Generals EN Edit
Jun 232017
By Haripriya Devi Dasi
“My alarm clock rings. It is 5:00 a.m. on a summer morning in Saranagati Village, and it’s almost time for mangal arati. After getting ready, I step outside into a crisp and quiet morning. Picking a flower from our garden for Their Lordships, I jog up the hill on the way to my favorite place, Banabehari Mandir. Once at the top, I look down towards the ashram and see dim yellow lights shining through the early morning mist. Coming up to the beautiful stained-glass tilak door, I lightly knock—and almost immediately, my favorite voice answers, ‘Haribol! Come in!’ Slowly opening the door and stepping in, I say, ‘Haribol!’ From the kitchen I hear, ‘Oh, choti Haripriya! I’m so happy you are here! I’ve been thinking of you!’ Yamuna walks around the corner with a warm smile. She wraps me up in a tight embrace, and I squeeze my eyes shut and hug her, cherishing every moment in her arms. After a few seconds, Yamuna takes me by the hand and leads me towards the temple room. Before entering, she taps the hanging chimes, which ring in a high, sweet pitch. Wafts of incense mixed with the fragrance of flowers meet my nose. I hear Dina behind the Deity curtain, humming beautiful tunes as she prepares for arati. On this and every time I come to Banabehari Mandir, I think, ‘This is what the spiritual world must be like. I am home.’
Yamuna asks if I would like to play the drum, and picking up her whompers, she sits down on her blue ball in the back of the temple room. Suddenly, the conchshell blows, the bell rings and the curtains swing open to reveal a beautiful sight. There on the tall, marble altar lit by an array of candles, surrounded by silver animals and vases full of blossoming flowers, gracefully stand the most beautiful Deities: Sri Sri Radha-Banabehari. They take my breath away, as They always do. Dina begins singing the Samsara prayers while she gracefully offers incense to their Lordships. Then Yamuna and I softly join in with our own voices and instruments. Carefully listening for Yamuna’s voice behind me, I hear it dipping in and out, freely weaving notes over and under ours, as if wrapping our offering with love. It is a most melodious and transcendental sound. In Banabehari Mandir, everything is a meditation, everything is a heartfelt prayer. I close my eyes and try to hear. Mangal arati in Banabehari Mandir has only just begun.”
*”Banabehari’s Milkmaids” is the name for the five young girls in Saranagati ranging in ages from ten to thirteen years old who had developed an enthusiasm for devotional activities and were engaged in devotional service at Banabehari Mandir.
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