Amul: VIHE outing to BARSANA!

I made a friend!
Some Kunda where Madhumangal ate Laddus
Where Krishna took Tax

9/29/06

Today we went to Barsana with HG Janananda prabhu and HG Prabhupada das prabhu. Man, It was amazing. We did a parikrama of all the major temples (about 4 or 5, I forget their names, there were about 4 or 5. We also bathed in Prema Sarovara and had class there. I also had darsan of Ramesh Baba, the "don guru" of Varsana! That's just a rough description. Attached are some images, I have a million more but its so hard to post them up!

A scary/exciting thing happened when we got to the main temple. A little background info first: I was a little puffed-up because every temple we went, I was being all 'James Bond' about taking pictures, I would turn the flash off and use someone as a shield and take a

picture quickly, when it was strictly forbidden. I was successful throughout all the temples. So this time we were at the biggest and nicest temple, you know, the one really high up on that hill. This one was the mother of all of 'em. So, I got right up close to the deities and used Chai as a shield, but I forgot to turn off something very important: the flash. All the pujaris were doing their own thing, giving out Tulsi, Caranamrita, just really peaceful. When that flash went off, it was like that scene in "Lord of the Rings", where one of the Hobbit friends drops the skull in the dark well, and immedietly all hell breaks loose. All the Pujaris and caretakers of the dieties all looked up and started yelling. A few of the younger ones came over and grabbed me and my hands, and one of them went for my camera. I was suprisingly calm, but I was scared they were going to smash my digital camera. I had heard they do that. I thought fast and in broken Hindi, I told the guy I would delete the picture. He understood, and I quickly got on the camera menu and deleted the picture. Right before I deleted it I had a sneak peek of the image, it wasn't such a great picture, HA. They pujari told me in hindi, "didn't you see the sign, theres no picture taking!", and he pointed to two huge black signs on either side of the altar that said, "no picture taking". I smiled in my head, "I dont read Hindi bro." But then I realized, "Man, if they asked me why I didn't read the sign, they must think I'm from India...sweet!" For the first time, someone thought I was from India, and not Videsh. Then, they all left, and everything went back to normal. I stood there, stunned from what had just happened. I was a little proud that I got some attention, and a little scared that I had offended someone. Janananda prabhu came over to me to ask me if I was okay, and gave me an assuring pat on the back. I prayed to Srimati Radharani for forgiveness, and with a melodious harinam, we left.

As I sit in our room now, I ask myself, "Why did you take such a risk? Your camera could have been destroyed, or you could have gotten jumped." I reflected for a while and it hit me. I am into photography, I into taking risks, and I recently read a part in this book... its called "Vrindavan Days"... :

...If Vishakha can retrieve bananas from a monkey, she can certainly photograph the Radha Damodar Deities.

“If I try it, the pujari might react violently,” I tell Achyutananda. He agrees. Vishakha’s the one.

Her face set like a Mount Rushmore President, Vishakha, walks up the seven steps to the altar. There are no less than three sets of Deities in the dim alcoves: the Deities belonging to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s biographer, Krishnadas Kaviraj; expansions of Jiva Goswami’s original Radha Damodar Deities; and Jayadev Goswamis Deities. These Deities are guarded by strict smarta-brahmins, and photographs have never been allowed.

Before the pujari can protest, Vishakha takes five pictures. The lamp flashes like a strobe at the Avalon Ballroom.

"No photos! No photos! No! No! No!” the pujari shouts, waving his arms. The temple goswamis jump to their feet, but it’s too late. Vishakha is already walking out to the street.

“Good shots?” I ask.

“Yes,” she says, giving a tiny smile. That’s all. just a typical Vishakha-Yadubhara smile, lips closed.

-amul