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All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's Kartik Pilgrimage
Govardhan, 11-14 November 2012 Page One | Page Two | Page Three
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After travelling for over 36 hours from Nabadwip, the sankirtan party rested briefly before heading out on parikrama from our Srila Sridhar Swami Seva Ashram, Govardhan, thus inaugurating this year's annual Kartik parikramas of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. |
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Led by Srila Acharya Maharaj, ethusiastically the party heads to Manasi Ganga, a traditional and most auspicious start of the pilgrimage. |
The Venezuelan mrdanga players (left to right): young Shankar Prabhu, Rama Krishna Prabhu and Gauranga Prabhu make everyone's heart beat happily. | |
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Manasi Ganga, the largest sacred kunda in the Vraja area. |
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Manasa means 'mind'. Manasi Ganga was manifested by Lord Krishna's own mind. Therefore, it is believed that he who bathes in this pond, not only is purified by all sins but he achieves prema-bhakti. |
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Dham-basis preparing their ghee offerings around the kunda as is traditional on this Diwali day. |
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Next visit is to Sri Haridev-ji Mandir where Mahaprabhu danced in ectasy for hours upon seeing the Deity. |
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Jaya Thakur Sri Haridev, ki jaya! |
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The tall Mukharavinda Temple (The Mouth of Govardhan) in the background is where devotees traditionally end their parikrama of Govardhan Hill. |
Also on the other side of Manasi Ganga is Sanatan Goswami's bhajan kutir right next to the Chakaleshwar Siva Temple and Chakra Tirtha. | |
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Srila Acharya Maharaj tells the devotees the many pastimes of Srila Sanatan Goswami with Sriman Mahaprabhu, Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna. |
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Next morning, circumambulation of Govardhan hill. |
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Sri Govinda Kunda. |
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This kunda was created when Lord Indra performed the bathing ceremony of Lord Krishna in order to satisfy the Lord and obtain forgiveness for having tried to destroy Vrindavan with rainfall. |
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Sri Govardhan Hill. |
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Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip