Tuesday 8 December 2015

Saturday, November 28th, 2015

Saturday, November 28th, 2015
La Habana, Cuba

Sin No More, Chant!

It’s almost a sin to not take advantage of the ocean’s water at Varadero.  Hayagriva and I obliged before our trip to Habana along with Nanda and Umesh.

After a two hour cab ride to the city, we were heartily greeted by a group of enthusiastic devotees who were also recently blessed with the senior company of Manonath Prabhu, an Italian born student of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.  The Cuban community of devotees crave for anyone who can give them some attention.  They will be the first to admit that they want regular training in the teachings of Sri Chaitanya’s philosophy, regarding surrender to the Supreme, Krishna, through the system of kirtan, chanting.

Kirtan crowned the day for us.  The venue for this joyous expression was the art studio of Leo D’Lazaro at 501 Esq. Villegas.  With his innovative art pieces all around, attendees sat in lotus pose, anticipating a “Saturday Night Fever” of a different kind.  Frankly, most of the people there were our people, familiar with the chant, yet you could feel how they approached the sacred sound with freshness once we geared up in levels of surrender, speed, and volume.

A Danish couple heard our chanting from their rented space through their balcony just kiddie corner from the art studio.  They took interest and gravitated over to our little hub.  A professional photographer also snooped over to our open doors venue and let his curiosity go wild.

My challenge was leading the mantra while drumming on the mridanga drum. Much work is to be done here in Cuba where the playing of musical instruments is concerned (not that Cubans don’t have rhythm, they do) as well as a host of other devotional items that are yet to be known.

The task is on to discuss the implementation of such things.  While returning to our rented space, we tracked through a city square where all the young folks could catch their internet communication, hence their connection to the greater world is realized.
 
May the Source be with you!

6km

 

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