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Gour-Mandal Par…

Gour-Mandal Parikrama

Shachi mata with Holy Baby
- Shachi Mata is gazing lovingly at her new-born Nimaichand (the moon-like face of her baby) You can get her darshan in Prachin Mayapur which is in Town Nabadweep. This is th eoriginal Janmasthan or 'Birth-place'. What we know today as 'Mayapur' was originally called Miyapur since this is where the Muslims lived. It is evident from the fact that Chand Kazi's house and samadhi is in that part of Nabadweep.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
personal Deities of Srila Vrindavan das Thakur
- Let us take full darshan of the personal deities of Srila Vrindavan das and pray that a miniacule drop of his Gour-prem may be transmitted into us. So who is Vrindavan das Thakur? Let us read the description. Srila Vrindavan das Thakur is Vyasdev's incarnation. Just as Vysdev recorded Lord Krishna's divine pastimes in Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Vrindavan das also narrated the sweet leelas of Gorachand in his mega-text Sri Chaitanya-Bhagabat. It is the sweetest text in the Vaishnav literary world. Although the Bengali intellectuals and scholars of Bengali literature use Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita to research into Goudiya Vaishnav siddhanta and especially to study the evolution of Bengali language, Chaitanya-Bhagabat wins hands down when it comes to sweetness.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
champahati
- Champahati was originally called Champak Hatta - the market for champak flowers. The bazaar used to be fragrant with this beautiful flower. One day, Gadadhar pandit's brother Baninath Pandit saw him and Lord Goursundar walk arm in arm into the garden of Champak flowers. He decided to follw them. After he had followed Them for quite some distance, he saw that as They entered deep into the Champak woods,to his utmost surprise, the two Lords suddenly changed into Radha and Krishna. He also found that his surrounding had transformed into a kunja on the banks of Radhakund ! He was overjoyed to learn the original swarup of hte LOrds. He wept when he came to know that They would leave and go to Puri. Now he refused to let go of Them. So Their LOrdships became Deities and surrendered to Their dear devotee to accept seva fron him. They told him that They would reciprocate with him and accept his servie in a manner that he would not find any difference whatsoever. We can see how Their LOrdships are looking ecstatically at us and with benevolence. Jay Sri Sri Gour-Gadadhar !
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
shibananda
- Before every Harikatha in Radhakund, we sing - "teen putra sange naache sen shibananda", do we not? Well, majority of Sri Goursundar's associates were grihastas or householders, and Shibananda Sen was one of the foremost. He was an exemplary grihasta who showed us how we can involve our entire family in the service of Lord Gouranga and Radha-Krishna. He brought up his three sons to be devout and danced with them in hte sankirtan. Shibananda Sen was responsible for making lodging and boarding arrangements whenever the large entourage went from Bengal to Orissa during the annual rath-yatra. He had to look after the sleeping and prasadam requirement. One year, the arrangement fell short of complete satisfaction and the Vaishnavs complained to LOrd Nityananda. The Lord was so angry that He called Shibananda Sen, shouted at him and then slapped him. Shibananda Sen started dancing in ecstasy, jubilantly shouting - "Today I am blessed , for You have considered me YOur Own ! Otherwise would You have slapped me?" Nityananda Prabhu started laughing and showered him affection. Here we see that very same fortunate Shibananda Sen's house. In the picture we can also see from left to right - mom, Kanak Aunty, myself and dad.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Srila Rupa-Sanatan
- A painting of the beloved Acharyas of the Goudiya Vaishnav sampraday in their home at Raamkeli, Maldah, W.Bengal. The world owes Vrajadham to them, since they, along with other Goswamis of our sampraday discovered the various leelasthals of Sri Krishna in the holy abode, and made it known to us. They have also gifted us with the most confidential knowledge of ras and siddhanta through sweet texts such as Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Sri Ujjwal-Neelmani, Sri Brihad-Bhagavatamrita etc.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Sri Radha-Madanmohan
- Sri Sri Radha-Madanmohan - They are the personal Deities or family Deities of Srila Rup and Sanatan when they lived in their home at Raamkeli. It is by Their mercy, that the brothers got the infinite Empire of Bhakti. When we serve our personal Deities with love - what will They not give us, yes?
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Dhameshwar - The Lord of Ekachakra Dham
- Ekachakra or Ekchaka as it is popularly called, is in W.Bengal, India, and is hte birthplace of Lord Nitaichand. Here we see our sweet Nitaisundar begging us for prem. In the end, Ma Jahnaba too had merged into this Deity.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
The Timeless One
- Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar are the personal Deities of Lord Nitaichand. They are present in His house in Khardah. When Goursundar ordered Him to enter grihasthaashram to show what the life of an ideal householder should be, the Lord built a house in Khardah and installed Their Lordships. Their darshan during the evening Aarati was simply wonderful ! What captivated me the most was the golden wristwatch worn by the Beautiful Lord. The 'Timeless One' - 'Mahakaal' with time around His wrist !! :) Just thinking that Lord Nityananda had served Them personally, gave us gooseflesh in ecstasy. The house too is very nice and spacious. Here we also find memorials dedicated to Mothers Basudha and Jahnaba.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
denur2
- We are at the entrance of Denur, W.Bengal, India. This is the sacred earth on which the incarnation of Vyasdev appeared - Srila Vrindavan das Thakur. He composed the very sweet Sri Chaitanya-Bhaagabat. This holy text is placed in a glass case . We can also see Lord Goursundar's handwriting here - He had written a comment while reading a text. However, we were not allowed to take its photograph :(
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
denur
- We had a sumptuos prasaadam under this Haritaki tree just in the backyard of Srila Vrindavan das Thakur at Denur. This tree was planted by Lord Nitaichand. What happened is - Vrindavan das wanted to accompany the Lord on His journey. Nitaichand asked him for a Haritaki after prasadam, since it helps to digest. Not having one at home, Vrindavan das went searching and brought it after a long time Next day, the Lord again asked for the same. The devotee produced it in the blink of an eye. "How did you manage so quickly today?" asked the Lord. "Simple", replied Vrindavan das - "I knew You may ask for it today, so yesterday I bought more than one and preserved it." Lord Nityananda retorted - "This indicates you have the tendency to accumulate - a perfect sign of a householder. Better you marry and settle down." Saying this He planted the Haritaki in the backyard, which blossomed into a tree. We even bathed in a pond near this tree.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Aparadh Bhanjan
- Their LOrdships Sri Sri Nitai-Gour at Aparadh-Bhanjan, Kalyani, W.Bengal. Here we find the samadhis of Chaapaal Gopal and Devananda Pandit. Both of them had committed an offence at the lotus feet of Srivas Pandit. As a result, both suffered from excruciating pain due to terrible illness. Later they repented and begged forgiveness from the pure devotee. Then, by the mercy of the Lord, they were cured. They had performed penance at this place. Hence the name. (Aparadh = offence; bhanjan = mitigation). Many devotees flock to this place to pray and seek forgiveness from aparadhs. We see Their Lordships in the 'prem-bhiksha' pose - begging us to give Them love (prem). Incidently, we find most of the original Deities served by the Goswamis, in this very sweet pose. Please note the Deities wearing turbans that Their sevak ties each day with accuracy - no ready-made stuff here, eh? This spotlessly clean Mandir is a nice one where the sevaks perform simple, yet loving seva. This is the hallmark of Raganuga service - sweet, loving and devoid of opulence.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Sri Sri Radhagopinath, Agradweep
- Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath of Agradweep, Katwa, W.Bengal, India. They are the personal deities of Sri Govinda Ghosh (we meditate on him in Yogpeeth, remember?). They were given to him by Lord Goursundar. When Govinda Ghosh's only child died and he was depressed, the Lord promised to look after him and even perform his last rites. When Govinda Ghosh entered th eternal pastimes, and the people of his village opened the Mandir, they were astonished to find the Lord dressed in 'kaachhaa' and with 'kush' on His finger. This is how a Bengali son about to perform the funeral rites dresses !! The people got the message. Even today, some 500 years later, when the descendents definitely forget their ancestors, Lord Gopinath continues to perform the 'shraaddh' ceremony for His devotee. He goes to the River Ganga and performs the 'puja'. THen a huge colorful fair and feast is held in the memory of Govinda Ghosh. We marvelled most at the simple and bhav-full shringar of the Deity which is customary for all the original Deities in Bengal. We like this darshan much more than seeing Deities lifting 10 kilos on Their head and another 20 kilos on Their body.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Jhaamatpur - the birthplace of Srila Krishnadas Kabiraj Goswami
- A place where i have felt the strongest vibrations of Gour-prem.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Jior-Narasimha
- Jior-Narasimha is close to Krishna Nagar in West Bengal. CC mentions that Lord Narasimha, after killng Hiranyakashipu, had come roaring to Jior and had taken rest in this place. In Bangla"Jior" means "to rest" . Lord Goursundar had taken HIs darshan and had chanted the famous prayer - "sri narasimha jaya narasimha jaya jaya narasimha prahlaadesha jaya padma mukha-padma-bhringa"
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari
Shribaas-Angan[b]
- Shrivaas is the embodiment of the perfect devotee – an incarnation of Naarad Muni. Till date, Lord Sri Goursundar performs His munificent leelaas in his courtyard – well known as – ‘Shribas-angan’.The original Shribas-angan is situated close to ‘Pora Ma-talaa’ in the main town of Nabadweep. Again we discovered very nice sevaa being offered to the Deities in Shribas-angan. Simple, yet loving. Here we present some very sweet darshan from this holy place.
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- By: Madhumatidasi Adhikari