Book distribution report by Anita dasi
With half the books we started with, we packed up and moved on to Shimla. When we were in Haridwar for Kumbha mela we met one family from Shimla. They invited us to stay with them. For weeks I have been talking to the mother and her three teenaged girls on the phone. The youngest daughter named Sakshi had her birthday on May 28. I promised we would be there for the party. We arrived on the evening so we could be rested for the party.
I wish I had more birthday parties in this style growing up. Family, neighbors and friends came for bhajans. Of course they sing bhajans to many of the demigods. In the mountain region they mostly devotees of Lord Siva and his shakti, but because since we were there they felt inspired to sing many hindi bhajans about Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. We lead some bhajans and maha mantra. Actually when we switched to Radha Krsna bhajans a huge wind came up, dust was blowing everywhere, the power went out, the altar they made for Lord Siva fell, rain started, and lighting came. About half the people went downstairs (we were signing on the roof) but for those stayed it was quite and experience. We just kept signing and signing, absorbed in the bhajans despite everything.
The next day we went with the three girls of the family and their cousin to the Mall. The Mall was built by the British, it’s a beautiful area to walk along the top of the hill in Shimla. Many tourists and locals are roaming through out the Mall.
Not only did the girls distribute the books, but they ran into some of their friends from school who also helped distribute books. In less than two hours we distributed around 150 books. We gave them all a free book for helping.
Yesterday the family took us to visit their village named Kotkhai and a place called Giri Ganga. We stopped a few places along the way to meet many family and friends. Then we had to hire a truck to drive the last steep rocky narrow track to Giri Ganga. Durvas Rsi had Ganga in a kamandalu. He sat way up on this mountain to meditate, then a bird came which knocked the kamandalu over. Since then Ganga devi has flowed out of this mountain.
On the way home, we stopped for dinner at their aunties home. Actually I met her also in Haridwar with the rest of the family. She and her husband visit Vrndavana form time to time and they are Krsna bhaktas. After sampling the local preparation called sidu (a steamed stuffed bread roll), we sang bhajans together. We sang “Jaya Radha, Jaya Krsna, Jaya Vrndavan” and explained how this song reminds us of Vraja Mandal parikrama and what parikram is like. We invited them to come for parikrama and they said they would. I hope they make it.
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