Toronto,
Ontario
Ten Years
I was
going through some of my stuff and came upon an article from ten years ago in
the Guyanese "Kaleteur News."
Wow! It's my tenth anniversary
since walking that country—and I just came from there.
Here are some
brief excerpts from the article:
“Thursday
January 29th, 2009
Bhaktimarga
Swami, better known as the “Walking Monk”, is in Guyana to be part of the Hare
Krishna Movement’s seven-day festival called Padayatra – the walking festival
which began on Monday and ends this Sunday.
Using
drama, presentations, lectures, dances and bhajans, the movement aims to preach
the message of peace, unity and national well-being. During the festival, devotees of the movement
meet at different locations on East Coast Demerara and walk a designated route.
Bhaktimarga
Swami is the movement’s special guest for the festival. He is a follower of the millenary Vedic
tradition from India, and has already covered various areas of the
country. Today, he will be walking from
the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Parika.
The Swami, 55, said he was attracted to this lifestyle and enrolled as a
monk (of the order of “Swamis”) in the Hare Krishna movement back in 1973 when
it was hip to be radical, daring and different…
On his
walk in Guyana, he said the response from Guyanese has been good… “People are so quick to wave a hand and make
the address ‘Ram Ram’ or ‘Sita Ram’ or ‘Haribol,’” he said. He particularly noted that Afro-Guyanese
express these terms as do Hindus…
His walks
are aimed at promoting meditation, pilgrimage and “the walking culture.” The walk begins each day at 04:00 or 05:00 h
and he goes on for about nine hours everyday.
He carries with him a sack holding his meditation beads, and often
chants and talks to the Creator along the way.”
May the
Source be with you!
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