Author Archives: H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami

Vancouver, British ColumbiaBliss in VancouverSo the procession portion of the Chariot Fest was over, went a bit overtime by usual standards (maybe a half hour) but it was good.  Strong kirtanhappened all the way along.  I’m the…

Vancouver, British ColumbiaSunset SpeaksThere are lovers sitting on park benches and families, too—people of all sorts and kinds speaking in multiple languages, Spanish, Russian, French and maybe English.  They are enjoying Stanley Park at the wa…

Shawinigan, QuebecA Soft RainA soft rain overnight made the day just right.  I’ve been resisting the lake swim, overcoming a cold.  It’s hard for me because I always consider myself a water-baby.  However, there’s plenty of engagement i…

Ste. Mathieu du Parc, QuebecRising MistRising mist mirrors off the lakeOf weighty water while fog is so lightVanishing in such very brief timeAs sun burns, oh, he’s so bright.A pecker drills to get his mealWe hear his fever peekingJust one dead tree y…

Shawinigan, QuebecRest, Beans and FunIt was restful at the farm in Mascouche, called Nandagram.  The visionary behind this world project is a friend, Anubhava, a native of French Canada.  He was kind to take me down the rural back road along…

Quebec / OntarioI Met A ManI met a man who lives in Prescott and works for the carnival.  Gaura, the driver, decided to pull over the van for a catch-up nap.  We were in Morrisburg, along the St. Lawrence River, when I met this friendly man …

Tottenham, Ontario Medicine Comes From Great SourcesIt was something I had never seen before.  One calf was peeing.  It was a bull calf.  A second calf came right to his underside and began drinking with great relish the pure liquid co…

Hamilton, Ontario I AwokeI awoke to the sound of young coyotes howling in the morning.  To me it was a good sign that wildlife was comfortable in the suburbs of such a sprawling place as Mississauga.  David, Vivasvan, and Adisvar from Michi…

Toronto, Ontario A Fun FestI introduced our guests, an extraordinary couple from Silicon Valley, California—Vaiseshika and Nirakula—as “The Unsinkables.”  This dynamic duo are stalwarts of bhakti yoga, who come to visit Toronto every six months …

Toronto, Ontario At Queen’s ParkThere was a major birthday party for Ashu at our temple, with kirtan entertainment in Govinda’s.  Special guest musicians were Amal Krishna and Hari Bhakti who were belting it out with voice and harmonium.Ashu ask…

Toronto, Ontario Fighting A ColdFighting a cold, I decided to sleep in through the morning program.  I just had to.  I didn’t want to disappoint the other members of the ashram with my absence, but sometimes it is necessary for recuperation…

Toronto, OntarioWith Billy and OthersBilly was kind to let David and I off at the park just behind Ontario College of Art and Design University at 49 McCaul Street.  There we executed what should be the “prime activity” for humanity at large,…

Toronto, OntarioA Lot of Talk About the WalkI spent quite a while on the phone with a journalist from Alberta asking for some accounts of my “Tales From Trails.”  Once the interview was over, I was reminded how I actually needed to put on my …

Toronto, Ontario”Are You…?””Are you the Walking Monk?” asked the woman with her leashed dog, as David and I sat on the Park Bench.A bit surprised with that question seemingly coming from out of nowhere, I responded, “Yes, I am.””You met my brother, G…

Toronto, OntarioBy Phone and By ChairBy phone and by chair, I breezed through some meetings to do with reviews—assessments on the festivals—the chariot ones, the India ones.  It was a healthy analysis of things.  Also included was a…

East Hamilton, Ontario10 More K’s On the BruceWe had set this date for months—planning yet another hike on the Bruce trail with members of the KCS  (Krishna Conscious Society).  We drove to Devil’s Punch Bowl, the place where we lef…

Milton, OntarioLove StoryToday I took the commuter GO Train to Milton and to the home of Ugresh.  Union Station in Toronto is where I boarded. Boy, it is a place to get lost, an incredible maze of underground doorways and corridors.&nbsp…

Chatham, OntarioAt Home BaseIt was just by pure luck that my brother, Paul, who had come out east to Ontario to celebrate his 60th—along with our sister, his twin, Pauline—was at that street corner in Chatham when we pulled up.  Another siste…

Pelee Island, OntarioSometime…Sometime at eve when the tide is low,I shall slip my mooring and sail away,A few who have watched me sail awayWill miss my craft from the busy bay;But I shall have peacefully furled my sailIn moorings sheltered from stor…

Pelee Island, OntarioHappiness on the IslandIt is remarkable that I even made it to this island.  After an overnight flight, I landed in Toronto to be picked up for a four hour drive to Leamington, the continent’s epicentre for  gre…

Calgary, AlbertaCalgary FeaturesGulls, crows, magpies, jack rabbits, squirrels and even a beaver are among the wildlife that make up much of the population in their respective residences in Calgary.  That is what you see and hear on trails an…

Red Deer / Calgary, AlbertaHappy Over New ShoesA real calm and cool family from Red Deer—Sughosh, Subhadra and their son, Satyavrata—took the initiative to get me a new pair of shoes, so I’m feeling good.  I conducted programs of chanting, an…

Edmonton, Alberta Things Not Always Going RightThe other day in Saskatoon, Chief Pratt of the First Nations, was on the stage giving his speech at the Festival of India,  and said, “They used to call us Indians.”  People laughed.  He t…

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan The FestThe North Saskatchewan River is one of those majestic streams of water that connects with communities in the Canadian prairies of which this fine city is one.  Our Chariot Fest for this place runs partially along …

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Good ChatsIt is a familiar location for me, as Ananda and I stepped carefully beside the pond in John Avant Park with its dry and sometimes slippery edge.  It’s a man-made body of water, dug to address excess storm-water….

 Winnipeg, Manitoba WarmingGaura and Shivani hosted seventy-five people in their home for chanting, drumming, catching some wisdom, and eating.  It was Ananda and I who were the presenters, except for the Prasadam (blessed food) that we wer…

Emo, Ontario ConnectingThere is this guy named the “Gentle Bear Man” who operates a bear sanctuary in north-western  Ontario.  I went to visit him in 2012 when I walked in the area.  The wild bears in the region have come to know him, …

Fort Frances, Ontario I Walked Here BeforeI trekked along Memorial Avenue in Thunder Bay, in a fresh moment of wind and with sunshine doing its round once again.  Destination was the Sanskrit Bazaar / Temple, and there our party conducted a mini…

Thunder Bay, Ontario Darrel LeftI guess Darrel has left to continue his long walk to Nova Scotia.  Apparently he did not make his presence known at the Festival of Colours, held at the same location at Marine Park, where on the previous day the …

Thunder Bay, Ontario It Starts With A GullIn Thunder Bay, the day usually starts with the sound of a seagull flitting by one’s bedroom.  It’s the big lake nearby, Lake Superior, which attracts these entertaining birds who are aerobatic by nature…

Thunder Bay, Ontario ObservedAs has been observed many times before, when I move about in devotional attire, I get noticed.  After a swim in Lake Boulevard, I had changed into a dhoti and kurta, when a cyclist slowed down and asked, “Hare Krishn…

Terrace Bay, Ontario In the BorealGaura and I took to the Great Northern Road as a head start to Terrace Bay.  So, on foot we tread with traffic roaring by our side until our van pulled up.  We spotted this perfect display of reversed karma…

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario How it’s GoingOur coordinator for this Vedic Mace traveling tour, is a competent person, a doctor from Thunder Bay by the name of Prem Kishor.  ‘Prem’ means love for the Divine.  It is Prem who demonstrates an actu…

Sudbury, Ontario Only SwamWe did go and jump in the lake.  Enroute to Sudbury for another Festival of India show, the boys and I stopped in Parry Sound to get wet—get refreshed.  Gaura and I found the dip to be perfectly normal, being born …

Toronto, Ontario Pieces and Patches of HistoryI had before me two waves of people. First, there was the group of boys on tour for the summer, having the time of their lives, and second, Brian Carivana’s group of mature folks who are here from all ove…

Toronto, Ontario Brave The StreetJai and I decided to brave the street and walk to the dock from the ashram.  I say ‘brave’ because we were both fatigued from the previous day’s hectic but sweet activities.  There were options for reaching …

Toronto, Ontario Sticks, Costumes, a Drum and a DreamSeveral practices led to an excellent presentation made by the young women of this community.  It was back at New Year’s, January 1st, when at the tail end of a Prabhupada Festival, I mentione…

Scarborough, OntarioCulture All The WayNo walking today, although brain and heart were on the run.  10:15 a.m. was my slot for leading the Twelve-Hour Kirtan.  It is an annual chanting session that begins with American pandit, Dravi…

Toronto, OntarioI Was WalkingI was walking with a companion  tonight on Dupont Street.  After a long, busy, busy day, I needed some down time—so did my companion.  We walked west on Dupont for quite some distance, and then…

London, OntarioIn London (Canada)Robin is from the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and she asked if I could answer some questions, so I agreed.”So what brings you here to London?””I’m the MC for tonight’s show here at the auditorium. &nbsp…