Room at 243, Toronto
New Full-Fledged Monk
There are few North American fellows stepping up for the renounced title, sannyas. We have a queue of people from Eastern Europe and India but it is rare to find on the list of candidates anyone from the western frontier taking this esteemed position.
It has been a long road for Ekalavya, born and raised in New York City in what he calls “the centre of Kali Yuga”. To go from being a talented street musician who discovered monks in Cork, Ireland to be awarded the new name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami. I’m proud of him, especially since I’ve been blessed as one of his swami mentors. His being ordained happened by the side of the Ganges, just the other day.
He has been kind to join us in the US and Canada, having visited some ISKCON centres to deliver classes and lead kirtans. His presentations of bhakti are good, well thought out and relevant. When he visits me, he’ll trek with me down the ravine.
As mentioned, we don’t get a whole lot of continental receptively in North America. For Canada there has been some successful Swami’s from the 70’s who scored well — Sridhara Swami from Vancouver, Banu Swami from BC, Ganapati Swami from Alberta, Bhakti Raghava Swami from Northern Ontario, Shivaram Swami from Montreal. I’m puttering along. I can think of three more who did not stay the course as “swami” but are nonetheless still devotees on the path.
Congratulations to all and to our New York monk.
May the Source be with you!
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