Saturday, July 11th, 2009

Water Drama!

Montreal, Quebec

Cargo ships anchor along this north shore of the St. Lawrence river. They come from all over the world. The street with sidewalk running next to or near the shoreline is Notre Dame Ave. It is my walking route to the temple located on Pie IX Blvd. I remember how years ago I was invited aboard a ship from India to conduct a scheduled Krishna conscious program before a group of shipmates along with their families. It was such a special treat to have some white guy who is a swami, aboard their ocean liner delivering them Sanskrit verses mixed into his talk.

I imagined what it would be like travelling with them for weeks on end. But no! I wouldn't be able to handle the wave movements and the subsequent sea sickness. Vertigo!

Further on westbound on Notre Dame I thrust my head back to view the sky and it registered clearness. That was 3AM. By 12noon at procession time the overcastness revealed possible rain. At the point of finishing the chanting and drumming procession the rain came down. By 3PM it was like serious monsoons.

I was narrating at the time. Thunder and lightening seemed to come on quite just when the drama needed it during a spooky session. Then it came more and more forcefully. Although sheltered under a tent the actors, audience and I were getting at least sprinkled on. Drip, drip went the droplets on my script as I narrated. Trickle, trickle went the wetness running down my back. Thunder clapped! Rain reverbed against the plastic roof. Winds picked up shaking the very shelter we sought. The reading continued. The actors performed. The stage lights went out. But the play went on. It was a drama within a drama. The audience remained transfixed. There was nothing else they could do unless of course they tackled the torrential drench. The actors went on and so did the reading. We rode the wave of "the show must go on!"

And it did to its glorious end. The audience cheered.

"The Jagannatha Story" was told against all odds. No one's enthusiasm to hear and see dampened. It was all mercy from the Divine Power.

What an experience that was!

10 KM