Author Archives: H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami

Mayapura, IndiaSome Good StuffA great wave of humidity seemed to land in Bengal, which not everyone can tolerate.  Our cast of performers got affected, some stricken with fever.  It meant we had to cancel the show tonight. You …

Mayapura, IndiaOn the RooftopOn the rooftop of the house, “Radha,” local birds fly about—doves, cookoos, and more.  Some land on the shrubs and any other object which would be perfect perches.  Mahasrngha, a very amiable type of per…

Mayapura, IndiaLifestyleMany of our crew members are quite ill with fever, but like real troopers they’re carrying on with the show.  A number of them wouldn’t mind participating in the walking events, called parikrama,but they see the n…

Mayapura, IndiaFemale InclusivenessOur topic was “guru.”  I will paraphrase what I said—in regard to women being empowered as gurus—to the assembly of senior men and women.  All others who commented on the topic are to be confidenti…

Mayapura, IndiaEvery YearEvery year we arrange a lunch for the Canadian pilgrims.  This year, Gauranga’s Garden became our venue for bhakti-yogis from the Great White North to assemble.  Monks/swamis well known like Sivara…

Mayapura, IndiaGood Guru / Bad GuruBasically when it comes to eating, you have to watch what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat when on a retreat like the one in Mayapura.  This you learn from experience.  To stay in good s…

Mayapura, IndiaA Monk…A monk from the Orient, China, I suppose, excitedly and hurriedly ran to me with a gift.  It was a gamsha, a short lower garment for sleeping in, or to be used as a towel after bathing.  He doesn’t know …

Mayapura, IndiaA Hundred of UsThere were a hundred of us, mostly monks, men and women.  We stood in a circle, and the exercise was to take some steps forward or backward, depending on the answer to the question given.The facilitator, Vraj Bih…

Mayapura, IndiaNew FriendsI try to make a point of making new friends every day. In fact, I consider it rather a sin to just ‘hang out’ with known people. Although that is important, the day evolves with deeper dimension when new encounters a…

Mayapura, IndiaGone With GangaToday I saw my dear friend, Rsi, drift away forever in the Ganges waters.  It was his ashes that I released.  Rsi was about two years my junior.  He was born Rick Habson, in Canada. &nbsp…

Mayapura, IndiaLaps With No NapsWhile doing laps around the central altar of the samadhi building, as a way to revere the deity of our guru, Prabhupada, I was unaware that someone was timing me.  That someone was a monk, a few years…

Mayapura, IndiaZonesI met pilgrims, carrying terra cotta pots, enroute to the nearby Ganges’ access.  They were from Delhi, men and women, all enthusiastic for collecting jal, holy water, for the coming ceremony.  The ceremony …

Mayapura, IndiaDark HeartRains persist, but there are plentiful dry hours in between wet sessions.  A major shower hit us in the late afternoon once again.  This forces pilgrims to execute their devotions behind shut doors. Tha…

Mayapura, IndiaWet FootThanks to the periodic downpours, I’m forced to go shoeless from place to place.  My crocs are inner-lined with cloth.  You don’t want them to get wet.  I can recall how when my walking support perso…

Mayapura, IndiaMonsoons NowMonsoons!  What?! But yes, rain persists and I’m liking it.  Thunder-sounds roll along at night.  A walk to certain places means you go through quite the puddles, ankle-deep.  The …

Mayapura, IndiaHere AgainHere again. A greeting party met us at the Gada Building for a reception—Keshava, Vaishnava and members of our drama troupe. You bow in the dust upon arriving in such a sacred place. Connor is learning. &nbs…

Canada / Mumbai SkiesHigh Skies and Deep WatersAt one hour into the flight, I slid open the blind to the view through the window.  I saw below us more of the same—snow.  It must have been Greenland.  I then slid closed the…

Toronto, OntarioTaking OffThe Vedas tell of vimanas, aircrafts of a high-tech nature.  Aliens, gods and other extraordinary beings took advantage of such conveyances.  Vishnu, the deity, rides on the back of Garuda, an eagle of…

Mississauga, OntarioA Good-byeI was on the phone with my dear godsister, Bhaktavasya, who is hospitalized, and has only hours to live.  It was my last time to read to her before my trip to India.”What would you like me to read from?” I asked …

Calgary / TorontoA CoupleI gave the elderly couple next to me, on Air Canada Flight 134, my card because they were super interested.  Being Mormons, I was compelled to tell them about how of all the States I walked through, fourteen of them, …

Calgary, AlbertaFive StopsToday I championed seven kilometres on the walking track. With me were companions Atmaram, Radha Madhava and Saci Pran. I found it advantageous to walk in socks, but to be a sport, I donned hiking boots for a photo.&…

Calgary, AlbertaGenesisThe walking track inside Genesis YMCA worked out just fine for us.  7.7 laps means you’ve put in one kilometre.  Okay, so if I’ve got my math right, a mere thirty-six circles will get me an hour’s worth of wal…

Edmonton, AlbertaDon’t Quit a Good ThingMadhava, age fourteen, came to the temple with his soccer uniform on.  No problem for me regarding dress code.  I’m glad he turned up for the tail-end of the program, which was in honour of Lo…

Edmonton, AlbertaFull Day in EdmontonWe sang a song for Heta, age ten and going on eleven on Monday.  Today was the celebration.“Hare Krishna to you!  Hare Krishna to you!  Hare Krishna dear Heta! Happy Birthday to you!”He…

Edmonton, AlbertaBack at the EdChandan, an economics teacher, picked me up at the airport.  He was kind. I couldn’t resist asking him something about oil-rich Alberta.”How is the province’s economy?”Chandan shook his head and said, “It’l…

Saint John, New BrunswickStrolling & MeetingAt the intersection, the light turned red.  I was standing there waiting for a green.  The red hand that was before me and the man with a coffee clutched tightly gave me some talking ammunition….

Saint John, New BrunswickStrandedDue to nasty weather conditions, Nakula and I were grounded in his apartment for the entire day.  Strong winds blowing snow, and then ice pellets, made it impassible and impossible to take those legs out on the str…

Saint John, New BrunswickNot DeadbeatThe Vedic warrior, Bhisma, known for his virility, heroism and saintliness, was honoured today.  On this day, his birthday, we reflect on his devotional performances which include his renunciation.  Yes, t…

Montreal, QuebecSkates Meant Fall on ButtAt primary school, I used to express to my home-room teacher that I was not feeling well when it was Monday afternoon, and all the students would go to the arena to skate.  We kids had the freedom to shoot …

Montreal, QuebecSoft Slides on the StreetBecause I’m a walker, I must do so, even today when all sidewalks are as slippery as can be.  From our  ISKCON centre in Montreal, I baby-stepped my way to Saint Catherine Street to do more o…

Russell, OntarioShine DayIt was all like glass—every driveway; actually, it was ice glistening with the sun on it.  Snow banks were the same—sparkling, shining like anything.  That was our driving experience, visually, all the way t…

Toronto, OntarioTen YearsI was going through some of my stuff and came upon an article from ten years ago in the Guyanese “Kaleteur News.”  Wow!  It’s my tenth anniversary since walking that country—and I just came from there.  Here are …

Trinidad to TorontoMoving AlongFrom the land of sand flies to the land of ice pellets, I go.  Yes, it’s a “Trini thing,” a term used by Hamsa Rupa, one of the new initiates from yesterday.  Bugs are rampant in Trinidad and other tropical plac…

Longdenville, TrinidadBhakti Yoga Is GrowingSometimes you just have to stay inside.  There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to sweat early in the morning, dodging pot holes and puddles, what to speak of canines.I was determined to stick it out mos…

Longdenville, TrinidadAcross the StreetAcross the street from our temple is a neighbourhood called Cashew Gardens.  Well, on such an early trek as five of us took today, scouting each little side street in this hood, it was hard to find cashe…

Freeport, TrinidadAnother CountryMy stay in Guyana is over.  Prabhupadev, the manager of the Nimai Pandit Study Centre, arranged for a group of young men plus himself to accompany me to the airport. From there the group would go for fun …

Plaisance, GuyanaSunday Chant-WalkToday was the last of a four-day Padayatra,and this morning’s final time period took us to Plaisance, through residential areas and a marketplace.  It was a mere three-kilometre stretch, but then we move…

Foulis, GuyanaPleasure But PlasticWe began our walking festival at a big yellow house.  The procession was colourful.  I could pretty much guarantee that this padayatra was the only outdoor spiritual event in the country o…

Mahaica, GuyanaFood and BlissOne of the senior bhakti-yogis in Guyana is Paramatma, and he took me generously to his farm which he personally tends to.  It’s a paradise.  Kerela (aka bittermelon), avocado, soursap, lauki (…

Toronto / Port of SpainGetting Up ThereI’m off to Guyana, with a stop-over in Trinidad. Unfortunately, I’m not on foot, walking, rather my feet are placed under Seat 24E on Caribbean Airlines.  Next to me, occupying the window seat, is f…