Prasadam at Iskcon Bhubaneswara was healthy but austere. Our one noon hour meal consisted of dahlma , rice, capatis, with maybe total of two tablespoons of oil or gheel for the whiole offering. There was neither milk nor sweets until i arrived and insisted on making the arrangements. At first, theis sort of diet is so minimal, that a wetsern person becomes weak, but soon, if yhou are young enough, the body adapts and you start to be clear-headed and strong once again.
The milk supplier gradually waterede down the milk. It was cyclical. At first, it is pure and rich, then after a day or three, not quite so rich, until after two three weeks it is half water! Then we would complain, and the cycle would start again all over.
Bhagavata prabhu and Gour Govinda Swami did a fair amount of preaching in our little three man room. For example, the local army, encamped up the road, would regularly march by, rifles, bag pipes, drums and all. It was quite martial and fun to see. One of the officers made it a point to visit us regularly. He had been in a position to move to America, and asked what we thought. Bhagavata Prabhu proceeded to show, with theatrical zeal, that his daughters would be smoking cigarettes and wearing blue jeans. He was quite horrified, and changed his mind about leaving India. Bhagavata knew Gita by memory, and he was a good preacher.
Speaking of parades down Highway 5, I used to regularly see Indian men escorting groups of cows down the road in a northerly direction. I wouild call out Haribol! sometimes. Then Gour Govinda Swami explained to me that these Krsna's were being walked all the way from here to the slaughterhouse in Cuttack or Calcutta. I was flabbergasted! I thought, no! It can't be! I picked up clods of dirt from the garden and ran out on the highway after them throwing dirt and cursing them!
Maharajah always drank from a clay pot full of Khandaigiri water, the very water that Srila Prabhupada had spoken of as being very good for health and curing of all kinds of stomach aliments. Vaisnava dasa would ride over on the heavy black Atlas bicycle which we had bought with a donation solicited by me from a relative back in Canada. the heat was extreme sometimes in bhubaneswara , reaching 145 degrees farenheit. The porous clay evaporated at a higher rate as it got hotter, and so the water sindie got colder and colder to match the heat. We had one silver cup, over the top, and learning to pour water without spilling it, from a height without touching the cup to ones' lips, made for a couple of amusing sessions as I gradually acquired this skill.
We had an old fashioned black tlephone on the floor. whnenever Bhgavata prabhu tried to use it, Gour govinda Swami would shake his hand back and forth as if to say, "It will never work!", and sure enough, 90% of the time, some insane mistakes or misunderstandings prevented us from reaching anybody. It was an occassion for hilarity and exasperation at the foloishness of India trying to use modern technology in the seventies.
Similarly, the 220 volt electrical current to the light bulb was unfiished, with partially bare wires and no outlet cover. reaching to turn on the light in the dark was a risk, as once or twice i touched the wires, and let me tell you that 220 volts with a;ll the Indian amps sends your arm flying like it was a rocket!
Geckos ate the ants, the termites ate the wood and the paper, and the ants ate everything in Bhubaneswara. Crows tag teamed Sanat and Sooji Kumara, the little Vasinava children, when they cleaned the evening artik plates. i had arranged for three pieces of burfi or sandesh from the intown shp, to be offered at that time. the local crows knew this, and so one would come dancing in front of the children, while another crow wou;ld creep up form behind to steal maha prasadam. the kids cauhggt on eventually, but not before the crows had gotten their treats several times.
Our land was relatively undevelpoed. Still
Being written in progress.........
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