Longdenville, Trinidad
Across the Street
Across the street from our Longdenville ashram is a neighbourhood, a suburb of blocks of homes and vacant lots. It really is a fine place for walking. Just beware of boisterous dogs, most of whom are leashed or behind fences. Some stray ones frisk about. Pious folks reside in the small but adequate spaces. They are happy to see us clad in white or saffron dhotis.
One of our walkers invited a woman from her front yard to attend our evening fest in honour of the avatar, Narasimha. Nara means ‘human’ and simha refers to ‘lion’. This avatar, which represents everything to do with protection of piety, is a favourite deity for the bhakti community, worldwide.
To celebrate this avatar’s coming, which occurred long ago in the period of the Satya Yuga according to the Vedas, we broke our full-day fast at dusk. Before the feast, lively chanting ensued, then a fire ceremony, then an Abhishek bathing ceremony, then my talk and dramatic reading from Krsna Ksetra Swami’s script, “Hiranya Meets His Maker,” and finally kirtan. Young and old were ‘lit’.
There is nothing more pleasing than seeing glowing faces, moving feet, legs, and arms and heads engaged in dance.
Congratulations to the family who came forward for diksha(initiation), namely Pundarik, Vaijayanti and Aisvarya—husband, wife and son. Also on board was Raghunatha, who graciously drove me to the airport, as I headed for Guyana.
May the Source be with you!
3 km
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