Lokanath Swami

IN TIME OF NEED

We got reports from our temple president that a team of doctors from the Bhaktivedanta hospital are setting up a small field hospital to serve all the pilgrims who are coming in from all over Maharashtra to get darshana of Lord Vitthala on the Deva-Sayani Ekadasi. Many of the pilgrims are walking for more than 15 days bare feet in the heat, so there is a real need for medical assistance for them.

We are now trying to push our way across the narrow Chandra Bhaga river bridge. Thousands of devotees are assembling here and it is really difficult to move. We have company of four of the nurses from the hospital who are showing us the way.

On the way we see a long unending queue of pilgrims going as far as the eye can see. To begin with I think that this is a queue for free food but as we are go along it I realize that no one would stand in queue for so long to just to get free food; it must be something else. When we ask people they tell us that this is the line of devotees who are coming to take darshana of Lord Vitthala. Amazing! The queue is some 10 km long reaching from the outskirts of Pandharpur to the Vitthala mandir. Most of the pilgrims will have been standing in line for 3-4 days before they get their long cherished meeting with the Lord! It is so far out unbelievable to see all these thousands and thousands of people patiently and with no complaints waiting to see Krishna.

We are now finally at the hospital and I ask Ramsharan Prabhu from Mumbai who is one of the main coordinators here what is happening:

We have 26 doctors, mainly from the Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mumbai, 50 medical students and 45 assistants from the Mumbai congregation, who have come here to serve the pilgrims. The medical treatment given here is free of charge and this is the first time ever we are trying to give medical assistance during the Deva-sayani ekadasi gathering. We treat 2.000 patients a day, which is double the amount of people that we normal treat in a day at the Bhaktivedanta hospital. Many pilgrims are dehydrated or have suffered injuries on their feet and legs due to the long walks. An amazing display of true resilience is the way in which these devotees continue their wait in the queue despite sever injuries. The reason? Well, they forfeit their place in the queue and leaving the queue would mean having to rejoin it again at the very end, entailing another couple of days wait! We had one man yesterday who was so ill that his health was in serious danger and only after many promises from the police officers present that he could re-enter the queue without going all the way back he agreed to be taken to the hospital . Besides the hospital unit in the outskirts of Pandharpur, we also have several small stations inside Pandharpur which are capable of dealing with wound dressing, dehydration and other minor injuries.

Besides getting the blessings of all the pilgrims we help, ISKCON is also establishing a very nice relationship with the Pandharpur Municipal Corporation. Mangesh Chitale, chief of the municipal corporation, has expressed his gratitude to ISKCON for our endeavors and are requesting us to stay on the scene and to return next year.

Very nice additions to the medical services are the doctors preaching efforts. Every day they enter the streets of Pandharpur wearing their white medical attire and stethoscopes and do street sankirtana to the great satisfaction of the pilgrims. It must be a most wonderful sight. They are also forming book distribution parties when the time and energy allows.

It is a most wonderful experience to witness these merciful souls at work and really makes me proud of being a member of ISKCON. I just sit and watch this wonderful scene and it is difficult not to feel a warm sensation in the heart and eyes. Thank you so much.


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IN TIME OF NEED We got reports from our temple president that a team of doctors from the Bhaktivedanta hospital are setting up a small field hospital to serve all the pilgrims who are coming in from all over Maharashtra to get darshana of Lord Vitthala on the Deva-Sayani Ekadasi. Many of the pilgrims are walking for more than 15 days bare feet in the heat, so there is a real need for medical assistance for them. We are now trying to push our way across the narrow Chandra Bhaga river bridge. Thousands of devotees are assembling here and it is really difficult to move. We have company of four of the nurses from the hospital who are showing us the way. On the way we see a long unending queue of pilgrims going as far as the eye can see. To begin with I think that this is a queue for free food but as we are go along it I realize that no one would stand in queue for so long to just to get free food; it must be something else. When we ask people they tell us that this is the line of devotees who are coming to take darshana of Lord Vitthala. Amazing! The queue is some 10 km long reaching from the outskirts of Pandharpur to the Vitthala mandir. Most of the pilgrims will have been standing in line for 3-4 days before they get their long cherished meeting with the Lord! It is so far out unbelievable to see all these thousands and thousands of people patiently and with no complaints waiting to see Krishna. We are now finally at the hospital and I ask Ramsharan Prabhu from Mumbai who is one of the main coordinators here what is happening: We have 26 doctors, mainly from the Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mumbai, 50 medical students and 45 assistants from the Mumbai congregation, who have come here to serve the pilgrims. The medical treatment given here is free of charge and this is the first time ever we are trying to give medical assistance during the Deva-sayani ekadasi gathering. We treat 2.000 patients a day, which is double the amount of people that we normal treat in a day at the Bhaktivedanta hospital. Many pilgrims are dehydrated or have suffered injuries on their feet and legs due to the long walks. An amazing display of true resilience is the way in which these devotees continue their wait in the queue despite sever injuries. The reason? Well, they forfeit their place in the queue and leaving the queue would mean having to rejoin it again at the very end, entailing another couple of days wait! We had one man yesterday who was so ill that his health was in serious danger and only after many promises from the police officers present that he could re-enter the queue without going all the way back he agreed to be taken to the hospital . Besides the hospital unit in the outskirts of Pandharpur, we also have several small stations inside Pandharpur which are capable of dealing with wound dressing, dehydration and other minor injuries. Besides getting the blessings of all the pilgrims we help, ISKCON is also establishing a very nice relationship with the Pandharpur Municipal Corporation. Mangesh Chitale, chief of the municipal corporation, has expressed his gratitude to ISKCON for our endeavors and are requesting us to stay on the scene and to return next year. Very nice additions to the medical services are the doctors preaching efforts. Every day they enter the streets of Pandharpur wearing their white medical attire and stethoscopes and do street sankirtana to the great satisfaction of the pilgrims. It must be a most wonderful sight. They are also forming book distribution parties when the time and energy allows. It is a most wonderful experience to witness these merciful souls at work and really makes me proud of being a member of ISKCON. I just sit and watch this wonderful scene and it is difficult not to feel a warm sensation in the heart and eyes. Thank you so much.