By Bhaktisiddhanta Swami (Mayapur - IN)

Dear Respected Vaisnavas,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The 1st day of the Sri Ksetra Parikrama has been completed. Over 6000 devotees from all over India have joined in this annual event, the culmination of kartika vratas to recieve the mercy of Lord Jaganatha and His devotees. Visiting seniors were Naveyogendra Swami, Kavicandra Swami, Bhakti Purusottama Swami, Gauranga Prema Swami, Gaura Narayana Swami, Bhaktisiddhanta Swami, Dinabandu and Devakinandana Prabhu’s. A maha Harinama sankirtan procession went to the Bali sahi, temple South gate of the Jaganatha temple, then to the West gate, then onward to Markendeya sarorava, where Markendeya presently resides, worshipping one of the five Siva’s who protect Puri dhama. Then a return was made to the Grand road, which Lord Jagannatha travels on annually, the same path where Sri Caitanya Himself danced during the Rathayatra pastimes.

At Jagannatha Vallabha gardens, where Lord Caitanya bestowed His mercy on King Prataparudra, a pandal was placed and added plastic tarps were spontaneously pulled over the jungle vegetation to facilitate more sitting room for the pilgrims, discussion and drama followed, along with prasadam. Translation was done in Orrissan, Bengali, Hindi and English. Then the party went past the front gate to the Jagannath temple to Narendra Sarorava, or Chandan Sarorava; Here chandan yatra begins every year and this is where Mahaprabhu would sent garlands to the visiting devotees from Bengal, especially Lord Nityananda and Advaita Acarya and the Rathayatra kirtan would always begin at this very spot.

Later further pandal programs followed with discussion and evening cultural programs.

Tomorrow we will go to Tota Gopinatha, the Gambira, and Sweta Ganga.

All glories to Sri Jagannatha! All glories to Sri Ksetra Dhama!

Your servants on yatra

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Dear Respected Vaisnavas. Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

On day two of the Sri Ksetra Puri Parikrama, the yatra went to Tota Gopinatha temple and a stage was set up at the Purusottam Math(cataka parvat). Here the speakers like HH Naveyogendra Swami and HH Gauranga Prema Swami spoke on the significance of this place. They described the glories of Gadhadhara Pandit, his intimate relation with this deity, especially as an expansion of Sri Radha, his ksetra sannyasa, and loving argument with Sri Caitnaya. This deity from of the Lord is so merciful to reciprocate with His dear devotee, that to cater to the needs of his elder sevak, sat down in order to make the pujas easier. It is said that when Mahaprabhu left this world, that he entered the crack in the knee of this Lord. A wonderful drama followed with kirtan as Gadadhara offered bhoga, and Nityananda, the avadhut, and Lord Caitanya came to honor the feast. The prasadam was then distributed to the crowd on leaf plates from the surrounding trees.

Then the procession went to Siddhabakula, where Lord Caitanya would chant along with Haridas Thakur. The siddhabakula tree had many decorative prayer offerings tied to the tree. It is here that Lord Caitanya after brushing his teeth with a twig placed it into the ground and then it manifested as giant bakula tree. Later the king cut the tree for to carve the Jagannath deities, when he returned the following day to finish the work the tree had changed its branches into mangled forms making the tree no longer suitable to be carved for deities.

Then Sweta Ganga, where Ganga Mata Goswami, a great devotee of Jaganatha lived in her pujas. This place is non different to the Ganga. Behind is the residence of Sarvabauma Battacarya, the Vedantist logician, who brought Mahaprabhu after his swoon in the Jaganatha Mandir to this house and whose lofty scholarship was replaced by ‘bhakti’ by the grace of the Lord.

The afternoon highlight was the Gambira with its high ceiling, ancient floor and bold Orissan architecture and here of course is where Sri Krsna Caitanya stayed in the 18 years of never leaving Puri. Many smaller groups of the yatris would come by with their kirtan offerings and to relish the needed intimacy of this place. So many lilas happened here where Mahaprabhu would have intimate talks with his confidantes and exhibit symptoms of mahabhava, scraping his head against the inner walls or just mysteriously disappearing to be found later unconscious outside the Jagannatha temple gates.

Tomorrow is the Sri Ksetra Parikrama. The Vaisnava acaryas declare that parikrama done on this tithi around Purusottama Ksetra, is equal to all the merits of all the vratas of caturmasya and Kartikka. Lokanatha Swami, who is supposed to arrive tomorrow said last year that ” This is the mercy of Lord Jagannatha, that the one week parikrama in Mayapur and the one month parikrama in Braja is equal to this 19 kilometer done on this day”.(advertisement you all for next year)

your servants on Yatra Sri Ksetra Parikrama ki jaya!

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Dear Respected Vaisnavas Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Today was the Sri Ksetra parikrama, a total of 19 kilometers. Lokanatha Swami, Bhakti Purusottama Swami, Gauranga Prema Swami, Bhakti Marga Swami, Dinabandu and Devakinandan came for the sankalpa at 7 am. Musical accompaniment resounded under light clouds and sun with pounding surf in the background. Two horses and camels, local mascots of the beach arena, led the procession.

Kirtan resounded throughout the course with 2 sets of mobile speakers which were brought by ricksha throughout the waving pathway in the spiritual land of Puri, majestic forest and jungle, small temples, and home dwellings with the dhamavasi residents chanting “Jaya Jagannatha, Jaya Jagannatha”. Periodically one could see the Jagannatha temple and the chakra at the top which is seen as non different from the deity form.

The final leg of the parikrama was on the ocean, a unique work out of breaking waves, approaching water, and wet soft sand. Certainly this Purusottama Ksetra, the abode of Lord Jagannatha has a special uniqueness combining a variety of visual delights, a must visit to appreciate the variety between the three dhamas. Even with so many devotees, by the mercy of Lord, there was no real congestion, please join us next year.

Sri Ksetra Parikrama Ki Jaya Sri Purusottama Dhama Ki Jaya

Your servants on Yatra

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