Govardhan Pooja

10/22/06

Feeling that I had experienced a good amount of festivals at KB temple,
I decided to head out on the road for Govardhan pooja. Where else to go
than Govardhan, and that is where we did go...I went to the
Bhaktivedanta Ashraam in Govardhan, right across the road from Govardhan
Hill. They had a really nice program there, starting with a nice class,
then go-pooja (H.H. Jayadvaita Swami performed aroti to mother cow), and
everyone was able to feed mother cow. Then, everyone headed across the
road, and performed abhiseka right on Govardhan hill. It was a pretty
cool thinking that I was actually at Govardhan for Govardhan pooja.
After that, everyone helped carry the 56 sumptous offerings for Giriraja
across the road, and tapan bhoga was offered. Then it was time to
eat...not yet though as I was asked to serve.... I didn't really mind,
as it was still early, and for about an hour or more, We served out
prashadam to the hundreds of devotees there (there didn't seem to be
that many there before, but its funny how you always notice more at
prashadam time...). Then I along with some friends sat down to eat, and
our plates were piled up with item after item after item, after
item......When I was full the prabhu next to me, his name is Govinda
Kund, got one of the servers to put a big handful of more maha from
Giriraja on my plate. What could I do but honor it??? So I ended up
being double stuffed. After washing our hands, I and two other friends
who came with me noticed that nobody from our group seemed to be around.
As we walked outside, I looked to the right, and saw three green buses
(the ones we came in) heading up the road. We ended up sprinting to
them...if you know Govardhan, we ran from ISKCON...all the way to the
town, where we caught the buses due to the traffic resulting from the
business of Govardhan pooja. Its quite an experience sprinting after
eating that much....That's all I can say about that.
This evening, Aindra prabhu sang Damodarastaka, and it was a
classic. (I got it all on tape) Damodarastaka in KB temple starts at 7,
and usually goes until 8:15 (when the temple closes). Some singers, will
take it to 8:30 (at which point the devotees cleaning the temple start
the hoses and start spraying people). Aindra prabhu takes it outside in
front of the temple, and goes for another 30-40 minutes, moving around
the samadhi, and other areas, so it was a very crazy event. As I was
walking back to my room at Keshav Kunj, In noticed the fireworks still
going off. Then one went off 5 feet from me (it sounded like a bomb).
The fireworks tonight don't seem as frequent (although I am hearing more
and more...), but now they seem to go off with huge bangs....by the way,
I did hear them when I got up at 3:30, and on my way to mangal aroti
this morning....
Overall it was a fantastic Govardhan pooja here in Vrindavan. Amul
left his camera behind, so I took some pictures, which I can hopefully
get posted for you.....Haribol...

Chaitanya