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