"Prerirrus Cdrgo"
corner to the Caitanya Math there was the truck! Ramadevl shouted "GAURANGA,I" so loucl I heard her above the wind. I tvas told that there was going to be five big trucles, but there was only one hugt one. Ramadevl and I were about the only people therc, sinc.e all the other devotees tuere waiting at the Yogapith. We jumped ofJ the scooter ancl paid obeisances. We went around the truch,liJtingup the tarpaulin to see insidc. I had my digital cantera and was cliclting away. Lord Gauraiga was at the Jront, His arms and head stiching out. Lord Nityananda and Gauraiga's bases were Jacing together, and I must say they were the biggest bases I haye ever seen (and I've seen a lot of deitie s). t got a photo of Lord Nityananda's chest with His brdhrnana thread. The deyotees started arriving and helping to put up the decorations. Then a l<irtana party arrived, and one of those ridiculouslndian bands. Everyone had a J1ag. It was so, so nice. Then the truclz started mttving and we all walhed alongside . As we cdme around to the Yogapith, the rest of the devotees were waiting there Jor us rvith bas'ltets oJ Jlower petals and huge lamps Jilled with billowing franlzincense. As we got nearer the kirtana became really big and every- tme went crazy! The sight was arnazing-colorful flags on bamboo poles danced in the air, held aloit by a stream o[ devotees who surrounded the heavy-load truck on all sides. Those wairing ar the Yogapith fell to the ground, offering their respects [o the pre- cious cargo aboard the ,lOft flatbed truck, whose smiling driver, Murugeshan, had driven day and night for [ive days from Kumbakouam in South India to the doorstep of ISKCON's temple. The htrtana increasecl in intensity, the sound tuurultuous, sweeping all into its irresistible embrace. From houses and shops, local villagers emerged, curious about the source of this wonderful celebration. On the five-storey construction site next to the temple, work stopped as laborers hung over balconies, their faces breaking into huge srniles as they were greeted with shouts of "GAURANGA ! l" accompanied by hundreds of blissful, dancing, chanting devotees.
As the truck made its way slowly along the narrow village road, an 'open secret'
t7
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online