Friday, August 28th, 2009

The Day of the Goddes

Lautoka, Fiji

I saw powerful images while in stride. A group of men fire stones for a lovo, a roast for root crop cassava and sometime mongooses. A woman hoses her front yard plants. Calves suckle from their mother’s udder. I see McDonald.

While still dark a van pulled over in the distance and out came a young man just coming from the nightclub. He slurred his words, “….want to see the walking monk.” So he did. I saw his buddy passed out sprawled out in the back seat.

As night lit up more delighted folks honked horns while people waiting for a bus would wave, shake hands acknowledging TV and paper coverage.

In front of the Police Station was a Fijian native by the name of Tuks. He had lodged a complaint to the authorities about his boss cheating him. He asked if I believed in Christ.

I said, “Yes! The son of God. If you are interested in knowing more about the son’s father, then you can go to where I am going.” I didn’t take him seriously but a half hour later, I found that he was following me. He hid his bags of belongings (clothes mostly for working) somewhere and decided to join me. For the next 15 km we trekkedd all the way to the temple of Krishna and the serpent Kaliya. We were greeted by the mayor – 1 km short of the temple. He with his ministers gave a warm welcome to the city of Sugar.

Radha Madhava had arranged for Tuks to get a new set of clothes and enough fare to get back to home to wife and two month old baby. As we left for Suva, a four hour drive, we saw Tuks happily engaged in Temple service. Perhaps he will stay for a while before returning home.

Tuks got blessed today by the Goddess. I am referring to Radha, the female shakti of Krishna or female aspect of God. Devout Krishnaites around the world honour this day Radhastami as Her day.

In the evening, I was asked to speak about the Radha principle. “Please speak slow, Maharaja,” asked Visvanath. “People have a little difficulty with your accent.”

I happily complied and also happily had completed walking the country Fiji.

30 Km