‘……And So They Sent The Cows To Jail!’ – A True Story

By Chandrasekara dasa

Janakinatha took care of the formalities of security so we could enter Agra Central Jail and we were walking along a path with high walls on each side, “where are we going?” I said.
” Oh, first we’ll see the gosalla.” ” Gosalla?””yes, a fellow gathered together so many cows and was just ready to take them to slaughter when they arrested him, threw him in jail – and the cows too! Now, they are protected and will never be slaughtered.” And then there they were before me- peaceful, grey,black , white, brown and beautiful.They are all cared for by inmate cowherd boys.As we were speaking I noticed just to my side a big round lovely tulasi plant.
” Oh!” ” The devotees can circumambulate when they want” Janakinatha said. Then we began walking again beyond the second set of walls- it was an expansive farm.Twenty acres of plants- tomatoes, potatoes, greens and others.It was clean and not a piece of plastic litter anywhere.
Just in front of us was a new temple and inside-big photos of Sri Sri Krsna-Balarama, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundaa all of the Vrindavana ISKCON mandira.
Over the loudspeakers- live Hari-nama kirtan so we followed the sound into a large courtyard full of inmates under the shade of large nima trees with many surrounding a platform full of kirtaniyas and in the center another small temple like one you might see anywhere in Vraja.
I asked Janakinatha, ” Are these inmates able o have a vegetarian diet?””Vegetarian?The bhoga is cooked, brought to the temple, offered to the Deities and them served to the devotee inmates and others as prasada”

Then there was kirtan complete with harmonium, dole, mrdunga and kartals.The sweetness of the holy names brought more inmates over to hear and dance! The Superintendent was the first to jump up.
There were lectures in Hindi and when I spoke I glorified Srila Prabhupada and told them all of his concern for inmates.Srila Prabhupada was preaching in prison before ever coming to America and later he also encouraged his leading disciples to begin prison preaching all over the world.
I told the devotee inmates and the entire crowd, ” I have come from the USA to Agra not to see the Jaj Mahal, i have to come to see the beautiful Agra Central jail Mandira!” and as they sat before me they appeared to be in an assembly of sages and yogis. Inmates then crowded around the platform, waving their rupees, anxious to purchase Prabhupada’s Gita.I embraced each soul who purchased a book and the temple devotees had to drag me away saying, “Prabhu, we must go now….”

As we left the facility we passed the mandira where kirtan was being performed by several enthusiastic bhajan bhaktas and other inmates in the fields raised their arms as we left and cried, ” Radhe! Radhe! Jaya Radhe! ”

by Chandrasekara dasa Gauravanacari.