Okay, so I went to Holland a week or so ago. That morning I packed up my suitcase and caught a bus to the Temple, along with my parental unit who wanted to come see me off. As we did this we heard rumours about trains and buses having been bombed, but it didnt phase us. We just thought, I hope it doesnt delay or cancel my flight because were nice and caring like that. Anyway, parental didnt hang about long, what the point of it was Im still unsure.At the Temple were Sita, Komla, Lolitee, two devotees named Aloogu and Ram-Tither and a young girl from Norway who was going to film the festival for Uni. Her name was Gudren. We all shoved out luggage into the car and piled inside. It was quite something, Komla had to sit in the boot, and I had to sit at the front with two suitcases on my lap, including Lolitees deity of Gopala in a little decorated lunch box.We get to stansted airport and everything is working just fine, with only a noticeable increase in police with guns around the place. It was possibly the closest Ive ever been to a gun before. There was one problem though, foolish Ram-Tither had forgotten to bring his passport So Komla gave him the car to go back to Wembley with and get his passport, and then catch a later flight. We all, minus Ram-Tither go to get checked in. We do it in two groups, apart from Gudren who checks in herself. My group consisted of Sita and, Aloogu. It was all put under Aloogus name, and Im unsure why we let this happen, or why we went in to two groups and did not individually check in Anyway Lets back track a bit to when were in the car to get to Standsted. We stop to get petrol and Aloogu pulls out this pack of cigarette and a lighter. This is an incredibly stupid thing to do, not least because we are in a petrol station, but because youre in a car full of bloody Hare Krishnas, on the way to a Hare Krishna festival! Sita took them off of him and threw them away, rightly so.Now back to the airport bit As we wait for our flight or something like that Aloogu tells us hes just going to go look at the shops, and hell meet us at the gate. Well the time comes for the gate to close and he's not there, so we board the plane without him. He went looking for a smoke, and now hed missed his flight.We board the plane and I sit down by the window, next to the right wing of the plane. The plane people announce to us that five people have failed to show for the flight so they are going to remove their baggage for safety reasons. I tell Komla and Sita to go and check its not our bags because Aloogu missed his flight and ask them to check for my luggage which was large and green. They come back on the plane after confirming which luggage is theirs and say they found my bag for me. Great I think, as I look out of my window Then what do I see? I see them putting my suitcase onto a van thing and driving away with it. So I tell Komla and she goes back up the plane to speak to them and they wont have any of it. Komla didnt seemed bothered by that So I went up and spoke to them in that awfully polite and charming way I manifest when I want something, which is usually often. They werent happy about it, but they let me go confirm my case and all was fine. I went back to my seat on the plane and watched from my window with great comfort as they loaded my bag onto the plane, having delayed the plane by nearly an hour due to Aloogus need for sense enjoyment.The flight was really quick, only about forty minuets. When we got our bags and went into the public part of the airport a devotee lady and her three daughters met us from our Temple. We stole a knife from a caf and offered prasadam of avocado and cream cheese bagels to the lord, which we then sat and ate As you do when youre hungry and have food Yeah.As we did thus, whom should we bump into? None other that Sripad Ashram Maharaja and the temple president of the Rotterdam temple! Originally we were going to stay at the Temple for the night, before going to the festival the next day as it hadnt started yet. But we were told there wasnt enough room for us all to stay there, so instead we took a train to Den Haag and then a bus to where the festival was going to happen. The festival area was a series of three tents surrounded by empty market stalls and in the centre a giant long tent, where all the classes would happen. The three tents were the kitchen tent, the prasadam tent, the childrens entertainment tent and there was two loos to be shared with an expected 1,000+ devotees. The place where our chalet would be was only a short walk away, but we werent allowed to stay there till the next day. Luckily a French devotee had booked a chalet for the night and so long as we all contributed to the cost we were allowed to spend the night there and then have a hot shower in the morning. As opposed to having to spend the night in the windy childrens tent and have our shower in a sink in one of the two festival toilets So ten Euro each it was then! I slept on the kitchen floor but it wasnt so bad. It was warm and the shower in the morning was pleasant.The next day the reception was being very slow in giving us the keys to the two chalets we had booked, so we had to stay behind in the chalet wed slept in with all our stuff till they forked over the keys to the other chalets. Soon a group of French devotees came to the chalet and demanded we left because it was theirs. We worked something out with them though, they got one of our chalets when we finally got the key, we kept the one we were staying in and the girls moved to the second chalet. I got to sleep on the bottom of a bunk bed and shared the top with a devotee named Ragunanda. He snores, which didnt bother me because I live next to a main road and sleep heavily I also have been known to speak in my sleep Loudly Somehow Alugoo and Ram-Tither had made their way to Holland and to the chalet the night before, so we were all together once again. We all went down to the festival for either breakfast or lunch, I forget which Anyway When I went there into the Prasadam tent I bumped into Vasudeva vasudeva_dasa and Sunanda exquisitdelight which was really cool. Later on I bumped into them again, this time along with Mahesvara die_to_live. Which was excellent as it gave me some people to hang out with, as the devotees I was staying with were all middle aged, dull or preoccupied with reunited groups of friends. In the evening I got to see Gurudeva for the first time ever during evening class. Hes amazing. I cant say what he is. You just have to be there, its not the same till you meet him. He talked about Ratha-Yatra and some of his senior devotees spoke too which was cool. The next day I chanted a full 16 rounds for the first time ever, and from then onwards. I actually enjoy it, which is shocking really, as before I came to Holland I was lucky if I did seven rounds, and I hated every second of it. Later on in the morning as I walked back from the girls chalet to my own I bumped into Vasudeva, Sunanda, and Mahesvara once again but this time with Dhanista heartonfire. It was a veritable orgy of Livejournal Hare Krishnas. Im slightly confused as to the order of events But we celebrated Ratha-Yatra either that day or the next. We piled into buses and travelled to The Hague where we put the deities of Jaganatha, Subadra and Balaram onto a cart, which we pulled along by a rope. In front of that four people held up the deities of Gaura-Nitai and all the devotees sang and danced between them. We were walking for like three hours, till wed gone through The Hague and back to the festival. They handed us bottles of water and things so it wasnt so bad. Here are some pictures from the day:This is Jaganatha and co before they went on the cart.Theres Sunanda, Dhanista, and Vasudeva. Mahesvara couldnt come along because it was too far for him to walk. He was there to meet us when we came back though.Here's a nice group shot, its only missing Sunanda though. But there you have Vasudeva, Dhanista, Mahesvara and next to him Mohan who was cool and apparently on LJ too but I dont know his username.After Gurudevas class on Sunday night it was announced that initiations would take place the next day at 8.30 in Gurudevas villa. I got Komla to put me down for Harinama initiation and Vasudeva did too but for Gopal Mantra and I went with Komla to Gurudevas house to drop off the list of names. Gurudevas servant answered and he said the men would have to be shaved, and to the Gopal Mantra Why not Diksha?. I then had a panic over finding first some flowers and fruit to give as an offering for the initiation and also for a pair of clipper to shave my head with. We finally got hold of a pair at midnight and I was shaved, with the help of a teacup The guy who did it messed up and left some sideburn and tuffs of hair, so I made him shave it again, and then once more with a razor and some shaving foam. So it was very smart looking Ha. See the pony. See his mane. See his gentle hooves.Monday morning comes and I get washed and ready for initiation. Pitambara, one of the devotees from my Temple gave me a really beautiful Dhoti with a lovely blue trim, which I wore for my initiation. I put on full Tilaka on all the twelve places of my body and said the right mantras. I got a plate together of apples, bananas and flowers and I added the 40 Id brought of English money with me to it also. I could have just given him the flowers and fruit. So off we went to Gurudevas house to get initiated. They made us sign our name and address in a book and write our names on our bead bags and hand them over. Then they put kanti-mala around our necks and we did acaman to clean ourselves. We all sat outside on Gurudevas garden and he sat on a sofa that was pushed up to the door. We handed him our offerings and bowed afterwards and then sat down again. He said the mantra and we repeated it. Then he spoke about the mantra and told us how to use it and what it meant. Then he handed us all our bead bags, which hed chanted on. That was it, we had taken Harinama initiation. It was really sweet and loving. I went back to my chalet and got changed. I went for a walk along the hills and by the lake and chanted my Japa and thought about what Gurudeva had given me, and about devotion. I picked some wild flowers and offered them to a picture of Gurudeva I had with me by the lake, along with some biscuits Id brought along for my breakfast. It was really peaceful and beautiful, and Im glad I went off to be alone after the initiation.In the evening we didnt get told what our devotional names were, because some more people wanted to take initiation on Tuesday. I think on Tuesday we went to the beach, and I got really sun burnt. In the morning Ragunanda was discussing with Aloogu about how hed had a wet dream that night I slept under him. Finally in the evening after class we were told our devotional names. Our karmi names were called out and we had to stand up and Gurudeva would say our devotional name. Gurudevas servant called out Neil Askey, from London, Barking Road which made me smile and everyone laugh because no one elses street was called out. Niladri Ki Jaya went Gurudeva, and everyone clapped and shouted Jaya! I bowed slightly and sat down, beaming. I hadnt actually heard what the name was correctly and I was like Whats my name? to Mahesvara, who had taped it on his MP3 player. After class I asked Sripad Von Maharaja about my name, and he told me how to spell it, and that it meant Blue Mountain, and was a reference to Krishnas colour. Later the Birmingham temple president told me that on top of the blue mountain was the deity of Nila-Madhava (which people had jokingly said my name would be) and from that deity Krishna manifested to create the form of lord Jaganatha and from that originates Ratha-Yatra. Niladri also sounds a lot like Neil Askey, so Im thinking Gurudeva was being very witty with my name. I plan to write to him to ask about the meaning.On Wednesday we had the Fire Yagya, where we make offerings to the Demi-gods. Mainly its just there for people who took Diksha to get their Brahmin threads and become Brahmins, but us mere Harinama initiates got to join in and sit behind them. Vasudeva and Pitambara had both taken Diksha so they were in front of me.Here I am during the fire Yagya, looking very cultist.Our two Brahmins, Vasudeva and Pitambara. Also interesting to note that both are big nelly queers.Sripad Vona Maharaja there, performing the Fire Yagya.Here were taking acaman to clean ourselves with.Taking flowers to offer to Gurudeva. Symbolic of offering our hearts.Then red sandalwood paste is place on our head and rice is pushed into it. Im unsure why this happened, but it looks cool, no?We take a vow to never forget Guru, Mantra or the Vaishnavas and then the Yagya begins.Arati is performed on the deities, Gurudeva and the flame.We chuck soil, grains and things into the flames. Most of it lands on the people at the front of the Yagya.Making the Diksha initiates Brahmin caste.Giving them the Brahmin thread.Giving the Brahmins their Dandas of bamboo.Vasudeva is the Brahmin Queen, Hes a Brahmin girl in a Brahmin world, and he loves horses, they are his friends.After the Yagya we got the soot dabbed onto our heads and we did parikrama of the fire and some thread tied to our wrists for protection and blessings. Then we gave Sripad Vona Maharaja a donation for performing the sacrifice, and then the initiates like myself, Pitambara and Vasudeva went begging to the devotees for money which we would then give to Gurudeva in the evening, as is the Vedic tradition. I got something like 20 Euro in change and some English money Also a chocolate pirate coin Gurudeva wasnt interested in it though, hed just take the offering from us and wed bow and then hed hand it to one of his servants. I was now a full on devotee chanting 16 rounds a day. Niladri Dasa ki jaya.Thursday was the last day of the festival. Sunanda and Vasudeva were leaving that evening, Dhanista had only come for the weekend and Mahesvara and the other devotees would leave in the morning, along with Gurudeva. It was quite sad. As Sunanda bent over his case to pack it I slapped his backside, because he was asking for it. Lusting after all the women in the festival! I think I did some other silly things that day, like saying Sunanda and Mahesvara made and good couple and then asking them who was the top and whom the bottom And then I said the food we were eating looked like spunk, because it did.It was fun, but now it was all over. In the morning the festival area was bare as I ate my breakfast of fruit and bread and butter. We caught a bus to Den Haag and then caught a train to Rotterdam. We stayed in the Rotterdam Temple on Friday night and Saturday day. It was packed with devotees who had left the festival and were waiting for their flight, like us. There were three Sanyasis staying there and a bunch of German Brahmacharis, but there didnt seem to be any Rotterdam Brahmacharis, there were girls who lived there, and the temple president. I was asked to come and stay there, which I said maybe to. Its a really beautiful temple. Like a miniature version of Soho Street, but without the giant deities. Ive also been asked to stay for a bit in the Birmingham temple. Im in demand, me.I had to sleep in the basement, which was fine apart from the fact that the basement had really low hanging beams, and I bashed my head against them more than a couple of times. I have a cut on my head to prove it. We had a really ecstatic class and Kirtan, lead by Sripad Von Maharaja. While I was there I read the entire Sri Upadesamrta, and continued to chant 16 rounds a day. Id go for walks around the town, and sit by the river to chant and read. On Saturday there was a car boots sale and I brought a brass spoon and eggcup to use as an acaman cup. I showed it to Sripad Nemi Maharaja and he said it was fine to use and to clean it with clay or better yet cows dung. Which apparently the Gangamatas haveWe caught the train to Amsterdam and then caught our flight with no problems. When we got off of the plane immigration held back Sita and Lolitee. They had too many stamps on their passport and so they thought they must come here to work. They did some checks and said they could be there till midnight so Komla took myself and some others home in the car. To get to the car we had to catch an airport bus to the long stay car park where Ram-Tither, the guy who forgot his passport, left it. He forgot to write down where he parked the car, and said I think its in G so we had to go running around for an hour searching for the bloody thing, unsure if we were even looking in the right place.When we finally find the car Komla has a drama about losing her bag with the money to pay for the parking in it. So we are delayed while she searches for it. Once found we get to the paying part and they tell us its 72, Komla only has 70 and they wont let her off of the 2. So I pay by my debit card, and pray that I have enough money in the bank, or that I dont get charged extra for it. Komla gave me the 70 and we set off. But the road we need to use is closed, and now the car is running on empty. So we have a drama about finding a poxy gas station at half past midnight but we finally find one, and I had to give Komla 20 to pay for the gas. Its like gone one something by the time I finally get home. This morning I phoned Komla and asked what happened with Sita and Lolitee. They are going to be deported in four days time back to Brazil. What will they do? I dont know. I dont really care either, to be honest I dont think I like Komla and Sita any more. They were always on my case during Holland, taking the piss and being rude. Sita is always being spiteful to me. They are fake with you. They can go jump off a cliff for all I care. Its sad for Lolitee, but shes getting married next year anyway and so wont be living with the Gangamatas much longer.Im bored of writing this now, so Im just going to finish with some more pictures:Srilla Gurudeva Ki Jaya!Sripad Nemi Maharaja Ki Jaya!Shyamarani Dasi Ki Jaya!Fin
Post je objavljen 25.07.2009. u 04:32 sati.