A QUICK SUMMARY of the FIRST BHAKTI FIELD TOUR to INDIA

• Pilgrims: 16+

• Days: 18!

  • March 13th-31st

• Stays:

  • New Delhi

  • Govardhan

  • Rishikesh

  • Kyarki Village

  • Devprayag

  • Rishikesh

  • New Delhi

• ​Health

  • Usually 1-3 of us were resting & recovering at any given time

• Food

  • Excellent​

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A SHORT SUMMARY

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From 13th to 31st March, 2024 most of the practitioners at The Bhakti Field Nimbin were with Srila Gurudeva and friends on pilgrimage in Northern India. Thankfully Arjuna Prabhu, Savala Didi & Team plus Charu Damodar Das Brahmachary & friends kept The Bhakti Field and Vedic Vegetarian Cafe operating through that time - Dandavats!!!

After flying away from Australia and landing in majestic old New Delhi we first met our dear God-sister Chintamani Devi who expertly arranged for travel and accommodations for practically the entire trip. Our first day at East of Kailash started with bhakti sadhana as usual and some exploration of the area and then the next day our experience became transcendentally turbocharged by the arrival of our beloved Srila Gurudev and also the arrival of another dear God-sister, Venu Rati Devi. That day we visited the wondrous ISKCON Mandir nearby where we all enjoyed a hearty meal and Srila Gurudeva received the Lord's garland from a pujari in the Temple. Then the next day... that day Chintamani Didi led they way to a very swish mall where some devotees were able to get local sim cards - a lengthy but worthwhile process. But soon though we had to depart this charming, ancient Capital for..

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Govardhan Hill
We were blessed to stay a couple of nights at the highly inspiring Sri Sri Anu Giriraj Mandir Guesthouse and meet Sripad Padmanabha Swami, Srimati Uma Didi and the vaishanava devotee practitioners residing there, plus darshan of Srila Param Gurudev's rooms and His Divine Grace's Pushpa Samadhi, "Temple of Love & Devotion". While there we were also blessed with darshan of Manasi Ganga, Govinda Kund, Radha Kund & the Giri Govardhan parikrama path & pilgrims.

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On our day-trip to Vrindavan we joyfully reunited with James & (now) Harini Radha Didi, and witnessed the daily activities at the great Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir and Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Samadhi Mandir together. We also went to Sri Sri Radha Damodar Mandir & Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Rooms there, and & the Samadhis of Srila Rupa Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami and Sri Raghunatha Das Goswami.

Then at Sri Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami's writing-place we were  treated to a lengthy multimedia film presentation that summarised the material world very expertly. Then we were invited by Srila Gurudeva to visit the Temple of Param Gurudeva Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaja and his room there, where Srila Gurudeva gave Venu-Rati Didi her beads, and we held sankirtan in the courtyard infront of the Temple of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sri Sri Radha Rasa-Bihari and Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaja's Pushpa-Samadhi Mandir. Later that evening at the Guest House Uma Didi showed Srila Gurudeva and a some followers through Srila Praram Gurudeva's rooms there. What a day!

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The next morning we boarded a great little tour bus northwards to..

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Hrsikesh,

.. Surprise! A comfortable 2-storey house with rooftop view of and just a few steps from the magnificent, uplifting & gorgeous Sacred Ganges River. We strolled alongside the Ganges for a couple of kilometres to Triveni Ghat and back for Hari-katha & chai (and sometimes biscuits) with Srila Gurudeva each morning we stayed there. On the second evening the devotees and Srila Gurudeva had a huge kirtan & prasadam adventure. The next morning we got into auto-rikshaws and headed north to catch a van up towards the Himalayan Mountains a bit, to ...

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Kyarki Village (via Jonk)

And the wonderful Nature Villa Cafe & Homestay for a very hospitable and inspiring interlude.

 

Each morning after darshan, kirtan and Hari-katha with Srila Gurudeva we took morning walks with His Divine Grace, one morning upwards through the village and along narrow mountain path for sankirtan and Hari-katha, guided by young Gaurav. The next morning we ventured down the mountain road to the Neer waterfall/tourist attraction and back again. We were blessed to meet a great team of young documentary film-makers who interviewed Srila Gurudeva about Bhakti Yoga over several hours. It should be noted that Yamuna Devi saw a wild elephant here.

 

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And then we went even higher - in another great tour bus  - to
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Devprayag

And a hotel with a great restaurant, sun-soaked balconies & an inspiring vista. Because of Holi celebrations nearly all shops were closed the town was very quiet, and we were able to celebrate Sri Gaura-purnima the transcendental appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu together with Srila Gurudeva, doing Harinam sankirtan through Devprayag for the locals and culminating in kirtan and Gaura-katha at a local park. We celebrated with sankirtan and Srila Gurudeva glorified Lord Chaitanya's Transcendental Appearance, and then the local kids got rowdy and the monkeys too so we packed up and returned to some pretty smashing meals. And then we jumped on a bus back to​
 

Hrsikesh! - The Big City and our last stop before departing - a gated new palatial mansion out in Shyampur where we happily relaxed, recuperated and tried to continue with our morning sadhana of guru-darshan, kirtan, Hari-katha, prasadam and days to remember. Here we had the great pleasure and honour to meet and have the association of His Grace Jagadananda prabhu. Many devotees hired scooters, we were fortunate to enjoy meals at a Ganga-side luxury eatery. We performed sankirtan, shopped & sipped fresh f&v juice alongside the Sacred Ganges River.   Then back home to celebrate Madhavananda prabhu's birthday, a whole bag of samosas from the sweets shop out on the highway for breakfast, and so much more. And then, as a beautiful morning rainstorm cleared the sky to blue and fluffy clouds we waved goodbye to our friends and boarded another great tour bus to 

New Delhi

Where we checked into a hotel near the airport for rest, relaxation, last-minute shopping, etc., and enjoyed a wrap-up dinner at Mr Prabhu's Restaurant before heading out of India to our respective destinations... Auckland, Nimbin, Gold Coast, Brisbane,

If I have omitted anyone or any story from this article please let me know and we can update it. 

Our Next Tour to West Bengal and Rishikesh, 9th to 25th November 2024 is approaching fast! Get in touch to join in!