Amul: First Post from Vrindavan

Amul Sutaria
Vrindavan Days 2006

So, here we are, it’s been 3 days in Vraj and I am already missing my family and friends. Classes start tomorrow, so I am hoping that studying will take up a lot of my time. Because the less time to think about home the better.
We have this portable speaker system that Chai brought from home and it connects to our Ipods. The funny thing about that is that it’s not Aindra prabhu we listen to. As some of you may or may not know, a good amount of the NJ boys are completely obsessed with Aindra prabhu’s kirtans. Since Aindra is “right downstairs” as Damodar put it, we don’t listen to his tracks. On the other hand we listen to such tracks as Avatar studios P-sena Kirtans and Ragunandan’s CD. It’s amazing in the US we listen to Vrindavan kirtans and in Vrindavan we listen to US kirtans. A funny realization!
We all are chanting 16 rounds now (I still have a few left for today though). It’s great to be solely focused on sadhana. Hearing and chanting is not only something you do on the side anymore, it’s one of our main services now. I pray that I can keep it up in the USA when I get back.
Although everything with us is fine, a downside of KB temple is that there’s a whole lot of politics between devotees. I heard something like the new management is trying to kick out some bramhacharis or something like that. I don’t like to dabble in politics and such but I almost always get this bad vibe around certain devotees. More recently I have been keeping to myself and devotees I know very well. As my sister said, if you make offenses in the Dham, you’ll be “finished”.
Speaking of my sister, she wrote me a letter to read on the plane to India. I read this letter every day to remind me of why I am here in the Dham and what I should be doing. It definitely keeps me on track. I am thanking Radhe-Shyam everday for giving me a sister who’s definitely a modern day saint. Watch out Mother Urmila!
Radhey asked me to write something funny if anything like that came across. Well, across from the temple they play this Hare Krishna techno pop track that some devotees put out. No more “radhe radhe rato chale ainge bihari”. This new song is by far the most entertaining Hare Krishna techno I have ever heard. It sounds like something out of a disco-tek. It was such a hit amongst my roommates that Chai went and bought the CD. We plan on blasting it in NJ when we get back. Also big ups to all the Krishnautix fans out thurr too…ya’ll know who you are..HAHA.
Alright I gota go, if your thinking of coming to Vrindavan for Kartik (cough VBD cough) pleaasseee come, I need to see a familiar face! RADHE RADHE, im out.