We are going South. We are meeting up with the All India Padayatra, in South India.

A long train ride from Solapur to Tiruvelneli drains us for most of our accumulated powers so now we are fighting our way past the gredy rigshaw wallers and morning venders to catch the bus to Tenkasi. It is extremely cheap to travel by bus here. 20Rs for a 60 km ride. The first part of our Journey end in front of an empty house in Tenkasi at 7.00 am on the 25th of February. The padayatris was supposed to be there but there is no tract of them. We are two white boys completely unable to speak any Tamil, and here the local people don’t speak neither Hindi nor English. HMM! Where did they go. Tradically it is the mobile phone which saves us. We are getting through to Rupa Goswami Prabhu and the padayatra team. We are lucky. Do to some recent riots between Hindus and Muslims here in Tenkasi the police are not allowing the padayatra to come into Tenkasi. The boys are only a few kilometers away so we jump a rigshaw and proceed towards the camp. It is beautifully located in a mountain area with coconut forest on all sides. South India is very fertile and more tropic than what I am use to from Maharashtra. This is more jungle and mountains and more humid than the plains of Maharashtra. We are reaching the group just as they head out for the days walk. 16 km. When I hear this I am thinking only sixteen. But later in the day a realize that 16 km here is not the same are 16 km in Denmark where I come from. Anyway. The bulls are beautiful and majestic and very friendly. I am getting in their way while trying to take photos and they are not goring me but just gently blowing air through their big noses to let me understand “Hey Prabhu you are in my way”. All India padayatra consists of 5 big bullocks, 20 brahmacaris and 5 carts and a tractor. They started from Dwaraka in 2002 and expect to return back there in 2010. Immediately I am getting the feeling of the team. They are very together and well organized. All members knows their service and I feel very inspired to try to overcome my mind and ego to be a part of this group for the next ten days. It is emanating from everyone that here we work together and we are one group. First the Deity cart driven by our leader, H.G.Rupa Goswami das, heads out followed by the book and hay cart. Each cart is drawn by two bulls and one bull is tied to the book cart. On the deity cart Vamsidhari Prabhu is presenting the padayatra over the speaker system to all the surprised villagers and townspeople. He knows Tamil and tells the story of our padayatra. He is also serving out Charanamrit to everyone who comes forward to take the mercy. On both sides of the road in front and behind the carts the book distributors cruise around from person to person and place Prabhupadas transcendental books in their hands. Books are flying out. It is a very innocent and beautiful procession but highly efficient and deadly to all these “devotees” material lives. Here is an amazing energy. Very powerful.
Back at the base the tractor and the remaining three carts and still parked. Cooking is going on. The kitchen team on three devotees and preparing morning prasadam and the tractor driver Mohan Rupa Prabhu is packing the luggage cart. The will catch up with us in a few hours. We are no flowing through village after village. We, the book distributors run out the each side of the road to all the people standing there and give them a book in the hand and try the different mantras while we pray to Nitai Gaurasundar to please let these souls get their mercy. I am surprised that even I can get some books out. Normally I am completely unable to distribute anything but somehow the books are going into the hands of these fortunate souls. It is so nice to be here. After 1-2 hours of walking we have now stopped for morning prasadam. It tastes so good. Simple kitchari with papar and water. Nothing like it. The bulls also get their first meal of the day. We walk for almost two hours but we only covered 5 km. Still 11 Km are remaining and now it is getting hot. I am getting the first negative thoughts about this. Wow maybe I will suffer from this. The mind is such a rascal and never satisfied. Here I am following right in the foot steps of my Spiritual master H.H.Lokanath Swami maharaja and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and already I am starting to cry. O Krishna Please help me to improve my rascal consciousness. Left, right, left, right, Hey Hare Krishna here we have one nice book about Krishna we came all the way from Europe to give it to you. Only10 Rupees. Yes he also took a book. Green fields and palms on both sides of the road and many small clean rivers. The country side is really wealthy and healthy. I can feel the muscles in my legs are performing an uncommon task and that it is good. This is such a wonderful experience. Now the clock has just passed two and we are arriving at our destination for the day. It is a small temple in the town of Kilapoveer. Most of us just fall asleep for a good two hours. Washing my cloth at the pump and taking a cool bath I get back to normal and my, if the kitchen team is not calling us for nice afternoon prasadam just as I finished my practical chores. I am now sitting in front of the computer trying to get all these wonderful impressions formulated into something meaningful for you out there in the world somewhere. It is impossible, you must simply come here and try this. Like nothing else.

26th.
Getting up at 3.15am because we are 22 boys and only one toilet. I can tolerate to spend my mornings waiting in line for the toilet. Better to get up now. Everything is silent, only pujariji is also up and we quietly take our morning bath and prepare for the chanting. This is another thing you have to try. The Hare Krishna mantra. Out of this world. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare rama rama Rama Hare Hare. Try it at home! Today it is the birthday of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvate Goswami Maharaja so we are fasting till noon. I feel good and inspired for the days book distribution and our party heads out at 8.30 am. We walk out through the town of Kilapoveer while we pass out the books and the bulls gracefully pull their lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar and Srila Prabhupada one their transcendental journey. Somehow I can’t get it together today my mind is protesting and my feet’s are beginning to hurt. Almost everyone are turning down my offer from Europe and I am walking up hill in the heat. Arrrgghh. After some hours on the road we come into the country side and Prananath Prabhu comes to me and say. Jay so now we are out of the Christian area. Now it will be easier to distribute. Oh Wow that would have been nice to know a little earlier. Then all of a sudden everything makes more sense. Anyway what is life without a struggle one in a while.
Today is a short walk on 8 km so now we are reaching our base for today. The whole village receives us and as yesterday we all fall over ass soon as the arrival ceremony is over. Wow I am completely gone. I haven’t slept this good fore a long time.
Next program is the hounoring of Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja. The prayers and the flower are offered in a sweet mood, and I really feel a part of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhus mission.
We are now diving into the feast. 13 items and powerful like only traveling preachers can make it. I feel like writing a description of this feast but better you come here and experience it for your self sometime.

To heavy to move I slide my self over to the wall and crack open the laptop. I can write with real realization now, so better do this while it is fresh.

Tonight we have organized a program in the village. This is the first program I will experience and I look forward to it. See you tomorrow.

Hare Krishna