Mayapur is flooded

Varsana Song
Aindra - Life in Vrindavan
Aindra - Vraja Vilasa 1
Aindra - Vraja Vilasa 2

We have just changed our room again. Making any official arrangements in India is a nightmare. Everything takes so much time and there is always so much bureaucracy. It is difficult enough to agree on anything between the four of us. Originally our room in Mayapur was booked till this Saturday, however, our travel arrangements with the overnight train to Puri has fallen through. Therefore we need an extra day in Mayapur. Yesterday it was agreed we could stay in our room but today we had to move into another room. No problem.

The only problem is that Mayapur is like a steam room at the moment. Last night we had another thunderstorm. It seems we are experiencing the last showers of the rainy season. It is so hot and wet that Samir got stuck in his kurta when he wanted to take it off because of sweat. It stuck to him like a wet cloth. I don't know how many hours he would have been stuck with the kurta over his head not being able to move neither in nor out. I had to rescue him. It was a similar situation with Nandini mataji I was told. After taking a shower one has to be very quick drying off, otherwise one is wet again from sweating.

We have not been able to get any places on the Puri train. Therefore we had to book a flight, which is more expensive of course. It means we are leaving Mayapur tonight at 1 AM. The accommodation arrangements in Puri are still valid we hope.

After we returned from lunch today it started to downpour again. The whole area flooded in no time. We got stuck in some passage way. While writing this it is still raining and it looks like it will do so for the rest of the day. The matajis were very brave and headed for our guesthouse. They must have got quite wet. I opted for the Internet Cafe. The blog posting from my mobile has not worked out so far but the Internet Cafe is only a few minutes from our guest house and all within the Mayapur complex.

We are still experiencing the end of the rainy season I have been told. It could last till Diwali but major flooding is not expected after Durga Puja, which has already passed. However, Ganga is entirely independent and can do whatever she wants. In any case tonight we are out and even if it is raining continuously till then it is highly unlikely that we will not be able to leave Mayapur, but one never knows. India is full of surprises.

While writing this my thoughts travel back to Leicester and to tonight's Saturday programme, which will be at Keshava's house, 31 Barkby Road. The timing will be the same, namely 7 PM. I very much hope all devotees will come. Our Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Saci-Sundar are already there. I hope the programme goes well. I am sure it will. Any of our devotees reading this before the programme please do extend our warmest well-wishes to all the devotees there and especially to Keshava Prabhu, who has kindly agreed to look after the deities and host the programme in our absence. Please give him your full support. Our next posting will be from Puri.