MEET THE PUJARI: Syamamrita Vitarani devi dasi.
In the mid-nineties, Syamamrita Vitarani (Victoria Zinchenko) would sometimes run into devotees on the streets of her home city in Moscow. She never paid much attention until her father brought home a Bhagavad- gita.
Syama recalls that she and her mother were not too pleased when dad immersed himself in reading the sacred conversation. Aware of family disapproval and keen to avoid conflict, dad would hide in the bathroom to study the text.
At the age of 15, due to some health problems, Syama became a vegetarian and her mom and dad joined her in support of her alternative choice. Syama met her husband Vladimir Vodopyanov (Visnujana dasa) at her workplace in the sky, as they were both employed by Aeroflot International Airlines.
Vegetarian food was hard to come by at that time in Russia and she laughingly recalls an early date with her husband when they sat on a park bench and shared a whole jar of pickles.
Being keen to develop a spiritual lifestyle at this time, the couple were practising Tai Chi along with the parents and grandparents. They also embraced a mystic yogic path of deep meditation, which culminated in walking across shattered glass and glowing embers. No accidents were involved!
Eventually they met Krishna devotee Medini Pati dasa, who guided them in the practices of devotional life.
Syama assisted the pujaris at the local temple in Moscow and also took the Deity worship course, learned the art of Vedic cooking and Vedic psychology. Daughter Nika (16) and son Balarama (14) are now senior students at New Govardhana gurukula.
Syama, with assistance from the kids, took up garland-making, paraphernalia duties and cooking several times a week for her guru Mukunda Goswami.
She is presently appreciating performing the midday offering and arati twice a week at the New Govardhana community, Australia. Visnujana dasa is taking a Bachelor of Film Production course at the SAE Institute.
The couple are happy to serve at the temple and be near to their spiritual master, Mukunda Maharaja.