Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of Your Lotus Feet.
All Glories to Your Holiness.
All Glories to our beloved Srila Prabhupada.
All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
I am sure Vyas Puja celebrations at Pabdharpur Dham must have been as ecstatic and grand as ever Gurudev. In Mauritius we also attempted our level best to host a grand and heartwarming Vyas Puja for the pleasure of Your Holiness. In connection with the same, please find below, the report of this year’s celebrations.
This year, all disciples and devotees brimmed with enthusiasm upon the approaching of this most awaited occasion. This was the first grand Vyas
Puja celebration post Covid and confinement in Mauritius. Last year, we celebrated Your Vyas Puja in different regions in clustered groups. This
year though, the celebrations successfully gathered all disciples and well-wishers under the same roof for a memorable Vyas Puja.
From early in the morning, the prasadam cooking spot was packed with disciples and well-wishers, happily extending their service in preparation
of a big Ekadasi feast, headed by HG Vrisabhanu Prabhu. Our chairperson, HG Shatrughna Prabhu could be seen going back and forth, making sure that
everything is perfectly organised and was also spotted taking care of the bins where prasadam plates would be thrown after the event. Another team
was busy receiving Mahaprasad to be offered to your Holiness later that day. A light meal was served to all at noon for breakfast. Decoration and
vegetable cutting had already been done on the eve by allotted teams. All those who came on the eve were served hot Halim and noodles prasadam by HG
Avadoot Chandra Prabhu.
The event began at around 12:30. The sky was clouded at Phoenix, which made the weather even chilly. Guests found comfort in the warm atmosphere and
ambience of the temple hall accompanied with heartwarming Kirtan. The whole program was live on our Facebook Page, HH Lokanath Swami Well-wishers.
Among our chief guests present were HH Sundar Caitanya Goswami Maharaj and HG Advaita Krishna Prabhu. Soon, our Master of Ceremony, HG Narasimha
Avatar Prabhu started calling devotees to read their Vyas Puja offering to You. Those who took initiation from You on Your last visit were encouraged to read theirs while other senior devotees were welcomed too. HG Vaikuntha Murthi Prabhu recalled how You insisted that he includes the different menus that were being served during Vraj Mandala Parakrama, in Your Vraj Mandala Darsana book and made us laugh by narrating how Mauritians once on the yatra thought that devotees serving Panta (Bengoli curd rice), were calling everyone to come take Fanta.
Soon the temple hall was jam packed and devotees kept coming. We received nearly 1000 guests for this most auspicious event. Two young devotees were
seen carrying a huge birthday cake to be offered to Your Holiness, towards Your asana. All the maha offerings followed in stainless steel bowls. HH
Sundar Caitanya Goswami Maharaj then delivered a nectarian lecture in Your glorification. After the lecture, we all gathered to offer pushpanjali to
Your Holiness and to perform Guru Puja. HG Panca Tattva Prabhu recited the Mangalacarana prayers and right after, the temple hall resonated with Srila Narottam Das Thakur’s Guru Vandana while HG Raghuvar Prabhu performed arotika.
One team organised prasad distribution in parallel. On the menu, we had Ekadasi pasta, paneer in tomato gravy, boiled peanuts, Ekadasi papad, mixed
salad, herbal tea and crystalised ash gourd sweet (murabba). Two serving points were made. An avalanche of mahaprasad came adding to the menu.
Guests honoured prasad in the open green space of the temple. By around 5pm the event came to an end.
A team of executive members came together to wash all the pots and do all the cleaning before closing the day by nearly 7pm.
We hope to have been able to please Your Holiness by these humble attempts Gurudev. Please find attached some snaps of the event. Thank You
infinitely. I beg of You to please forgive any offense that may have been committed on our behalf and to bless us so we can organise Your Vyas Puja
celebrations in better and better ways, devoid of offenses.
Your most worthless servant,
Akiñcana Damodar Das
