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Padayatra America 2003
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Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani Dasa Posted December 24, 2003 October 28, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) It rained all day... We were coming close to Georgia. License plates were changing, trees, people, etc. To move even an inch was a great task. In other words every stop of our journey south has been just a gigantic miracle. It is the mercy of our Lordships. Materially speaking, if you were to try to calculate this program it would be impossible. We have crossed Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It is unbelievable because there is danger at every step in this world and we have been protected by the Lord. Otherwise how is it possible? Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani Dasa Posted December 19, 2003 October 23 - 28, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) We crossed the Francis Marion National Forest, and gradually the congestion began. Monk's Corner and Summerville (a suburb of Charleston) were the biggest cities we would go through. As we traveled on Route 17A en route to Walterboro, literally thousands of people saw the Padayatra, and as always, even on a busy road, some came forward. Too much traffic makes Candrabhaga nervous and more dependent on the Lord's guidance. The intensity of her prayers of surrender to the will of Krsna is ever increasing. From Avadhuta Siromani dasa Posted December 15, 2003 By the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar, Lord Nrisrimhadeva, Srila Prabhupada, and the Vaisnavas headed by HH Lokanath Swami, HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami, and His Grace Srila Virabahu Prabhu, who have been very kind and given their blessings to the program by their guidance, trust, patience, and encouragement, Padayatra America has successfully completed its first trek of 1,200 miles from Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania, to New Raman Reti Dhama in Florida. Literally thousands of people from all backgrounds have come in touch with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy. The holy name has resounded in 170 towns and villages. People have come like ants to sugar and asked about the journey. Ninety percent of these people had never seen or known about Krsna consciousness. They were all enlivened. Everyone went away with Srila Prabhupada's books, maha prasadam, and a beautiful impression of the lotus-eyed Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar. Padayatra
America Report, From Avadhuta Siromani Dasa Posted November 25, 2003 October 15, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) By the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar we crossed the border between North Carolina and South Carolina. October 16, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) The temperature is 40 degrees at night and around 60 during the day. Leaving the sandy flat lands of North Carolina, full of cotton and peanuts, we are entering a gigantic area of swamps here on the coast of South Carolina. Padayatra
America Report, Posted October 8, 2003 August 26-28, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) We went 15 miles and slept at the James River. It was 105 degrees with the heat index. A lot of poison ivy. Not too much interaction, too hot for people to be outside. On the 27th, we stopped on 522. Very busy. Another Hare Krsna festival on the side of the road. Many people stopped to inquire, bring water, take darshan. Everybody got prasadam. Families came with their kids to pet the horses. Mr. Howard came with his daughter to invite us to their farm. Padayatra America Report, August 10, 2003 By Avadhuta Siromani Dasa Posted October 3, 2003
August 10, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) Mr. Bill arrived at 3 PM, and by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one of the horses seemed to match Kana. His name is Balaji, commemorating Sri Balarama's appearance day (yesterday) and His distinctive strength. Our friend Bill Howard is appreciative of our endeavor to do Padayatra, and he has helped to the point that he drove 14 hours without charging us anything to exchange a horse that was already paid for and brought one of his prized horses that he would have never sold. The horse has been pulling high competition for two years with a record of 8,000 kilos. Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani dasa Posted August 31, 2003 (from the Diary of a Padayatri) Mike is always bringing somebody to meet us —friends, co-workers, family. Today he brought a woman he works with. It was she who gave the couple their first Bhagavad Gita (1972 edition) and after hearing about our presence at their place, she was eager to meet us. We saw that she is advanced in terms of devotion, familiar with Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita for some 25 years. She was attentive and feeling encouraged to take up the path of surrender to Krsna.
Padayatra
America Report, (From The Diary of a Padayatri) This morning I was thinking about Willis Troyer, and immediately he called. His sincere mood of helping is unlimitedly appreciated. Amish friends in Pennsylvania very much appreciate our endeavor. Willis has been working within the greater community (in Lancaster, Ohio, and in Maryland) to try to find another horse that will fit our needs as soon as possible. He agrees with our decision to replace Govardhan. He will get back to us as soon as possible. (The Amish don't keep telephones and only rarely use community phones). We went out to town for supplies. People stopped us. "Oh, you are the travelers with the wagon," they would say. "Is the horse ok?" Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani Dasa and Candrabhaga Devi Dasi Posted August 16, 2003 Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Lee has returned from visiting her family in Iowa. We have been here for a few days now, at her small farm about a mile and a half off of route 522 at SR 605, with her mother Ruby, sister Judy, and husband John. We prepared a feast in honor of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and when Mrs. Lee returned, we distributed prasadam. Everyone was fully satisfied, and Judy even took some home for her family. Temperature: 95 degrees. There is poison ivy everywhere, and Candrabhaga has got a pretty bad case of ivy poisoning. Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani das Posted July 29, 2003 (From The Diary of a Padayatri) We moved on from Route 647 to Highway 522. The temperature was around 75 to 80 degrees. People were coming and going. A car stopped next to us. "What is this"? asked the woman driving the car. We told her what we were doing, and she was surprised. This was too much for her, but she was inquisitive and wanted books (many times folks just ask for them). One of her friends in the car was focused on hearing what we were doing. Truly attracted, she gave us a small donation, which was full of devotion. We moved on. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.... Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani das Posted July 29, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) We moved on a few miles to a small town at 11:30 am. As usual, while we were parked at the feed store, people crowded to inquire, take pictures, feed the horses. Candrabhaga dasi went to get some vegetables, and the Latin people who owned the store gave donations of fruits, vegetables, and laxmi. Simply, they saw what we were doing, and they liked to hear the Spanish of Candrabhaga dasi. With little communication, Krsna in their hearts inspired them to receive mercy. Moving on Route 620 towards Route 647 and hoping to be on Route 522 in two days—a better road, not as narrow/winding. It seems better to avoid such small roads, as the preaching is better on secondary highways. It is not always possible. Currently we are on a very small, narrow, winding country road. Padayatra
America Report, By Avadhuta Siromani dasa Posted July 27, 2003 June 17, 2003 (from The Diary of a Padayatri) Rain all day, temperature 50 degrees. We started out at 11:00 am. More narrow roads and hills. I saw some small creature that had been hit by a car. "Why you didn't wait for us?" I thought. "You missed out on the mercy." If their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar and Lord Narasimha push, we will be there, pushing on Padayatra, and Kana das and Govardhan das (the horses) will be pulling Their Lordships. These were big hills, but the mood of the horses was phenomenal: steady, willing to go ahead, attentive, tolerant. They love to work hard serving Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai's mission. They will always catch your mood: If you are asking them to push forward, they will follow your desire. This is parampara— that the Lord gives us the strength to push forward, and I engage the horses in achieving the goal. From Bhakta Rahul Posted July 25, 2003 Currently Padayatra is in Virginia. Throughout our journey so far, hundreds of people have approached us and thousands have had the darshan of Their Lordships. With the blessings of Their Lordships and the Vaishnavas, Padayatra has been able to spread the message of love of Godhead and distribute Srila Prabhupada's books and prasadam to many. Also, we have received hundreds of encouraging letters and emails from devotees all over the world. Unfortunately, Govardhan (one of the Padayatra horses) is unable to continue because of a problem with one of his legs. For the last few days, we have been hosted by a nice family in Virginia. We are staying in their farm, and in the meantime, we are looking for another horse so we can continue our journey. By Avadhuta Siromani das Posted July 2, 2003 June 13, 2003 (from the Diary of a Padayatri)After a few days at Bhakta James's house we are back on the road. We are not far from his house, and a person stops us. "I have some cold water for the horses," he says. "Oh thank you very much." After a while he leaves, and we move on again. All the while I am thinking I will do whatever needs to be done for the pleasure of Lord Narasimhadeva and Nitai-Gaurasundar. Just a few minutes later, we see the
same gentleman stop just ahead of us. He
waves and leaves the water container and
a bucket before leaving. The bucket is
full of things— bhoga, some nice
rubber for the brakes, and a few
medicinal things for the horses. He has
just left.
by Bhakta James Posted June 30, 2003 June 9, 2003 Changing the Wheels - Part Two This mission of changing the old, antique, original wheels over to modern-day rubber tires was a real challenge but one that the Lord must have wanted. We started on Monday 9 June. The day started with a nice morning
program. I had been craving the
association of devotees, and Krishna had
mercifully arranged to have some
dedicated Vaisnavas join me in the
middle of next-to-nowhere. My mother
again cooked some breakfast pancakes to
offer to the Deities. She also has many
roses and other flowers around the yard,
so I picked loads and began to make
garlands. I made one and so did my
mother— her first garland for Sri Sri
Nitai-Gaurasundara. It was ecstatic.
Padayatra
Photos, June 13
By Bhakta James Posted June 21, 2003 Sunday, June 8, 2003 My mother and I had just returned from a four-hour drive to Virginia, where I had visited with my father, stepmother, and aunt. As I was in the house, my mother began shouting my name from outside and came running up to the house all red-faced and out of breath. I went outside. "I invited them to stay," she said. "They are going to stay the night." I looked around but saw no one and was wondering what she was on about. "They are Krishnas," she
said, and she looked up the road past
the pasturing ground for the cows.
Posted June 11, 2003 June 5, 2003 Today Padayatra office received the first telephone call from the Padayatra leader, Avadhuta Siromani Das. Padayatra has just entered Maryland. For updates on where they are, visit our web site www.padayatraamerica.com. The report follows: In the first week of Padayatra we had many wonderful experiences, and the most important thing is that Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar have been very merciful to us. We passed through many small towns in
Pennsylvania and found that the people
here were more welcoming and spiritually
inclined than in the cities. Several
people came up to us and asked us what
this was all about. We would explain our
mission, and they would patiently listen
to us.
Posted June 3, 2003 May 28, 2003 After many months of planning, the day had arrived for Avadhuta Siromani Das and his wife, Candrabhaga Devi Dasi, to start on a journey they had anxiously been waiting for. The Padayatra horses and the wagon were ready, Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar had been installed in a grand ceremony, and the towns and villages the Padayatra will pass through had been charted out. Now was the time to take the blessings of all the Vaishnavas present, Srila Prabhupada, and Sri Sri Radha Damodara. Padayatra America: Report Posted June 1, 2003 May 24, 2003— Over 200 devotees were present at Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania, to participate in the installation ceremony with abhishek of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar. H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami performed the ceremony. Also present were H.H. Candramauli Swami and many other senior Vaishnavas. The Deities were installed on the Padayatra wagon and then devotees did a parikrama around the temple and the farm with ecstatic kirtan. The whole atmosphere was joyful and energetic. —Padayatra office [Article complete on this page] . By Avadhuta Siromani das and Candrabhaga dasi Posted May 3, 2003 Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. We would like to inform you that Padayatra will again be traveling through the USA starting on May 24, 2003, from Gita Nagari Dhama, Pennsylvania. The goal of ISKCON's Padayatra Worldwide is to take the holy name of the Lord to every town and village. |
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