouring prasadam together.
Attending Ganga Arati at Srila Prabhupada Ghat
After prasadam we went to our rooms to take rest. It was decided that we all will gather together at 4 pm to go for Ganga Arati. At around 4 pm, devotees assembled and from Gita Bhavan, we went to Srila Prabhupada Ghat by walk. We could have taken toto also, but we preferred to walk so that we can experience Mayapur and see different places in Mayapur while walking.
At Prabhupada ghat, a beautiful temple has been built on the bank of the Ganges by Iskcon. In the temple, there was the deity of Lord Krishna, Lord Gauranga and Ganga Devi. We took the permission of the temple authorities and did kirtan inside the temple and we all then chanted the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. At 5 pm, arati began in the temple in which everyone participated.
At 5:30 pm there was Maha arati of mother Ganges. We also had carried diyas with us so that we can offer lamp to Mother Ganges. We prepared arati plate by putting dozens of diyas on a plate and devotees one by one offered arati to Mother Ganges. It was such a wonderful and unique experience for each one of us.
Attending Gaur Arati in temple and watching movie in 360 degree full dome theatre
From there we came back to temple because everyone was eager to attend Gaur Arati in the temple. We came by toto, and everyone quickly went inside the temple to participate in the arati. Devotees spent good amount of time inside the temple taking darshan of the Lord and participating in arati.
Temple hall was completely filled with devotees and there were hundreds of devotees outside the temple hall also. And because of the huge crowd, it was little challenging to be always in the group. So, after Gaur Arati, it took little time to gather all the devotees so that we could move to next destination.
Our next destination was seeing movie in full dome theatre. As devotees had got up early in the morning and throughout the day, they were busy so they were tired too. But no one wanted to miss the movie. We entered inside the theatre at 7:50 pm and the movie started at 8 pm.
Once inside, I understood why it is called 360 degree full dome theatre because movie was shown on the dome. It gave the experience of planetarium. The movie explained in detail Mayapur dham and the nine islands of Navadwipa. Although the movie was philosophical but captivating. Video, picture and sound quality was amazing.
After watching the movie, we rushed to Gita Bhavan for dinner as well were hungry. Although the day was exhausting but no one was complaining because the experience which we all got throughout the day was pleasing to the heart. Devotees quickly took dinner and went to their rooms to take rest.
The plan was that next day everyone should try to attend Mangal Arati at 4:30 am in the temple.
Attending Mangala Arati & visiting Goshala
Not all were able to come for Mangal Arati at 4:30 am because everyone was tired and many had small kids also. But few devotees came for Mangal Arati and they felt spiritually enlivened by the experience. After Mangala arati, we chanted few rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamantra.
We then visited Goshala which is very famous. In the Goshala there are hundreds of cows and bulls and all are well taken care. There is proper shelter for them and also good quality of food is given to them. There are dedicated devotees who lovingly take care of the cows.
One important point to be noted is that not all the cows give milk but still they are given love and care and not abandoned. These days we see many people keep cows at their home or in Goshala only till the time they give milk. And once they stop giving milk they are abandoned.
This is why we see many cows loitering in the street. Some die because of some disease, some meet with accident. This is very unfortunate; it should not happen. Scriptures explain that cow is our mother, and she should always be cared and protected.
After visiting Goshala, we returned to our rooms. Devotees who had not taken darshan of the Lord at 4:30 am were eager to visit the temple and participate in darshan arati which starts at 7 am. After taking darshan devotees had breakfast at Radha Madhav food court adjacent to Gita Bhavan. Breakfast was pasta.
Visiting ashram of HH Bhakti Raghav Swami Maharaj
Immediately after breakfast, we all proceeded to the ashram of HH Bhakti Raghav Swami Maharaj. As the ashram was little away from the temple, so we went by bus. In the bus devotees were chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. There was no route for the bus to go inside the ashram, so we got down around 400 metres before the ashram. From there we walked towards to ashram.
It was full of natural beautiful. The ashram was surrounded by beautiful trees, colourful flowers and straw huts. In the centre of the ashram there was a beautiful deity of Radha and Krishna. We all felt that we have travelled back into time and have entered Vedic age when everything was natural and the Lord was always in the centre.
We all first took darshan of the Lord and also took caranamrita. Children were enjoying the ambience especially the garden which was full of blossomed flowers. After darshan devotees sat under the trees to hear from Maharaj.
HH Bhakti Raghav Swami Maharaj was happy to see the devotees coming from Kolkata to Mayapur.
HH Bhakti Raghav Swami Maharaj speaks
Maharaj started the class by saying, “There are only two types of people in Kolkata. One type of people are those who have visited Mayapur and the second type of people are those who are about to visit Mayapur. Now you all are in the categories of those who have come to Mayapur.”
He further said that it is only because of the mercy of Srila Prabhupada that we all are here. He said about himself that had Srila Prabhupada had not preached all over the world, he would not have been here in Mayapur. Maharaj encouraged the devotees to take to the process of Krishna Consciousness as it provides freedom from all sufferings and opens gateway to eternal bliss.
Class was interactive. Maharaj was making sure that children actively participate in the class. So, during his discussion, he was asking questions and asking children to respond. And children too were answering the questions.
At the end Maharaj asked children to recite one sloka from Bhagavad Gita which the children did. Two children even asked questions to Maharaj and Maharaj answered them to their satisfaction. After the class, Maharaj distributed sweets to everyone. It was a memorable experience for all of us.
While returning from the ashram to board the bus, we did kirtan along the way.
Visiting Yoga Pitha, birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu & Rajapur Jagannath Temple
We all then went to Yoga Pitha, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. We were there by 11 am but at that time darshan was closed because bhoga was being offered to the Lord.
At 11:30 am, darshan opened and arati of the Lord started. It was a great fortune for all of us to participate in the bhog arati of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at his birthplace.
Devotees also took darshan of the neem tree under which Lord Chaitanya had appeared. The tree is still there. Devotees pay obeisances to the tree and take some dust from the root of the tree and smear it on their forehead, some even eat it considering it to be Mahaprasadam.
At Yoga Pitha, we also took darshan of Lord Narasimhadev who is there with Goddess Lakshmi. There is also the deity of Jagannath Mishra and Saci Devi, father and mother of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And there is also the deity of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura, a great vaisnava saint who had rediscovered Mayapur and built such a beautiful temple for the Lord.
From Yoga Pitha, we went to Rajapur Jagannath temple. There we took darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, Subhadra Devi. There we also took darshan of Lord Gauranga and Simantini Devi who is none other than mother Parvati.
Lunch Prasadam at Gada Bhavan
As it was already 1 pm, so we immediately rushed back to the temple for lunch prasadam. We took lunch at Gada Bhavan. There the queue was very big. It looked as if we will have to stand in queue for a long period of time. But interestingly the queue was never still, it kept on moving.
And after few minutes only we found that we are inside prasadam hall, relishing prasadam at famous Gada Bhavan. The lunch prasadam like the previous day was delicious and satisfying.
Devotees explore Mayapur in free time
After lunch prasadam, devotees were having their personal time to explore and experience Mayapur. During this period some went and spent time in the temple, some moved around Mayapur exploring different places of interest, but everyone purchased something from Mayapur.
Returning back from Mayapur Dham to Kolkata
Our plan was that devotees will attend Gaur Arati at 6 pm in the temple and then we will board the bus at 7 pm to return back to Kolkata. In the evening devotees took darshan of the Lord and then boarded the bus. We started our return journey at around 7:15 pm from Mayapur. As the bus started, we sang Narasimha arati seeking protection and blessings of Lord Narasimhadev.
We had carried dinner prasadam packet with us which we got prepared at Gita Bhavan kitchen. As everyone felt hungry, especially children, so we distributed dinner packets to all. Devotees had dinner – puri sabji and sweet.
Devotees shared their realizations about the Mayapur Yatra
After dinner, devotees shared their realizations, their experience in Mayapur. Everyone had a great time. It was fun filled spiritual journey. Everyone had a desire to again visit Mayapur dham. Hope by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya we will again be able to visit Mayapur dham soon.
But meanwhile everyone was thinking about next yatra. Let us see where we go next – whether to Vrindavan or to Jagannath Puri, everything depends upon our desire and mercy of the Supreme Lord. After sharing realizations, devotees took rest in the bus.
The weather was pleasant, journey was smooth, and we reached back to Kolkata at around 12 midnight.
