It was perhaps a strong symbol, which clearly reflects our devotion towards long-practiced culture & tradition.
“I am so joyous,” says one of the senior Bhutanese citizens, who almost could not wait to drop tears that scroll down when one is over-excited. She further adds that she longed to see similar event until it really happened after three years she had wished it.
Like this senior citizen, hundreds in Lansing, MI, were thrilled to see what many say first-of-its-kind ‘four-day Shreemad Bhagawat Puran,’ which completed on August 23.
The Puran, according to the organizers, started with the community folks participating in a Kalash Yatra (pitcher-tour) that stepped into a community hall, where pundits and purohits (Hindu priests) chanted vedantic mantras (hymns) together in a rhythmical scale.
Additionally, Shreemad Bhagawat, Vedh, Gita, Bishnushasranam, Rudri, Chandi were among some of the treatises recited during the four-day program.
According to Shekhar Chapagain, Chairman of the Puran organizing committee, all Bhutanese pundits and purohits of Lansing were invited to the program. “It is in fact a social program and we want impartiality and transparency of the work we do,” adds Chapagain.
The hall was filled with enthusiastic devotees dressed in traditional outfits. The smell of scent sticks, beautifully adorned mandap (altar), offerings of fruits and ambrosia by the devotees, tinkle of bells, conch sound, fresh rosaries in hands waiting eagerly to be offered were some of heart touching scenes that bewildered everyone first and rejoiced them later that being in this unknown land they saw what they had seen and done back in the country and the refugee camps time and again.
Most of the devotees said ‘no’ to work for these four days and attended the extreme bliss of the program. Devotees from Grand Rapids, a city in environs, made their way to Lansing for these four days and decided to stay back till the last day of the program. Prawachan from different Swamijis, which was once befriended to every life in the refugee camps, came in line and mingled everyone within its vast immeasurable and intrinsic doctrine.
The other specialty of the program was Bhajan-Kirtin. The two Bhajan teams each from Lansing and Grand Rapids added a beauteous charm and pleasurable nourishment to the program. “I sing Bhajans at home but was looking for a platform to sing them openly with all my energy and make devotees dance to its rhythm,” said one of the Bhajan singers.
The devotees were, indeed, looking for an opportunity to be a part of social program since they left refugee camps. Bhajans singers finally made everyone dance to their last. Elderlies in their 90s and juvenile together set their foot at the verse of Bhajans and gave the spectators compassionate ecstasy.
In fact the program became paragon to every devotee who was lost among themselves from their identities and cultural values.
The Bhutanese Hindu of Lansing, accustomed to rich Prawachan of Khemraj Keshav Saran, decided to invite Swami Damodarachrya for Prawachan. Khemraj Keshav saran visited Lansing in the past two years and elucidated a short Prawachan. Upon inquiry, the devotees replied Swami Damodaracharya is from Bhutan and would like to benefit from social manpower. Swami Damodracharya, a lanky elite educated in Vanarasi, India gave marvelous and divine Prawachan on Shreemad Bhagawat. Every devotee has a surge of pride that they had person like Swami Damodracharya in their own society.
The last day, August 23, was even gorgeous. There were lots of cheers and happiness when a baby adorned as Krishna sway gentle out from a cradle. Devotees exchanged best wishes among themselves and prayed for world peace.
There was management of food for every devotee for all four days. Devotees would just rise up and declared,” Food for today is from my side, water from me and so on”. Help from every community member and assigned volunteer was unquestionable.
The Bhutanese Hindu Community honored three elder members of the society out of which one was from Nepal. A small token of love was given to all honored elderly, pandits and purohits and volunteers from the hands of Swami Damodracharya.
