Founder Acharya His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder Acharya His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Padayatra Worldwide Ministry headed by Lokanath Swami started to work on its offering of 50 padayatras on Gaura Purnima 2014. To this day 22 padayatras have taken place, 8 are being planned and 20 remain to be done by ISKCON devotees.
ISKCON’s Padayatra Ministry is inviting all the devotees worldwide to participate in this glorification of ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada. This goal of 50 padayatras is very feasible, as padayatra is basically a low-cost project of variable duration that can be carried out in many different styles – a one man venture like Bhaktimarga Swami in Canada; a weekend padayatra as an outing for the congregation around a city or farm; a summer padayatra ; an annual walk or a continental or trans-continental walk. Padayatra can be done in different ways, according to the geography of the specific country, the devotees’ available time, resources and manpower: with or without a bullock cart, with a horse to pull the cart, or just as an extended harinama. Devotees can walk and drive if they live in a country with long empty or desert stretches, or they can walk and fly (or take a boat) if they want to move from island to island.
Another reason why the Padayatra Ministry thinks this goal of 50 padayatras is very feasible is that the Padayatra Ministry already achieved a much larger goal in the past. At the time of Srila Prabhupada’s Centennial in 1996, there was 105 padayatras, some of which took place during the Padayatra Week which was scheduled just before World Holy Name Day. The Silver Jubilee of ISKCON could well be the occasion to revive the Padayatra Week.
Bhaktimarg Swami and his Padayatra team in Mauritius
Here are a few of the numerous benefits of going on padayatra :
– Getting purified and rejuvenated by chanting all day long
– Fulfilling Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire to see the holy name resounding in every town and village of the world
– Engaging the oxen in serving Their Lordships instead of being kept idle on our ISKCON farms and goshalas
– Getting in shape by walking and dancing, and engaging in physical activities (setting up the padayatra camp, caring for the oxen, etc.)
– Escaping the daily routine, either at home or in the temple
– Seeing the hand of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai in daily happenings and miracles
– Traveling in the company of devotees and a cart carrying the Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada
– Trying out new services: cooking, advance party reporting, organising, contact with the media, etc
– Distributing books the easy way, with the harinama party in the background
– Having lots of healthy spiritual fun
The chosen key public message for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary is – THE JOY OF DEVOTION – is being perfectly exemplified by padayatris chanting, dancing, traveling and serving together in great bliss. Padayatra, being always in contact with all sorts of publics, is a program that can easily fulfill all of the ISKCON50’s goals :
– To inspire a better and larger public appreciation for values and contributions of Krishna-consciousness
– To make Srila Prabhupada more known and appreciated
– To unite and inspire devotees in celebration
– To get increased attention: media, government, interfaith communities, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders
– To enhance and improve ISKCON’s reputation
Children in Andra Predesh, India, after their encounter with ISKCON’s Padayatra team
They can…
– Include key ISKCON50 messages in speeches, display the World Exhibit and commemorative merchandise, screen the films, and position logos in artwork.
– Use the materials that will be provided in coming months by the international team, including – logos, banners and posters ; exhibition material, theming, and media messages ; publication material – ISKCON50 magazine, films, and exhibit.
– Replace the showing of « Your ever well-wisher » with the Acharya Film being released in 2016. It will draw a lot of attention to Srila Prabhupada’s life