MORNING BLUES
a day at the yatra
Experience a typical day at
the Yatra and its spiritually surcharged ethos where every moment is filled with excitement.
Embark on an Exciting Journey along with us
Let’s begin…
SUMMER LOOK (W)
MORNING BLUES
It's 3:30 am and the alarm clock rings eagerly. White, fluffy clouds glide across the pale blue sky. The fading, subdued moon sits redundantly behind them.
Haribol! You need to hurry up and get ready. Mangal aarti at the pandal(The Yatra Epicentre) would start at 5:00 am sharp. And you would not want to miss the beautiful darshan of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath.
"The basic principle of every original religion in this world is discipline." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
DIVINE HYMNS
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Roll out your bag and march in the direction of the pandal. Make sure that you have your Vaishnav Tilak on and your japa bag with you.
Onto the road, the meadow is glowing under its early morning warmth and the dew is still plainly visible on all the blades of grass nearby. The roads leading to the pandal are filled with our enthusiastic devotees all along who are in equal rush to reach the pandal.
GET READY & GET ONTO THE STREETS
"The basis of happiness is relationships. And what makes relationships satisfying is true love centered around God." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
SHELTER OF THE HOLY NAME
DIVINE HYMNS
It's 4:55 am and you have just reached the pandal which is already filled with eagerly awaiting devotees. The clock strikes 5 and the Pujari Prabhuji blows the conch shell with all his might.
The alter of the Lordship Sri Sri Radha Gopinath opens amidst loud chanting of the Holy Names followed by enchanting mangal aarti prayers.
"By participating in wonderful festivals,we naturally lose all our attraction for the dry selfish pursuits of happiness in this world.
" – H.H.Radhanath Swami
FAST TO FEAST
SHELTER OF THE HOLY NAME
The aarti has just concluded.
So grab your japa bag and chant the Hari Nam Maha-Mantra with complete concentration alongwith other devotees.
TAKE THE
"When we chant the holy names of the Lord together, we unify with one another, we unify our consciousness, our minds, and our hearts in the oneness of our love for God. It is a beautiful experience." – Radhanath Swami
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
DON'T MISS THE BUS
FAST TO FEAST
Happy to complete the Japa with devotees. Now walk towards the prasadam pandal.
Oh! So you see these unending lines of devotees. Don’t panic.
These are the ubiquitous prasadam queues
They seem to extend right upto the Brahma Loka but don’t worry. Patiently fast and your turn will surely come.
And believe it, the breakfast prasadam with piping hot Herbal Ginger tea is surely worth all the wait.
"Eating the remnants of food offered to Vishnu can deliver one from all kinds of sinful actions." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
PICTURE PERFECT
DON'T MISS THE BUS
Done with your breakfast prasadam ?
We need to catch our yatra bus.
Our Bus Driver prabhus are quite punctual.
So you better speed up.
"To be on time is a sign of enthusiasm. To be late is a sign of carelessness. " H.H.Radhanath Swami
PICTURE PERFECT
After a jostling journey, we have reached our destination – a magnificent ancient temple of the Lord.
Quickly have the darshan of the Lordships.
And for now keep those phones & cameras at rest!!! Capture Lord's transcendental form via the lenses of your heart and frame it carefully with devotion
"Life was much easier when Apple & Blackberry were just fruits." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
KEVALA ANANDA KANDA
THE PERFECT RECHARGE
KEVALA ANANDA KANDA
The sky is blue, the air is crisp and the sun is shining gloriously.
Outside the temple, all the devotees have assembled for Hari Katha. The glories of this great temple will be revealed in here.
Listening to Krishna’s pastimes, chanting and dancing are the only source of true happiness. It is Kevala Ananda Kanda
"Bliss in bhakti comes only when there is eagerness to hear God’s messages. And this eagerness comes only when there is a sense of urgency." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
HARI NAM KI DHUKAN
THE PERFECT RECHARGE
It's a warm sunny afternoon and we have just returned to the pandal. By now your battery has emptied but just hold on. After making your way through the ubiquitous Brahma Loka queues, your moment of glory has finally arrived.
Make sure that you fill up your plate with all the wonderful prasadam – the sabjis, rotis, pakoda’s , rice and the star of all – The Heavenly Mithai Prasad !!!
"If by the tongue you chant Hare Krishna mantra and by the tongue you taste prasadam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
HARI NAM KI DHUKAN
Done with the nectarine prasadam. Now let’s head back to the room.
But wait a second. Look around closely.
You will see that many senior devotees have just opened their Hari Nam ki Dhukan at the Pandal where they are ecstatically describing countless glorious pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
So you can rest or stop at any of the Hari Nam Dhukan – Choice is yours.
"Having free time is not opulence,it is a danger." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
THE MOST IMPORTANT
SHED ALL INHIBITIONS
THE MOST IMPORTANT
It's 5’o clock in the evening and devotees are gathering at the pandal for the most vital part of the Yatra - The evening class by His Holiness Radhanath Swami.
Maharaj is glorifying the pastimes of the Lord and devotees are completely mesmerized.
Listen attentively and carefully not just through your ears but through your heart and soul.
"Just by hearing sincerely from Guru, saintly people and scriptures we will understand the urgency of spiritual life." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
OCEAN OF LIGHTS
SHED ALL INHIBITIONS
Maharaj’s class has ended and we have just landed back on Earth
Mrdanga, harmonium, kartals are played in perfect rhythm by the devotees and Maharaj is singing ecstatic kirtans.
Devotees are forming small circles and are dancing in beautiful synchronized steps.
Krishna! Why are you standing in the corner? Don’t be a mere spectator. Come, join us and let us all dance together for the pleasure of Sri Sri Nitai Gaura Chandra
"The yoga of art is, through our music, through our dance and through every aspect of our life we are tuning into the frequency of divine grace...." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
NOTE IT DOWN
OCEAN OF LIGHTS
Karthik, Diyas, Yashoda Mai – Does this ring a bell?
Yes. It’s the month of Damodarashtakam. So collect your diya from the counter and offer it to the Lordships.
With thousands of devotees soulfully offering the lighted diyas to Lord Damodar simultaneously, you will see nothing but an Ocean of lights – This surely will be one of your most cherished memories of the yatra.
"The month of Karthik is the topmost of all other months. It is the most meritorious and purified of all other pure months." – H.H.Radhanath Swami
PRAY. CHANT. DANCE. REPEAT
THEN NOTE IT DOWN
The aarti has ended but wait.
Just settle down.
Details of the next day's yatra schedule are going to be announced!
Listen carefully. It would be better if you note it down. Otherwise you might just land up on some other planet or a wrong bus:)
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO WRONG
"The strength to perform the austerity of enthusiasm comes from sincere chanting and attentive hearing" – H.H.Radhanath Swami
DIVINE HYMNS
PRAY. CHANT. DANCE
REPEAT
Yet another festive day at the Yatra has come to an end.
Have a good night's rest and see you at the pandal tomorrow.
"What is A Festival? Kevala Ananda Kanda; Chanting, Dancing and Feasting." H.H.Radhanath Swami
Hari Bol .....
