By Sadbhuja Gauranga Dasa (One-day padayatra coordinator)
For the pleasure of our beloved spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, and Srila Prabhupada we began organizing one-day padayatras in the Alibag area. By the mercy of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and our spiritual master, we have now successfully completed fifty padayatras, covering more than 150 villages.
Our first padayatra went to my native village, Thal. We started from Alibag, which is about seven kilometers away, at 6am and reached Thal at 8am. Our respected MLA, Shri Mahendra Dalvi, warmly welcomed the padayatra. At that time, however, we had very little experience in organizing such events. As a result, only a few villagers came for the darsana of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai.
Learning from that experience, we formed an advance party from the second padayatra onward. This proved to be very effective. As the advance team informed the villagers of the padayatra, many people gathered to welcome Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai with great enthusiasm. In some villages, people initially hesitated to welcome us because they were unfamiliar with our Sanatana Vedic culture. However, after arranging spiritual lectures and introducing residents to the purpose of the padayatra, they gladly welcomed us into their homes and villages.
One of the most heartwarming experiences was that almost every village requested us to accept breakfast and lunch prasadam. In several places, the entire Gram Panchayat organized a grand welcome. In some villages, the Sarpancha arranged traditional Lazim (Maharashtrian folk dance) performances and Bhajan groups, making the padayatra even more joyful and inspiring.
Many devotees and villagers performed the worship of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai by offering flower garlands and donations. These contributions were very helpful in arranging prasadam for the participants.
One of our greatest achievements has been the dedication of our sankirtan team. They always arrived punctually at the starting point, and I am deeply grateful for their sincere service. The sankirtan party is extremely powerful once the holy names begin; people naturally become attracted and join the procession with great enthusiasm.
On several occasions, school students, along with their teachers, also participated in the padayatra. Through these village visits, our entire team became acquainted with many temples that we had never visited before.
Since our padayatras are usually organized on Sundays, sometimes they coincide with Ekadashi. Even then, no one hesitates to participate, despite observing the fast. Every padayatra also includes a dedicated book-distribution team, whose members enthusiastically meet people and distribute transcendental literature.
All of this has been possible only by the causeless mercy of Lokanath Maharaja. We remain forever grateful and deeply affectionate toward him. There was also the constant guidance of our leader, Giriraj Govardhana Dasa; he attended all the padayatras and supported us in all ways.
I am also grateful to all the devotees of Alibag and those who would come from nearby areas to join the padayatris without fail, compromising their household activities. The Lord is surely very pleased with them.
All of you bless us that we continue with our padayatra journey eternally for the pleasure of Guru and Gauranga.
