Pinky and Spidey

Book Distribution report - Manali, India - May 21, 2010
By Anita dasi

I am pretty much a homebody. In Vrndavan people are generally shocked if they come to my room and I am not there. Now that we have settled in Vashisht, I find I don’t really want to go outside this sweet mountain village nestled on the hill above Manali. I thought for book distribution we would have to venture down the hill, but it turns out that the Vashisht Rsi temple, the Sita Rama temple and hot springs draw everyone up the hill. There is a steady flow of visitors all morning and afternoon.

This is our “spot” between the Vashisht Rsi temple on the left and the Siva Temple on the right.

We set up a mat with books in front of the entrance to the temples.We sing bhajans and maha-mantra, depending upon our mood and what the crowd is calling for. Some people watch, but some join in. We meet people from all over India and also the world.

Pinky and Spidey in his Spider Man suit

In the afternoon the local kids were all out of school and hanging around. We gave those who were old enough to read a flier with the maha-mantra, and got them to sing along. They especially loved as we would chant the mantra faster and faster until they jumbled up into laughter. One girl named Pinky was especially interested in us. She chanted, watched and sat with us. After she caught on to our program of book distribution she asked for a few books to try herself. She had amazing luck with an element of the crowd we often overlook – the kids. She distributed two or three books to a group of girls who looked about 11 or 12 from Agra. I think by the end of the night she had distributed seven or eight books. She invited us to her simple home where we met her mother and brothers. The book we had given her was already up on the small family altar.

Auspicious Beginning

by Anita dasi

Aksaya Tritiya is an auspicious day to begin something. We didn’t exactly leave on this day, but we did make the rounds to many deities in Vrndavan on Chandan-yatra and offered prayers that we could be instruments of Srila Gurudeva and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on our three week long book distribution trip.

On Chandan-yatra the deities in Vrndavan are covered with the cooling sandalwood paste. This is Sri Gopinatha from Gopinatha Bhavan.


Some felt the deities at Imlitala temple had the best chandan-yatra decoration with Krsna’s flower chudder.

I think they reciprocated by sending some expert last minute advice. We left the next morning first to Delhi in a shared taxi with Rasanda prabhu. He was on his way to his preaching trip in Australia and New Zealand. He offered many wonderful pointers about how to preach in India, the importance of using stories to illustrate points, the need to be ready to back up your points with shastra, how Hindi kirtan is a must in North India. He had Kunja dasi get out the mrdanga and start singing, and told us its a very good technique to pause while leading a bhajan and explain the meaning. He asked us if we could tell the history of the song Bhajahu re mana. I knew enough to make a fool of myself. He sighed and said we have lots to learn, but we are babies and we just have to start somewhere.

In Delhi, we were dropped in Connaught Place where the bus to Manali leaves from. Well, actually the bus left from the other side of the road. By the time we crossed the road with our (you have to hum the tune to the Twelve Days of Christmas):

Five boxes of books
Four Takura-ji
Three rollies
Two computer bags
One mrdanga

we were drenched in our own sweat – its around 45 degree Celsius or over 110 Fahrenheit these days in Vrndavan and Delhi. Is it a coincidence that we chose this time of year to distribute books in the hill stations of the Himalayas? Well I never claimed to be doing pure bhakti. But we did figure we could be of more use distributing books to the hoards escaping the heat rather than sweltering in Vrndavan. Its hard to believe we were so hot when now I am sitting in a wool sweater, socks, hat and chudder sipping tea.

After a night writhing in a bus seat we reached Manali around 9 am. It was pouring rain. We transferred all our luggage (remember the song) to under a tarp. Then we hired a car to take us the few kilometers to Vashist. This is the where Lord Rama’s guru Vashist Rsi had his ashram. Our god-sister Jagat-mohini didi helped us immensely by arranging a room here. Originally the idea to come to Manli came in February when we were distributing books for Siva Ratri. Someone in our group distributed some books to a nice man named Syam and his friend. They came and visited the temple later that evening. When we were talking to him he invited us to come to Manali. We had been in touch every week or two since then planning our visit. But the last 10 days I could not reach him. Perhaps he lost this phone, perhaps business called him away and he did not want to rescind the invitation, we may never know. Anyway, Krsna can be quite crooked in His arrangements and we are here now.

Yesterday, between the pouring rain and exhaustion from the overnight bus journey we mostly rested. Around 5 Karuna-mayi dasi went out to get some supplies. She has very little experience distributing books and was nervous if she would be able to do it. She came back from the shop and said, “I need some books, the shop keeper wants some.” We sent her off with 5 books, a variety of Hindi and English. We all giggled when she came home with none. She had been so nervous, and here she was the first one to distribute books, five at that, and without even trying. It was a sweet reminder that we are just instruments.

Kumba Mela 2010 Haridwar - April 16-18, 2010

Book distribution report by Anita dasi

April 16-18, 2010

In deep concentration, balanced on one foot, a realization came to me. Maybe the art of holding yoga positions combining strength, balance and flexibility was perfected on Indian trains. Stretching and contorting, I maneuvered through the packed train towards the toilet; all floor space had someone standing over someone else sitting, packed body to body. Millions somehow came for this holy dip and now millions somehow have to leave. Reflecting back on the last few days in Haridwar, I am warmed to think of all the wandering souls Srila Gurudeva is reaching out to, myself included.

The days after the maha snan we were mostly busy with following up with people we had connected with. We had met some Sanskrit teachers from a local gurukul called Kangari Vidyala Bharmacary Ashram. On the evening of the 16^th we were invited to visit the school. The city was still completely jammed, so we had to walk and hour and half before the roads were open to rikshaws and we could complete our journey to the school. After all the crowds it was a relief to come to the spacious campus. The student band was lined up at the entrance to receive us. Students showered flowers on us as we walked past. They anointed our foreheads with paste and rice. Then all the youngest students lined up and touched our feet. The whole reception felt pretty embarrassing, but gave an impression of what a more satvic India must have been like. We were escorted to a shelter in the middle of the court yard where a fire yanya pit was set up. The students perform a fire yagna every morning and evening. We were seated in the front and offered grains to the fire while four-hundred students recited mantras around us. At the conclusion Caru Chandrika didi spoke about the meaning of Gurukul, the need for a self realized guru, and a personal conception of God. Then we presented a set of Srila Gurudeva’s books to the school library. After the program ended I saw the students eagerly thumbing through the new books. If any of you out there in internet land feel inspired, you can make a donation towards the gift of the set of books. The cost was around fifty US dollars. You can make donations through Vasanti’s cause on face book or through the book sponsorship program. http://www.gvpbookdistribution.com/Sponsor.html

The next we day we set aside to take inventory and pack the books we had left over. We did not finish that relatively simple job until nine pm, because we had a constant stream of visitors throughout the day. Friends and contacts we made in Haridwar stopped by the matha to see us. We chatted, shared prashada, answered questions and discussed Krsna Consciousness. A few leant a hand tapping boxes and moving them to storage. At first I was feeling I had made a mistake in sending too many books, but then I realized it was actually the perfect excuse to come back to Haridwar soon and finish distributing the books. In other years Srila Gurudeva has gone to Haridwar in late summer for a few day program. Hopefully he comes again this year and we can go a few weeks ahead, distribute books and invite people.

Our last day in Haridwar we did not spend in Haridwar at all. We took a two hour bus ride to Saharanpura. When we came to Haridwar for Siva Ratri, we met a man on the train from Saharanpura and went to his home for a house program. When we told him we were in the area again he invited us to return. Rasa Mayi dasi lead bhajans with great enthusiasm; she got all the kids to clap to the beat. Caru Chandrika didi had already gone back to Vrndavan so the class I prepared on the conversation between Vidura and Maitraya muni came in handy after all. Ironically my complete inexperience in giving class worked in my favor. I had prepared very detailed notes (practically sentence by sentence). Only our host spoke English, everyone else only understood Hindi. At first he was struggling to understand everything I said and translate it, but then he began to follow along in my notes and I could see it made his translation easier and probably more accurate. There was one guest in particular who was so sincere. I remember her from last time. With practically tears in her eyes she said (though the translator) that she wants to serve Sri Krsna, but she is getting old and her body has so much pain. She was so happy to hear that chanting and remembering Sri Krsna was a great service.

I’ll sign off here. Please forgive my tongue in cheek style, it just reflects on my low class nature. But it has been nice for me to write these reports and reflect on the mini miracles our Guru paramapara sends every day. Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki jaya! Srila Gurudeva ki jaya!

Kumba Mela 2010 Haridwar - April 15, 2010

Book distribution report by Anita dasi

April 15, 2010

I never imagined I would find it normal to have a conversation with someone with wet underwear on their head. But now I find if I stand on the side of the road of people leaving the ghat nearly every other man has this peculiar head wear.

We got an invitation to come to speak and do kirtan to 2,000 people. When we arrived at the address, it was a temple we had passed everyday that was doing mass prashadam distribution. When we went inside no one knew anything about the program. A kind Swami spoke to us. It was some kind of misunderstanding. But since we were there with mrdanga and books he invited us to sit in their mandir and sing bhajanas. Two-thousand in actuality was more like 12, but we made some nice connections. One man swayed in clapped in joy with every kirtan. He plans to come to Vrndavan in a few weeks. Also the Swami lives in Prayag, modern day Allabhbad, and insisted we should come there for book distribution. He said they have a big month long festival there every year during the month of mag, around January. He explained that because he has a trust he is given a few tents at the mela and he invited us to distribute our books from there.

Kumba Mela 2010 Haridwar - April 12-14, 2010

Book distribution report by Anita dasi

April 12-14, 2010

Leading up to the main “royal bathing day” on the 14th, Haridwar swelled beyond bursting. News reports estimated 10 million people came to bathe in Ganga devi. They closed all the roads in the city, and they became filled with currents of pilgrims. These long crazy days I think are best presented as a medley:

Mari-lou, our new friend from South Africa. We seemed to run into her everywhere, and she came for lunch a few days and had lots of good questions.

We met Tribhuvanath in the photocopy shop. He came to visit later and brought a beautiful mounted poster of Sri Sri and Radha Krsna as a gift. Then he helped distribute books with us, and was so happy after distributing several books.

Taruni dasi was invited into a pandal. She announced the books. One man said he would pay for the books that anyone wanted.

One sadhu who wanted a pocket Bhagavad-gita so bad he put the book on top of his begging bowl and waited until enough charitable bathers piled money on top so he could buy it.

Yogesh prabhu, a new devotee from Delhi, came for a few days and had his first real taste of book distribution. The first day after selling one book and giving one to a sadhu for free he felt a bit discouraged. But by yesterday he was over the moon when he sold one big Bhagavad-gita and five small ones to one person, and another 38 Siva Tattva to someone else.

Many people who came up to us with ten rupees and asked for a book by name. I guess word spreads.

We ran into a boy who we met in February. At that time he came back a second time and said he took a book for free and felt bad and paid for it. We saw him again and he was so happy to meet again.

One Indian who lives in Hong Kong who bought a few books including the new Journey of the Soul. He says he has lived there a long time but never found people he could really connect with.

A police man Caru Chandrika didi met when we came for Siva Ratri came to visit and asked many questions about prosperity and spiritual life.

One person changed us up, but a day later someone else wanted to give extra of the same amount that was lost.

One sadhu who wanted a book and we told him that he should give something. He tried to give us his whole bag with a tiffin, a cup and a one rupee note inside. We took the rupee but refused the bag.

The man at the ice cream shop remembered us from Siva Ratri. He pulled out the copy of Siva Tattva he got then and asked if he had any new book for him.

Loads of invitations to people’s homes and cities across India.

Kumba Mela 2010 Haridwar - April 11, 2010

Book distribution report by Anita dasi

April 11, 2010

“I will take the book, but I want to ask a question. Do you believe in all this?”

They didn’t ask what country are you from. My mind scrambled to come up with the words to reply. Do I really have faith in all this? In ALL – no. Flying mountains are among the other things on my unreconciled list. In a mild panic I began to wonder what business I had passing out books promoting something I had not achieved real faith in. But then I remembered Srila Gurudeva. I am unexplainably attracted to him and his katha. Like a magnet. Then I remembered so many of his classes . . .

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya
tato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."

Finally the words came, “Well I am practicing. It’s a process. See this picture of my Guru Maharaja . . .”

I must remember that you use a thorn to pluck out another thorn. This book distribution is as much to help me as for those who receive the books.

Kumba Mela 2010 Haridwar - April 10, 2010

Book distribution report by Anita dasi

April 10, 2010

In the blazing sun, fasting and calling out the holy name. Some of the yogis doing tapasya? No, us being stupid keeping our book table open too long in the sun on Ekadasi. But every time we tried to close up shop more and more people stopped by. Now it is the weekend, just four days to the last royal bath of this Kumba Mela. Overflowing does not accurately describe the city. In the morning we set up a book table on the hill leading to the main ghat. The book table was a nice chance to sell bigger books that are hard to carry around normally.

We are also finding some people come and see us day after day. For example, two nice guys from Chandigar we see nearly everyday. Each day they take one or two books, and come with their questions. Then we recommend new books for them to take. Yesterday one of them came to the matha and Caru Chandrika didi spent some time answering his questions and beautifully explaining the basics of Krsna Consciousness. He came with us when we went out in the evening to distribute books. He pulled the trolley of books for us, and helped Taruni distribute books by translating. At the end of the night he said, “I will always remember this day.”