Book distribution report by Anita dasi
With half the books we started with, we packed up and moved on to Shimla. When we were in Haridwar for Kumbha mela we met one family from Shimla. They invited us to stay with them. For weeks I have been talking to the mother and her three teenaged girls on the phone. The youngest daughter named Sakshi had her birthday on May 28. I promised we would be there for the party. We arrived on the evening so we could be rested for the party.
I wish I had more birthday parties in this style growing up. Family, neighbors and friends came for bhajans. Of course they sing bhajans to many of the demigods. In the mountain region they mostly devotees of Lord Siva and his shakti, but because since we were there they felt inspired to sing many hindi bhajans about Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. We lead some bhajans and maha mantra. Actually when we switched to Radha Krsna bhajans a huge wind came up, dust was blowing everywhere, the power went out, the altar they made for Lord Siva fell, rain started, and lighting came. About half the people went downstairs (we were signing on the roof) but for those stayed it was quite and experience. We just kept signing and signing, absorbed in the bhajans despite everything.
The next day we went with the three girls of the family and their cousin to the Mall. The Mall was built by the British, it’s a beautiful area to walk along the top of the hill in Shimla. Many tourists and locals are roaming through out the Mall.
Not only did the girls distribute the books, but they ran into some of their friends from school who also helped distribute books. In less than two hours we distributed around 150 books. We gave them all a free book for helping.
Yesterday the family took us to visit their village named Kotkhai and a place called Giri Ganga. We stopped a few places along the way to meet many family and friends. Then we had to hire a truck to drive the last steep rocky narrow track to Giri Ganga. Durvas Rsi had Ganga in a kamandalu. He sat way up on this mountain to meditate, then a bird came which knocked the kamandalu over. Since then Ganga devi has flowed out of this mountain.
On the way home, we stopped for dinner at their aunties home. Actually I met her also in Haridwar with the rest of the family. She and her husband visit Vrndavana from time to time and they are Krsna bhaktas. After sampling the local preparation called sidu (a steamed stuffed bread roll), we sang bhajans together. We sang “Jaya Radha, Jaya Krsna, Jaya Vrndavan” and explained how this song reminds us of Vraja Mandal parikrama and what parikram is like. We invited them to come for parikrama and they said they would. I hope they make it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Hill Village
Book distribution report by Anita dasi
Its amazing what we take for granted. For example delivery of a couch . . .
or some beds . . .
Here in the Shimla area everything is built on steep hills. Hills so steep I could would be daunted to walk up them, much less build a city. But the mountain people here literally carved out a way of life in the mountains.
Today instead of going to the crowded mall we meet our hostess for her lunch break. She works as a nurse in a community dispensary in a village called Sanjoli.
She took us up this steep road to a temple called Jakhu mandir. It is where Hanuman rested while going to get the herbs from the Himalayas for Laxman. We distributed books here for about half an hour. There were not so many people there and our hostess needed to get back to work.
We distributed books in Sanjoli while she worked in the afternoon. There weren’t the crowds we had become used to, but we certainly peaked people’s interest. I had groups of students, ladies sitting on benches, and people in chai stalls calling me over to see the books. Despite it being a village we still managed to distribute many books. Now we are beginning to worry we will run out of books.
Friday, June 4, 2010
School
Book distribution report by Anita dasi
Archana, the cousin of the family we are staying with, begged us to come visit her at her school. It’s an all girls government school with 3,000 students. We wandered through the halls past girls in neat uniforms, with braids tied with ribbons on the end, searching for the right class room. We narrowed down the wing, then the floor, and after completely disturbing about 3 classrooms found the right one. Archana popped out of her seat like a jack-in-the box. “My friends mam.” We came in and all the girls stood up to greet us.
We introduced ourselves and summarized why we came to India, what we are doing in Vrndavan. It was nearly the end of the day so the teacher let us speak for some minutes about how lucky the students are to grow up in Vedic culture and encourage them to go towards their own culture rather than turning towards western culture. We passed fliers around the room and invited them all to visit us in Vrndavan and to go our website.
After class was dismissed we stopped in the principles office to ask if we could speak to the whole school. She asked what the topic would be, I suddenly felt like a student in the principles office again, “Um . . . stress and unhappiness and how the Bhagavad-gita can help, mam.”
“OK, you can speak at the morning assembly tomorrow for ten minutes.” She replied.
We did out homework and prepared a ten minute presentation about happiness and how we will never find complete happiness in a temporary body. This morning we got ready for school, took the bus, and waited outside the principles office. In the assembly all the girls line up by class and sing the national anthem. The principle came to tell us we could not speak because the power had gone out so the mike would not work. The students would not be able to hear without the mike. What to do? We spoke to some of the students one on one, gave a book to the principle, and made our way home.
All glories to your service!
Dandavat Pranams, didis. Absolutely Amazing preaching and seva. Srila Gurudeva and Our Rupanuga Guru Varga are diffinately pleased. Brhat Mrdanga Ki Jaya! HARIBOL!!! ys, janardana dasa (Miami sanga U.S.A.)
Anita ji didi,
Awasome… your reports are always extraordinary, very lively, easy to read, with lots of photos.
You do so much excellent preaching… with gurudeva’s mercy.
What real special experience you get… I guess.
Please keep sharing more. You make my heart plenty.
Hug you with love and affection,
Gita devi dasi.
Jaya Anitaji,
DANDAVATS! I think you’re the pioneer in this kind of preaching, going up country roads, hills and mountains and preach in whatever setting and situation comes up by the sweet will of the Lord…
My only question is, did you speak in English in the schools and those family parties, or Karuna was your translator? How did you communicate–
as far as the language?
I think you ENTHUSIASM broke all the barriers!
You girls rock!!! So inspiring and so brave. Very very proud to have godsisters like you.
Hari haribol.
These articles are awesome. You and team are doing extraordinary seva. I can hardly imagine how pleased Srila Gurudeva is going to be. I’m so happy to see Karuna-mayi there, too. Haribol!
Wonderful Anita didi! Simply wonderful! It is so great that in our sanga some fearless souls like your good self are taking to heart the desire of our acaryas to preach through book distribution. Congratulations.
Dandavats Anita dasi. Thank you so much for a great article. More, more! It is very inspiring. Thank you. Malati dasi
Wonderful preaching Anita ji and party. So inspiring. My dandavats to you!!!!
Haribol.
Yas
Raghava