Vrndavana, India
Grad Event
Bats were flying in
their usual silent way and monkeys were busting balloons. It wasn’t a circus act. The hairy climbers made it to the edge of the
awning over the stage. One in particular
grabbed the multi-coloured balloon arrangement and with his sharp finger nails
went systematically from one bust to the next. There was
one stubborn balloon, the last one, that wouldn’t burst, so very cleverly, the
monkey sunk his teeth into it, giving it the biggest bang of all.
We were in stitches
laughing at the unrehearsed show. The
final deflation brought an uproarious applause.
Below the awning was
the stage,
where thirty grade twelve students from the Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International
School were about to receive their graduation awards. It is a boy’s school. The cultural program was a traditional
Gotipua dance by primary boys. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotipua
Very on-the-spot, I
was made the Guest of Honour for the event, and was asked by the organizers to hand out
certificates along with godsisters, Malati and Madri, to the worthy
recipients. I was also asked,
spontaneously, to lead a kirtan. “Your wish is my command,” I said to the
person making the request.
It was a rouser of a kirtan and the participation in the chanting and
dancing, almost reached the excitement of the monkey popping the balloons.
This was my main
active event of the day. My gout has
taken a turn for the worse, just when inflammation was on the decline. The obstinate foot is looking much like a balloon.
“Hey monkey, do you
want to take a bite?”
May the Source be with
you!
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