All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Devotees' Testimonials on Serving Bamunpara Temple
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How was your experience, Madhumita DD, of spending a few days at the Sri Chaitanya Sridhar Govinda Seva Ashram in Bamunpara?

"Wow. To me, being there was like a gift. It was so wonderful being there with those devotees doing all that we could do. I am impressed with how the devotees living there are doing their service as though Srila Gurudev himself is there! I saw that they are very involved in their seva; they do it so carefully and affectionately!

"I was cleaning everything I could clean, with all of my heart, especially in the new building. It was not certain that Srila Gurudev would go there after Vyasa Puja, but I was doing my service as though he would come tomorrow....
Malini Devi Dasi from Malta and Madhumita Devi Dasi from Venezuela were the first residents of the Ladies Ashram
 

"I feel so lucky to have seen the actual house where my guru was born and to meet some of his family. It was a very special experience—it was my first time to go to that place.

"Bamunpara is a very peaceful place; like a paradise. Like when I look at the colours in the sky and the environment, I think it is just too beautiful and everything is so perfect that I almost cannot believe it. It is like a dream.

"And I feel that Srila Gurudev is there; his mood is there. That is why everything is so peaceful, quiet and beautiful. That is what I think.

"I would like to return every time I come to India, and stay a few days to do some service in Sri Chaitanya Sridhar Govinda Seva Ashram. I feel like I could stay there for a long time; could live there for a long time!"

Madhumita Devi Dasi
Venezuela
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Daily service life begins with Mangal Arati...
followed by the morning programme
   
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The new building is absolutely charming but requires much maintenance...
which provides service opportunity for the devotees!
   
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Sometimes there is a little austerity in the form of no running water, but this does not bother the devotees who are so keen to serve
Madhumita DD: "I felt so lucky to be able to do some service in beautiful Bamunpara that nothing seemed too much trouble."
   
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Srila Gurudev's veranda must be cleaned with extra care and attention
Great attention to detail is given to the entire building
   
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Sometimes a trip to the nearby town to purchase necessities and tools is required, since there are none in Bamunpara village
Bamsi Bihari Prabhu of Mexico and Madhumita DD in the quaint taxi required for the three-kilometre ride to the nearest town
   
How was your experience, Bamsi Bihari Prabhu, of spending a few days at the Sri Chaitanya Sridhar Govinda Seva Ashram in Bamunpara?

"I feel that this is a very special place for everyone in this line; the most important place! We can see that Srila Gurudev is like the Lord Himself and we have the opportunity to have some relationship with him. Therefore we can feel the presence of Nabadwip and Vrindavan in Bamunpara by his mercy. I try to maintain that vision and appreciate it fully.

"There is much service to do so I just tried to do my bit. Mainly I was cleaning, so that the Temple is beautiful for the festival time, although in reality it was Bamunpara Dham that was cleaning me!

"I feel very fortunate about spending a few days at the Sri Chaitanya Sridhar Govinda Seva Ashram because I hear that it was the first time that foreign devotees were staying there. I felt very happy there because it is so quiet, so beautiful, with not so many people and pollution.

"I couldn't truly understand where I was but by the mercy of Gurudev I could see how sweet everything is there: the devotees, the prasadam, the people who live there... really everything! The mood of the devotees there is very sweet and the place is very simple. The whole environment is Gurudev—where he performed his Pastimes—and that is very special for me. And by the mercy of his devotees I could appreciate how sweet Bamunpara is. Actually, I think I have never been anywhere as beautiful. I did not want to leave!"

Bamsi Bihari Das
Mexico
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The harder cleaning jobs must be tackled too
With a joint effort, every job is possible, smooth and sweet
   
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The garden must be tended to as well as part of the general cleaning and maintenance of the beautiful Temple compound
At the end of the day, although only a few voices congregate for sankirttan, the chanting is whole-hearted!
   
 
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