Timeline of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami's Life - 2001-2010

Here is a brief report about Bangladesh – the land of natural opulence and flourishing sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya! Almost half of Sri Gaura Mandala Bhumi is situated here, such as the Sripats of Sri Rupa Sanatana, Saci Mata, Pundarikh Vidyanidhi Dhams, Narottam Das Thakur’s Kheturi! ISKCON has built temples in many of these places and we can see that ISKCON has made a great impact by its preaching activities and festivals. According to HG Jagat Guru Gauranga Prabhu, one of the local leaders, ISKCON has a total of 30 temples, 250 Namahattas and 80 Bhakti Vrikshas all around this country. They perform some 22 ecstatic Ratha yatras, all on the same day all over the country! I still remember attending one of the Dacca Ratha yatras, where not less than 50,000 people had filled up practically every inch of the road.

Prior to the stroke, Guru Maharaj has been visiting Bangladesh twice or thrice a year for over 30 years. The recent visit was the first visit to Bangladesh almost after two years. He was scheduled to visit around the 3rd week of July 2010 but it was postponed because of the sudden urinary tract infection, due to which he needed to be hospitalized. So the Bangladesh program was rescheduled on the 23^rd till the 28th August.

The place Guru Maharaj visited is called Rupa Sanantan Smirti Tirtha

(RSST), which is about 10kms away from the birthplace of Sri Rupa & Sri Sanantana. It is also known as Prema Bag. Some say this is only the bhajana Sthali and the birthplace is

somewhere else. Anyway RSST is located about 2 hours drive from the border of an Indian Town called Haridaspur. Rich with lush greenery and naturally decorated by various and numerous fruit trees such as banana and papaya growing in abundance along the both sides of the road, this part of the land appeared like a picturesque from the ancient times to most of us, who are habituated with busy daily city lives! This experience was a practical example of what Srila Prabhupada always emphasized in his books about simple living and high thinking. Acres of paddy field and vegetation covered most of the land. People had food growing right outside their houses. Modern days big advertisement of “eco-friendly” and “organic food” is their natural lifestyle! Varieties of sak and spices decorated their courtyard of cozy thatched houses. Our ISKCON temple was practically the only double storied concrete building in the remote surrounding! Some surrounding villages were even without electricity.  

I have been to Bangladesh many times with Guru Maharaja but this time I noticed a drastic change in many aspects compared to all my previous visits.

Our car drove past these lovely villages, rubbing against the haystacks alongside the road, and reached around 8 pm. Generally whenever Guru maharaj visited Bangladesh, a huge number of devotees would receive him about a km before the temple with resounding kirtan. They would swarm up to his car like honey-bees and sometimes it used to go beyond control. But this time I was surprised to see how about 3,000 devotees were standing systematically in the dark on both sides of the main road till the temple as Guru maharaj's car was nearing the temple. Uludhwani and kirtan rocked the entire atmosphere with most of the devotees’ cheek wet with tears. When Guru maharaj came out of the car, devotees were crying as most of them were seeing him after his stroke for the first time. Special devotee volunteers security team, mostly from youth forums, clad in special devotional uniform was arranged to control the crowd. Guru maharaj took darshan of the presiding Deities Sr Sri Radha- Madan Mohan, Jagannath Balaram Subhadra and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. He addressed the crowd of 3000 devotees then went to his room for Prasadam.

Next day morning Guru maharaj woke up around 6am and after breakfast he went to the newly built pool to do his regular therapy. After an hour of therapy he had darshan of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Jagannath Balaram Subhadra devi, Gaur Nitai, and Srila Prabhupada. After darshan of Deities he went for the initiation ceremony, which was going to be held at the main pandal. By now the crowd had swelled to 5,000 devotees. The initiation ceremony was extremely well organized, something that I have never seen before in any part of the ISKCON world. HH Gauranga Prema Swami and HG Sarvadaya Prabhu from the Mayapur Nama Hatta department went one month ahead of time, travelled all over Bangladesh centers to do all the preliminary work. They interviewed every single candidate, marked their papers, etc. They, with the help of some local youths created a special software to manage the whole ceremony.

There were some 1727 candidates for 1^st initiation and 389 for 2^nd initiation. The managers of the festival had divided the entire country into three groups, namely Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra. On the first day Guru maharaj awarded 1^st initiation to 607 devotees and 136 devotees with 2^nd initiation. Second day was Subhadra group with 614 for 1^st and 128 for 2^nd initiation. And on the last day, the Jagananth group 506 devotees receiving 1st and 125 devotees 2^nd initiation. To facilitate and organize better, each group was told beforehand to visit RSST only on the schedule day of their initiation. They would arrive a night before and leave RSST before the next group comes in.

The initiation arena was well organized. The entire area was fenced intelligently and only those with special passes were allowed to go into the arena. Rest of the devotees witnessed the ceremony from outside the arena. All the initiation candidates had their special registration number and coupon. In fact each of them was designated a sitting place with the same number and sitting arrangements were done as per their serial numbers. Candidates started gathering and taking their position on their respective

seat at around 7am. Ceremony started with SB class and very elaborate explanation of the ceremony, 10 aparadhas, taking of vows by each and every candidate. After a short lecture by Guru maharaj, HH Bhakti Purushottam Swami and HH Gauranga Prema Swami, the name giving and handing of the beads begun. Beads were handed out by Guru maharaj with HH BPS reading out the candidates legal name serially. Every one received the beads personally from Guru maharaj's hands while their respective initiated name was being announced. There were many volunteers with special devotional uniform constantly checking at every 2 meters making sure that the candidates are standing up on time, queuing serially, receiving beads, receiving names according to serial numbers. The candidates were even pre trained as to how to receive beads from Guru maharaj. At the final point HH GPS handed out a small slip with candidates legal name, serial number and area they were from and initiated name printed on it. At the same time there were few other devotee volunteers counter checking whether HH BPS, HH GPS and the team were doing the job properly.

Every single male candidate was fully shaven and clad with dhoti and chadar. After receiving the beads and names candidates sat back at their respective seats. The whole thing was going on like a gentle flow of river.

Every day it took an average of 46 minutes to complete the 1st initiation. We had an average of 12 candidates receiving the beads at every one minute.

In short, every single candidate took their vows from their respective seat, stood up in line, came forward received their beads personally from Guru maharaj's hands while HH BPS was announcing their initiated name. After the handing out of the beads all the 2nd initiation candidates came forward to reconfirm their vows and paid their obeisance and sat at their respective seats and finally the fire yajna begun. Naru Gopal prabhu and others who accompanied Guru maharaj for the first time were shocked and surprised to see how everything was so disciplined!

In average Guru maharaj spent about 2 and half hour everyday for the whole initiationceremony. Everyday there were anna prassana ceremony too. After the initiations Guru maharaj would go to his room for lunch prasad. During lunch, HG Krsna Kirtan Prabhu, (one of the senior most disciples of Guru maharaj from Bangladesh) and his kirtaniyas did special bhajans for Guru maharaj. HG krsna Kirtan Prabhu is one of the world famous and rare padyavali kirtan singer. His kirtans are heart melting. During 1980's he has travelled around the world and perfomed his kirtan in most of the countries. Most of the devotees in his group know how to play atleast 12 musical instruments like mrdangas, kartalas, veena, harmonium etc. I was told that while HG Vyasaki Prabhu (Iskcon famous kirtan singer) was staying in Bangladesh for almost 10 years, he would travel with HG Krsna Kirtan prabhu all around Bangladesh and thus received some help in learning the traditional gaudiya bhajan and kirtans.

Everyday after lunch Guru maharaj took one and half hour rest. After rest and shower Guru maharaj gave out the gayatri mantra in the closed prasadam hall. Then he would go to the main stage and give the evening class for about 5000 devotees. There were other speakers too like HH BPS, HH GPS, HG Bhadra Caru and Naru Gopal prabhus. Dramas and bhajans by Krsna Kirtan Prabhu were special attraction. The first evening KK pr sang a padavali narrating the jhulana yatra pastimes with full details through his kirtans. It was mesmerizing.

I also noticed that no matter who spoke or performed the kirtan, all the devotees (children, youths and adults) would be in rapt attention during the programs. I noticed whenever Guru maharaj cried out Hari Bol! or Gauranga! all 5000 devotees hands were up in the air repeating after him all together Hari bol! and Gauranga! followed by matajis doing a loud ululation. This was a spectacular sight to be watched from the main stage.

These simple hearted and sincere vaisnavas are always so eager to see Guru maharaj. Whenever Guru maharaj appeared and disappeared from the crowd there was a loud Ululation and chanting of Guru Maharaj Ki Jai!!!! Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai!!! Without knowing where Guru maharaj was, only from hearing the uludwani, we could easily guess where Guru maharaj was - whether he was in the room or with the devotees. The team of devotee security was working so hard controlling the crowd each time Guru maharaj came out of his room. It was a wonderful teamwork.

On the last day we kept the entire day free for Guru maharaj so the local devotees could meet him. After Guru maharaj’s regular pool therapy, HH BPS, HG Caru Candra Prabhu (regional secretary) and Temple Presidents from almost all over Bangladesh had a special meeting with Guru maharaj. Each TP gave their report and shared many things with Guru maharaj. This meeting went on for almost 90 minutes. Many leaders were recalling how the 2008 safari which was led by Guru maharaj made a very big impact all over Bangladesh and still remains the talk of the town. They requested the safari group to come again. HH BPS commented how all the TPs of Bangladesh always work with a cooperative mood. Every temple helps other temples financially and physically whenever there is a crisis or festivals. After the meeting, we had HG Krsna Kirtan Prabhu approcahing Guru maharaj for blessing for the opening of a Vaishnava Music Academy in Bangladesh. Throughout the whole day so many devotees came to meet Guru maharaj and had his darshan.

Bangldeshi devotees are rich with culture, simplicity, hospitality and their generous hearts. They are expert in the art of taking care of their guests. Everyday we all were served very simple but delicious prasadam on lotus and banana leaves. Though most of the devotees are from poor financial background they have very rich hearts. Almost every single devotee offered their donations to Guru maharaj, from 1 takka and above. Of course this is not something new. On the last day, as usual Guru maharaj returned most of his donations to the development of the local yatras.

This other half of Gaura Mandala is a land where every vaishnava must visit. There are so many vaishnava aspects that remain to be explored. So many other beautiful places like RSST for visiting. Though every visit I had with Guru maharaj before was memorable, this recent visit was an extraordinary. Naru Gopal Prabhu and Bhadra Caru Prabhu who visited Bangladesh for the first time commented that it was an eye opener for them and they have many thing to learn from them.

All glories to every single devotee who hosted this festival and this historic visit of Guru maharaj to RSST. All glories to all the leaders of Bangladesh Yatra who have invested their energy in helping GM and Srila Prabhupada to build this wonderful spiritual nation!  Hare Krishna.

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