Vraja Vilasa 106: Rupa Manjari and Radharani's unlimited pure qualities

May my loving attachment live at the lotus feet of Sri Radha, who is worshipped by all divine attributes and to whom Rupa Manjari has passionately made Krishna very attached.

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rāgeṇa rūpa-mañjaryā raktīkṛta-muradviṣaḥ
guṇārādhita-rādhāyāḥ pāda-yugma-ratir mama
Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā : After praising the Holy Dham and Sri Sri Radha Madhava and their associates, Raghunath Das Goswami now prays for his most precious aspiration - śrī rādhāyāḥ pāda-yugme mama ratir astu: "May I have love for the lotus feet of Sri Radha."

This is the practice and this is the goal. This is the highest treasure that is aspired for by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas who are endowed with rādhā-snehādhika rati (a greater love for Radha than for Krishna). As a result of being exclusively fixed on the lotus feet of Sri Radha, all the desires of Vrindavan's rasa-sādhakas are fulfilled.

 One may ask: "The Gaudiya Vaishnavas are yugalopāsakas, they worship and serve both Sri Radha Mādhava and meditate on them. How can love for only Sri Radha's feet be their goal? Shouldn't they aspire for love for the lotus feet of the Divine Pair?"

As an answer to such questions it is said, "There is absolutely no difference between love for the Divine Couple's lotus feet and love for Radha's lotus feet; rather, love for Radha's lotus feet automatically brings love for the Divine Pair and their service to even greater perfection. Although the practising devotee who is fixed on Radha's lotus feet does not want Sri Krishna, Sri Krishna himself comes out searching for him to make him his. Sri Radha is known as Krishnamayī, kṛṣṇamayī kṛṣṇa yāra antara bāhire (Caitanya-caritāmṛta) "Krishnamayī means she who is Krishna inside and out."

Sri Radha is worshipped through Sri Krishna, so how can she be worshipped or love for her lotus feet attained without Krishna? Therefore although they are yugalopāsakas, the Gaudiya Vaishnavas always think of themselves as Radha's maidservants: "I am Radha's, I have exclusively given my heart to her!" This is why Raghunath Das Goswami here prays for love for Sri Radha's lotus feet.

Radha's characteristics are menitoned in this verse: She is "worshipped by all the attributes" (guṇārādhita) such as cleverness. She who is always worshipped by all the divine qualities is Sri Radha.

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā   sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
"The demigods and all great attributes always reside in he who has unalloyed devotion for the Lord." (SB 5.18.12)


sarva mahā-guṇa-gaṇa vaiṣṇava-śarīre;   kṛṣṇa bhakte kṛṣṇera guṇa sakala sañcāre
All the great qualities reside in the Vaishnava's body. All of Krishna's attributes are infused into the devotee of Krishna. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.22.72)

 If all of Krishna's attributes are infused within the insignificant living entities when they are devoted to the Lord, then is it any wonder that all the divine attributes worship Sri Radha, who is the quintessence of the Lord's pleasure potency, the embodiment of the mahābhāva known as mādana; who is the Prema Lakshmi, the supreme goddess of love? Actually, any attempt of an ordinary person to count Sri Radha's endless qualities are nothing else but ridiculous.

yāra sad-guṇa gaṇera svayaṁ kṛṣṇa nā pāna pāra;   tāra guṇa gaṇibe kemone jīva chāra?

"Even Krishna himself cannot find the end to her great qualities; how could any insignificant living being count them?" (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.8.184) 

 Srila Rupa Goswami has mentioned 25 of Sri Radha's sweeter-than-sweet qualities, that are particularly suitable for the madhura rasa–

atha vṛndāvaneśvaryāḥ kīrtyante pravarā-guṇāḥ  madhureyaṁ nava-vayāś calāpāṅgojjvala-smitā cāru- saubhāgya-rekhāḍhyā gandhonmādita-mādhavā  saṅgīta-prasarābhijñā ramya-vāṅ narma-paṇḍitā  vinītā karuṇā-pūrṇā vidagdhā pāṭavānvitā  lajjā-śīlā sumaryādā dhairya-gāmbhīrya-śālinī  suvilāsā mahābhāva-paramotkarṣa-tarṣiṇī  gokula-prema-vasatir jagac-chreṇī-lasad-yaśāḥ  gurv-arpita-guru-snehā sakhī-praṇayitā-vaśā  kṛṣṇa-priyāvalī-mukhyā santatāśrava-keśavā  bahunā kiṁ guṇās tasyāḥ saṅkhyātītā harer iva Now we recite the principal virtues of the Queen of Vrindavan: A. Physical (1) The beautiful sweetness of her physical appearance; (2) The fresh bloom of adolescence; (3) Restless eyes (4) Bright smile; (5) Auspicious fortune lines on her hands, (6) Her fragrance intoxicates Mādhava B. Speech (7) She is expert in singing, (8) She speaks charming words (9) She is expert in joking C. Character of mind (10) She is humble (11) She is full of compassion (12) clever (13) modest (14) respectful (15) patient (16) grave (17) playful D. Relational (18) She thirsts after (giving Krishna) the pinnacle of mahā-bhāva, (19) She has her residence of love in Gokula (Vraja), (20) Her glories pervade the whole universe, (21) She is the object of her superiors' affection (22) She is subdued by the love of her girlfriends (23) She is chief of all of Krishna's beloveds. (24) Indeed, she fully controls Keśava! What more can I say about her attributes? they are innumerable, just like Hari's! (Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 4.11-15) 

In the Rādhā-prakaraṇa chapter of his scripture Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Sri Sri Rupa Goswamipada has made an analysis of each of these qualities by citing examples. Anyone who wants to know these details should consult that book. Srila Raghunath Das says: "Sri Rupa Manjari passionately makes Sri Krishna attached to her" (rāgeṇa rūpa-mañjaryā raktīkṛta-muradviṣaḥ). The sakhīs and mañjarīs are engaged in making Sri Sri Radha Madhava attached to each other by describing the beauty and qualities of the One to the Other. The transcendental rasa would not be nourished if they had to extend this passion themselves, without the aid of the sakhīs and mañjarīs. Hence it is said that although the love of Radha and Mādhava is all-pervading, it is dependent on the assistance of the sakhīs and mañjarīs for its elaboration. Raghunath Das Goswami covets love for the lotus feet of Sri Radharani, who is Krishna's most beloved and a mine of innumerable qualities.
rāgeṇa rūpa-mañjaryā raktīkṛta-muradviṣaḥ guṇārādhita-rādhāyāḥ pāda-yugma-ratir mama There is also another meaning to this verse, taking the whole thing together [by taking mañjaryā as an genitive instead of an instrumental], namely: "May I love the lotus feet of Rūpa Manjari, who colours Sri Krishna with the incomparable flavours of her heart's passionate love and who worships Sri Radharani through her own incomparable qualities." In other words, "Sri Rūpa Manjari always keeps Sri Sri Radha Madhava subdued by her incomparable passionate love and her divine love-born qualities. If I can love the lotus feet of this Rupa Manjari all my desires will swiftly be fulfilled." Thus Raghunath Das Goswami has simultaneously given two meanings to this concluding verse of Vraja-vilāsa-stava, showing that he covets love for the lotus feet of his most beloved Sri Radharani and Sri Rupa Manjari. This is the highest aspiration for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. All glories to Raghunath Das Goswami's wonderful expertise in the art of poetry!

 
śrī rūpa mañjarī kṛṣṇe anurāga rase;  rañjita koriyā yāra koriyāche vaśe  vaidagdhyādi guṇa dvārā yini ārādhitā;  sei rādhā pada dvandve rati hauka sadā May I love the lotus feet of Radha, who is worshipped by all the divine attributes like cleverness and who subdues Krishna because he has been coloured by the flavours of Sri Rūpa Manjari's passionate love! Or:

  
hṛdayera atulana anurāga rase, rādhānāthe yini sukhe kori surañjita  apūrva madhura guṇāvalīra paraśe; śrī rādhāre atiśaya koilā ānandita sei  śrī rūpa mañjarīra caraṇa kamala; eka mātra gati mora ekānta sambala The lotus feet of Sri Rupa Manjari, who pleases Radha's Lord by colouring him with the matchless flavours of her passionate heart and who greatly delights Sri Radha with the touch of her wonderfully sweet qualities, are my only shelter and my only resort!

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Stop Car Parikrama at Radha Kund

I finally got out to Radha Kund yesterday. The trip is not without difficulties, as the flyover crossing the railroad tracks at Chattikara is being done with maximum inconvenience to everyone. Why they cannot leave some kind of facility for vehicle traffic while the overpass is being built is beyond me. Tempos and other vehicles leave you at the Mathura-Agra highway and make you walk the 200 meters or so up to the railroad tracks, where you have to climb under the gates, cross the tracks and then another 50 meters or so to find your next mode of transport. Evidently, people are accustomed to being taken for granted and their needs ignored.

At any rate, after visiting with a friend in the Radha Kund village, I made my way to the Kund itself. I was delighted by the results of the samskara efforts. I wish I had not lost my camera, as I would like to show everyone just how nice it looks. The three kunds--Radha, Shyam and Lalita--are all clad in decorated pink sandstone. Many of the entrance points to the kunds have also been given nicely made gates of the same material. The buildings that are at the confluence of the kunds have also been beautified, giving an overall positive impression.

There is no doubt in my mind that Radha Kund is one of the most powerful spiritual points I have ever been to. Radha's name immediately came to my throat and a feeling that I had come to my true spiritual home.

It was 3 in the afternoon on a fairly ordinary day, which may have explained it, but there was an overall atmosphere of peace.

After visiting the Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir, I started on my way around the parikrama marg. The new road is nicely made, but even at 3 in the afternoon, a number of cars came honking by, filled with tourists doing their car parikrama.

As I have done each of the last few times I have gone to Radha Kund, I stopped at the Panchayat offices in the Raj Bari and talked to the people there about stopping car parikrama.

It would be a fairly easy thing to place a gate at the entrance way to the parikrama path and to oblige all people to go around the Kundas on foot. It is only a few hundred meters at most, even the the old and invalid could do it.

What I stressed to the people in the Panchayat office was the same as what we are saying in the BVHA: By promoting vehicle traffic, the local people suffer. No one will spend money locally if they are just speeding through.

Besides, those who are in vehicles ruin the atmosphere for everyone else. The beautiful peaceful and spiritually charged atmosphere is immediately ruined by people in cars who push their way through the pilgrims--many of whom do the parikrama lying down. When the spiritual atmosphere is ruined, then Radha Kund's principal wealth is lost.

As I continued on my way, when the next cars came by, I stopped them in a crusading spirit and spoke to the driver. "Do you think you are getting any spiritual benefit," I asked, "by driving around the Kunds? All the shastras say to do parikrama barefoot. They say it is an offense to enter the temple in a palanquin or vehicle. And yet you do it.

"Not only that, but you commit offenses to the pilgrims who are here. Piety is to help someone remember Krishna, but you make people forget Krishna by honking your horn. Do you not think that you are committing an offense to the devotees?"

The driver looked a bit helpless, as his main passenger was obviously his guru, an elderly sadhu dressed in orange. The sadhu did not look at me, but straight ahead. The driver indicated that the sadhu was old and infirm and could not walk. I said that they should make arrangements, bringing a wheelchair so that he could also better enjoy the parikrama. But as a senior sadhu, he should set the proper example for others, especially his disciples.

All too often, I see that sadhus in their vehicles, cars or motorcycles, become just as inconsiderate of others as ordinary non-devotees.If anyone, they should set the example.

Further on, I encountered a cluster of pandas drinking tea. I approached them and asked them why they don't pressure the town council to block the road and only allow local traffic in. I said, "No one will pay you one cent of pranami if they never get out of their cars. Your business will be better if they get down and walk."

The pandas complained that they had no power. That the rich rule the world and so on. I said, "Don't be foolish. You are the owners of the Kund. If you and the babajis worked together on this instead of always fighting, you might be able to accomplish wonders."

Afterwards, I met with my old friend Lakshman Brajvasi, who is building a guest house behind his own home. We talked for a while about these things and the BVHA, whose goals he eagerly supports. In Gaur Dham Colony, I also met with several babaji residents, all of whom fervently support my ideas. We laughed about the new fashion of doing helicopter parikrama around Govardhan. The point I tried to make is that much of the Govardhan parikrama has been ruined by turning it into a thoroughfare for vehicle traffic. But at least we should keep Radha Kund sacred and make everyone walk around it.

The bhajananandi Vaishnavas are the ones who are the worst affected by the desecration of the holy places. And it is they who should be first on the list of protected species. A society that only thinks of economic advancement loses all sense of true value.

“The idea of a society only held together by the relations and feelings arising out of pecuniary interests is essentially repulsive.” (John Stuart Mill)

(I could not find any recent photos of the Kunds online. The most recent seem to be of the samskara itself last year.)

Article by Jagadananda Das.

BVHA Meeting, Aug. 11, 2010. Radha Damodar temple

The Minutes of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance

Place: Radha Damodar Temple

Date: August 11, 2010

Time: 11 a.m.

Chair: Thakur Shri Damodar Ji Maharaj through His servant Shri Nirmal Chandra Goswami

Those Present: . Shri Nirmal Chandra Goswami, 2. Shri Tamal Krishna Brahmachari, 3. Shri K.G.Gupta, 4. Prof. K.M. Agrawal, 5. Shri Ramesh Chandra Sharam (Regional Officer A.S.I.), 6. Shri Yogesh Agrawal, 7. Ms. Veena Sharma, 8. Shri Pradyumna Pratap Singh, 9. Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami, 10. Baba Sevak Sharan, 11. Shri Sushil Chandra Sharma, 12. Acharya Chandra Prakash Sharma, 13. Ms. Vimla Pandey, 14. Ms. Gandharvika Dasi, 15. Ms. Katie Walter, 16 Acharya Naresh Narain, 17. Shri Jagadananda Das, 18. Jagannath Poddar, 19. Shri Purna Chandra Goswami Advocate, 20. Shri Tota Ram Upadhyay, 21. Shri Ram Narayan Brajwasi, 22. Shir Kanika Prasad Goswami, 23. Shri Ravindra Kulshreshtha, 24. Shri Madhu Mangal Shukla, 25. Acharya Mridul Kant Shashtri, 26. Prof. Jerry Carney (USA), 27. Dr. Laxmi Goutam, 28. Shri Kanhaiya Gupta, 29. Shri Krishna Nandan Agrawal, 30. Acharya Devendra Chaitanya, 31. Shri Devendra Dixit, 32. Dr. Mahendra Pratap Singh, 33. Shri Om Prakash Shrivastava, 34. Shri Indra Prakash Pahuja, 35.Shri Pramod Rastogi, 36. Shri Sudhanshu Kumar, 37. Shri Gopal Goswami, 38. Shri Abhishek Shrivastava, 39. Shri Gouri Saini, 40. Shri Bal Krishna Goutam.


The following points were discussed:

• Shri Ramesh Chandra Sharma, Regional Officer of the Archaeological Survey of India, presented a detailed report on what steps have been taken on the restoration of ASI-protected monuments of Shri Jugal Kishor, Govinda Dev, Radha Ballabh and Madan Mohan Temples. He said that 96 notices have been served to the people who have illegally done construction work around these temples in their houses. Unfortunately they did not take cognizance of any of these FIRs. However, the Director General of ASI does have powers to get the illegal structures demolished through the district administration, which in the first place should have stopped then being constructed.
  
• It was suggested that the ASI should work closely with the owners of the ancient temples, ghats and buildings having archaeological importance to conserve the heritage buildings. It is not necessary that ASI acquire those buildings but it can always provide its technical support to restore them taking the owners into the confidence.
  
• The proposed "ropeway" (overhead cable car from Jaint village to Banke Bihari) is completely irrelevant in Vrindavan’s case as it is not situated in hilly area. Moreover the ropeway will leave a negative impact on Vrindavan’s economy and will be beneficial for just one temple. The Right to Information will be sent to the concerned departments finding more details about it.
  
• The meeting’s chair Shri Nirmal Chandra Goswami suggested that a separate federation of the temple trusts be formed under the aegis of the BVHA.
  
• It was decided that Shri Jayant Chowdhry, Member of Parliament from Mathura should be invited to the next BVHA meeting.
  
• Jagannath Poddar was asked to continue to convene the meetings and follow up the minutes of the meeting.

Bad News! Computer Lost!

Dear friends,

On the way back from Vrinda Kunj, my computer was lost. Not sure how it happened, but it is something of a disaster considering that I use the computer so much for so many things. And of course, there was a lot not backed up...

The computer has become so essential to my life that it is almost like a second self, or at least a second mind or brain. A lot of services will be affected, in particular the work on the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance and Prema Prayojan blogs.

So I am sending out an appeal to all those friends who over the years have enjoyed or benefited from my websites like Gaudiya Grantha Mandir, or from writings in blogs like Jagat, or from my translations, to donate for a new computer.

I am sorry I have to do this, but I am afraid I have no other resources, so I am humbly asking for your assistance.

Please write to jankbrz {at} yahoo dot com.

Thanks.

Jagadananda Das.

BVHA Meeting at Radha Damodar, Aug. 11, 2010

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. - Greek proverb

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Dear Friends,

Radhe Radhe! A meeting of the Braj-Vrindavan Heritage Alliance is scheduled to be organized at Shri Radha Damodar Temple ( Shrila Rupa Goswami Samadhi Site) at 10.30 a.m. on 11th August 2010 Wednesday. The agenda of the meeting will be as follows:

1. Discussion on proposed ropeway between Jaint and Vrindavan by the Uttar Pradesh Government.
   
   
2. Debate on whether the private ghats, buildings, and the monuments of archaeological value should be acquired by the ASI or State Archaeological Department.
   
   
3. Any other issue with the permission of the Chair.

Kindly note that the meeting will start correct at 10.30 a.m

Regards,
Yours in service

Jagannath Poddar

Supreme Court puts spoke in Mayawati’s dream project

By Rakesh Bhatnagar (DNA), Aug. 6, 2010

Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister Mayawati’s Rs2,250-crore dream project — the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi and Agra — is in for a bumpy ride. The Supreme Court (SC) raised certain pertinent queries on Friday regarding its environment clearance after 4,000 trees were chopped in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal.

The project envisages a six-lane, 165-km stretch connecting Greater Noida and Agra and reduces travel time between the cities from four to around two hours.

The state government had announced that it would complete the project by February, but with SC stepping in it now appears a distant dream.

SC, which is seized of clearance to many projects since the 1990s in the eco-sensitive zone near the Taj Mahal, also called Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), said the clearance to the expressway had been given without its consent. “Which authority has permitted you? Even before touching TTZ, you have to seek permission of this court,” an anguished bench of justices DK Jain and HL Dattu said.

The court also asked the government-controlled Yamuna Expressway Authority and Jaypee Infratech Limited, which is building the expressway and real estates along it, to submit documents relating to environment clearance.

“We want to see how you have been granted permission,” the court said while putting in abeyance a plea of the authorities concerned for permission to chop more trees.

“You have put the cart before the horse,” the judges saidand pointed out that other aspects of environment, particularly protection of the Taj Mahal and other monuments in TTZ, had to be considered before giving any clearance to the project.

“We have to see whether the project is prejudicial to the monuments or not,” SC said while taking note of a submission made by Krishan Mahajan, who is assisting the court in this matter, that there were five protected Mughal-era monuments in the area.

A report submitted to the court in 2008 had said 2,332 trees were illegally felled around the Taj Mahal, rendering the white marbled monument vulnerable to environmental hazards.

Vivek Oberoi, Susmita Sen and Reha visit FFL Vrindavan

Movie stars Vivek Oberoi and Sushmita visit Sandipani Muni School

Vrindavan (2010.08.05) When movie stars Vivek Oberoi and beauty queens Sushmita Sen andRehafound themselves in the midst of a crowd of students at the Sandipani Muni school, they could not hold themselves back from dancing.

Away from the Bollywood glitter in the holy city of Vrindavan, the three stars had a great deal of fun with the children. Meanwhile people from all over Vrindavan came to try to get a look at them.

Oberoi and the former Miss Universe Sen and Miss Universe runner-up Reha were visiting the Sandipani Muni School of the Food For Life Vrindavan institution. Vivek Oberoi in particular has been a several time visitor to the school, which has 1300 students in three different campuses, serving children, especially girls, from the most underprivileged backgrounds in the town.

Sushmita Sen announced the Sushmita Sen Scholarship Fund for higher education - 10 scholarships to MLA college, at over Rs. 100,000 per year per student, all FREE. She also said, "I want to sponsor as many children as you'll allow me to sponsor."

On their arrival, the children came to greet them by throwing flower petals on the ground and calling out the names of Radhe Radhe! This traditional way of greeting respected visitors seemed to be completely new for Sushmita. Wearing blue jeans and a white halter top, Sushmita was overcome with affection for the children and began hugging them.

Without any fanfare or airs, the stars mixed with the kids.Since Oberoi has been there twice before, many of the children began talking to him almost like an old friend, recounting stories from their experience.

All in all, the atmosphere of blissful intimacy of stars with the children gave proof of the amazing transformative effect of the school's devotional program on the lives of these children and the hope is that the Sandipani Muni formula can be brought to other schools for the underprivileged.

Oberoi and Sen came to inaugurate a higher education program. Sen said that she said that she herself was so impressed by the program that she would herself contribute as much as is necessary to develop it.

Afterwards they went to Banke Bihari templein the evening at 6 p.m. where they took darshan of the deity and prayed for a glorious future--so says the newspaper. Big crowds came to try to catch a glimpse of the stars making it difficult for them to reach their vehicles.

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BVHA Meeting, Lala Babu Mandir, Aug. 1, 2010

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. - Greek proverb

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Minutes of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance

A meeting of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance was held in the Krishna Chandrama Temple (Lala Babu) on August 1, 2010.

Chair: Thakur Shri Krishna Chandrama through His servant Shri Vasudev Goswami

The following points were discussed in the meeting:

• There should be one comprehensive master plan for whole Braj region for developmental point of view. The development should be inclined to the conservation and restoration rather than destructive unplanned development. The planning should be done in consultation with the intellectual, business, social and devotional community of Vrindavan. The developmental package of Rs. 250 crore given by the government has brought ten times more destruction for Vrindavan than actual development.
  
  
• The agricultural land of Braj should not be allowed for the building of new colonies. The real estate business should be discouraged. A Right to Information will be sent to enquire the details of the land use in the Mathura District. Vrindavan is named after a van (forest), not a pur (town). Hence all effort should be done to save natural and built heritage of the place.
  
  
• Multistoried building should be banned for construction in the Braj area. A letter showing this concern will be sent to the government. The elected public representatives will be approached to address the issues in their respective assemblies. A delegation will soon meet the Central and State Government to declare Braj as Eco Sensitive Zone and Vrindavan as a Pilgrimage Town. The speakers showed their concern on the unplanned making of the drainage system in the town which will only invite to the water logging and the diseases. When they are uncovered it may invite the untimely death for the people who live in the town and the visitors who come here with their ardent devotion.

Those Present: Shri Ram Gopal Goswami (Sevait Gopeshwar Temple); Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami; Shri Vaishnava Das (Temple Vice President – Iskcon Vrindavan); Shri Krisna Baldev Dasa (Secretary to the President – Iskcon); Shri Bal Krishna Goutam (Brahman Mahasabha); Shri Ram Narayan Brajwasi (Panda Mahasabha); Dr. Chandra Prakash Sharma; Smt. Manju Sharma (President – Adhyatma Mahila Samiti); Pratibha Sharma Advocate; Shri Krishna Nandan Agrawal (Agrawal Jan Kalyan Trust); Shri Mridul Kant Shashtri; Shri Govind Sharma (Mahant – Vanshi Vat); Pt. Damodar Sharma; Shri Sushil Sharma; Anjali Sood; Shri Kanhaiya Gupta (Vyapar Mandal); Shri Shyam Lal Sharma; Smt. Sunita Tripathi, Shri Ram Shashtri; Shri Krishna Gopal Gupta; Shri Ashok Agrawal; Shri Yogesh Agrawal; Shri Praneshwar Das (World Vaishnava Association); Shri Madhumangal Shukla (Convener – BVHA); Jagannath Poddar (FoV); Shri Ravindra Kulshreshtha; Shri Abhishek Shrivastava.

BVHA Meeting at Lala Babu's temple, Aug. 1, 2010

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. - Greek proverb

Dear Friends,

Radhe Radhe! A meeting of the Braj-Vrindavan Heritage Alliance is scheduled to be held at Shri Krishna Chandrama Mandir (Lala Babu temple) on 1st August 2010 at 10.30 am. The meeting will be followed by Prasadam (lunch). Please be in time to give your valuable inputs on the following agenda:

• The construction of multi-story buildings in Vrindavan and other parts of Braj.
  
• A greater role for people's representatives in the development of Vrindavan.
  
• Preserving agricultural land from being used to develop new colonies.
  
• How to get Braj declared an Eco Sensitive Zone.

Please bring your suggestions in writing if possible.

Pranams,

Yours in service

Jagannath Poddar

The Guru is not hungry for your money

This has been Guru Puja weekend in Mathura. Along with the huge Muriya Poona Mela in Govardhan, a major event in Mathura has been the several days of festivities at the huge 150 acre campus of the Jai Gurudev Ashram on the Agra-Delhi Highway. The newspapers carried succinct summaries of Baba Jai Gurudev's lectures and I thought that it would be interesting to translate them here as this ashram is a major presence in Mathura.

Jaigurudev Baba belongs to the a tradition of north Indian saints who are generally classified as Sant Mat. They include Kabir, Ravi Das, Nanak, Dadu and many others. In the more recent times Sant Kirpal Singh and the Radha Soami sect based in Beas, and in the West, the Eckankar sect, are all prominent representatives. Some of the their principal ideas can be found here: Surat Shabd Yoga, Sant Mat, Contemporary Sant Mat Movements, etc. This article will give some idea of what he teaches, but I make no guarantees of accuracy.

Additional notes taken from Jaigurudev Temple in Mathura (hi.brajdiscovery.org)

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The Guru is not hungry for your money

Sant Baba Jaigurudev Maharaj said that there is no worship without the guru. And at the same time, if you have done puja of the guru, you can say that you have done all the necessary puja. Just like all rivers flow into the sea, all worship culminates in the worship of the guru. One who does even a moment’s devotion to the guru can easily cross over the ocean of material suffering.

Sant Baba has been lecturing over the past few days at the Jayguru Ashram on the Mathura-Agra Road in Mathura. This is the biggest annual festival of the year and many thousands of disciples and admirers come from all around the world on this occasion.

He said that the glories of the guru are unlimited and that no one can fully describe them. The guru has no need or desire for the disciple’s money. One who has proper understanding spends his money in the service of the guru and gets benefited from it in that way. When the soul rises through sadhana then one will see the guru in his own image.

The Sant said that when one gets older then he becomes like an old ox. No one binds an old ox, so similarly there are no restrictions on the old. This is the influence of time. So do everything while you are young and it will be better for you. The human body is a rare gift and it should be used for worshiping God.

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Baba Jaygurudev’s real name is Tulasi Das. His guru’s name was Ghurelal Ji from Chirauli village in Aligarh district. Baba lived with him for many years. His guru then told him to establish an ashram in a secluded place in Mathura city to serve the poor.


This he did in 1953 after the death of his guru. The first ashram was in Krishnanagar called Chirauli Sant Ashram. Later on in 1962 Baba Jaigurudev he purchased the 150 acre property on which the present ashram is built. Because he remembers his gurudeva’s name with every single thing that he does, he became known as Baba Jaygurudev. Very few people know him by his original name Tulasi Das.


One of his significant ventures was the beginning of a political party, the Doordarshi Party, which contested a couple of general elections in the 1980’s on a message of social reform and social uplift, with little success.

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Separation in Sadhana

Baba Jaigurudev said that the Surat or spirit is the divine realm. There are no subdivisions or ingredients there: it is pure, permanent, undivided, and single. Within it 44,000 candles burn. No one can describe its beauty, only some indication can be given. The sadhak who recognizes the signs and takes up the path can reach this supreme abode. One who does not recognize the signs will never get there.

Many pilgrims have come to the Guru’s ashram to garner merit at the time of the Guru Purnima. In his lecture, Baba Jaigurudeva said that when the Surat first comes into the world, then first it takes on the names and forms, and then slowly the veil of karma falls over it. Karma takes over the mind, intelligence, and chitta.

You should relax your materialistic activities somewhat. Whatever you do, do it with industry and honesty. This is the way to get the grace of the sadhus. Always chant japa of the Name. Keep on doing sadhana until the Holy Sound manifests itself. When the Holy Sound manifests then your mind, intelligence and chitta, and your spirit, will all be cleansed.

Baba said that the suffering of separation in sadhana makes a devotee feel as though the entire world is empty. Everything seems to be inadequate. The great souls cried and lamented and by so doing crossed into the True Land. No trace of material conditioning is left on them.

He said that the material nature merges into earth, earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, air into ether, ether into Maya, Maya into Ishwar, Ishwar into Brahma, Brahma into the Para Brahma and Para Brahma into the Mahakala Purusha or great form of time. And when he so wishes, this entire creation expands outward again.

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Give the treasure trove of your breath to others, says Sant Jaigurudev

Baba Jaigurudev said in a lecture yesterday that great souls come and do their work in the world. Then when they leave, whatever breath they leave behind they pass on as a gift to others. And when the time comes that energy is activated.

On Sunday, during the Guru Puja, Baba spoke to the assembly of devotees. He said that the external worship of the guru can be seen with the two physical eyes, but the true puja is seen with the third eye. When you look toward the guru with your inner vision, then you will see that all around him there is only light. When the guru is in the assembly, you can see above and below him. But in fact, the guru is in the divine realm of Sat Loka. In fact, the genuine guru is the one who is present throughout the world as Sat Loka.

Sadhana is only the external cause. In fact, everything is being done by grace. The sadhaka can only tolerate the light of illumination when the guru reveals his form to him. Otherwise, he will close his eyes to keep from being blinded. The divine sound becomes so powerful that the sadhaka cannot tolerate it and may even die. The guru slowly gives the disciple the capacity to tolerate it.

The great saints all instruct their disciples to remain on the path of spiritual practice and truth by eating vegetarian food, keeping away from intoxication, and promising not to harm other men or animals.

On this occasion, Baba gave initiation (Nam Dan) to many people, as well as marrying a number of couples without dowry. Booths for buying tickets for travel were available on the ashram grounds, and the ashram itself had several thousand volunteers driving cars to those destinations.

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The Path of the Kali Yuga is Service

The clear road to spiritual attainment in the Kali Yuga is service and devotion. If the jiva learns to consecrate his life then all success will be his: his life will be filled with joy. In this age people are so riddled with flaws that without the mercy of the spiritual master, no one can go through life without a struggle.

On the fourth day of the Guru Parva festival at his Mandir, Baba Jaigurudeva said to his disciples that after a disciple gets guru, then there is nothing left for him to obtain. His bondage to repeated birth and death comes to an end. The devotee no longer has to take birth or die again. If he is devoted to the guru then the mercy of the spiritual master will take him across the ocean of miseries in a single moment.

Baba said that like birth and death, the time for encountering a saintly person is fixed in one’s destiny. But this is the most wonderful opportunity in a person’s life. The moment has been decided even in a previous lifetime. Through the good deeds that lead to good fortune, one also gets the shelter of a saint. But without the mercy of Lord Hari, we do not even give any attention to the company of saints. We must never forget the Lord.

Baba blessed thousands of devotees and their families individually. He blessed them and asked that they stay on the path of truth, eat vegetarian food, and remember the name of God. Another feature of the celebrations was that many poor boys and girls were married without dowry.

A crowd gathered to get the blessings of Baba Jai Gurudev, a Hindu holy man, during the annual Hindu festival of Guru Purnima, in the northern Indian city of Mathura. (K.K. Arora/Reuters)

Sanatan Goswami's Samadhi Utsava

Yesterday was the Disappearance Day festival of Santana Goswami. The big festival of circumambulating Govardhan in honor of Sanatan Prabhu takes place over the five-day period ending on Purnima, with a major procession leaving the Chakleshwar temple in Manasa Ganga.

Festivities at the actual site of Sanatan Prabhu's samadhi in Madan Mohan is a little more subdued. Here are some pictures on Purnima, sent to us by Deena Bandhu Dasji.

Sanatan Kishore Goswami, the present sevait of Madan Mohan Mandir and Sanatan Goswami's Samadhi.



Darshan on Guru Purnima, Santana Goswami's Disappearance day 25 July 2010. Sanatana Goswami's Samadhi is at the Lotus Feet of Madan Mohan.

Front view of the restored Samadhi.

In restoring the Samadhi, we had to take down the Nat Mandir as it was just bricks and mud! So we put up a waterproof pandal for the festival. Now it's over, we will start construction. Since it is rainy season, we had to put up a waterproof pandal so they could do the ceremonies peacefully. This we volunteered to do as we had taken down the old Nat Mandir.

You can see the old Nat Mandir was just tiny bricks and mud and many cracks were seen, it was ready to cave in. So we had to take it down. We didn't want to disturb the festival, so now it's over, we will start construction.

The old Dwar, gate, of Madan Mohan Mandir.

Anyone who wants to help this restoration project should contact Deena Bandhu Dasji.

Muriya Poona Festivities in Govardhana Attract Six Million

Danghati temple in Govardhan on Muriya Purnima.
Pictures from Braj Discovery Website are of previous years' celebrations. No pictures were available this year.

Over 60 Lakhs of Pilgrims Do Govardhan Parikrama

Govardhan (Based on reports from Dainik Jagran, 2010.07.25)।

The popular festival of Muriya Purnima or Mooriya Poona ended on Sunday. This is the biggest festival in Govardhan during the year and this year official estimates state that more than six million pilgrims did the parikrama of Giriraj.

The festival commemorates Guru Purnima, which coincides with the disappearance day of Srila Sanatan Goswami, the doyen of the six Goswamis of Vrindavan. The term muriya refers to the shaving of heads that the Vaishnavas performed in mourning for Sanatan Goswami. Since Sanatan is often credited with restarting the practice of circumambulating Giriraj, this has became the principal way of commemorating him. But visiting the major temples around Govardha,including Mukharavind and Danghati, and bathing in the Manasa Ganga and other tanks around Govardhan form part of the ritual.

The last two months in Govardhan have been hectic as preparations have been made, especially road-widening and removal of encroachments. High security was everywhere, with CC cameras being used for the first time.

The festival lasts five days, but of course the largest crowds come on the full moon day itself. People came from many different states across North India. From early morning crowds flooded onto the Parikrama Marg. Caravans of pilgrims approached Govardhan, each with the cry of Jai Giriraj Maharaj ki Jai on their lips. The same cry echoed everywhere on the path.



The primary attraction at the Mela is the procession in honor of Sanatan Goswami that left the Chakleshwar Radha Shyamasundar temple at 11, headed by the picture of Sanatan Prabhu. Accompanied by sankirtan. Offered obeisance to Sanatan.

The procession goes from Chakleshwar, to Dasbisa, Bijali Ghara Tiraha, Sankh Adda, Danghati, Hati Darwaja and back. Tamal Krishna Das Baba gave a lecture.

Arrangements tested to their limits. Mathura Junction people coming back. People risking their lives by hanging to the outside and roof of trains, despite several extra trains. Not a square inch of space on the platform. People fighting to get space, even on the rooftops of buses.

Numbers down this year.

The Muriya Mela has been called a "mini Kumbha," but apparently the numbers were less this year, which is a matter of some concern in the local community.

The estimates came in at six million whereas in previous years, particularly in 2007 and 2008, the numbers were said to have passed ten million. The record was set in 2006 when an estimate 15 million people attended, but by last year, numbers had gone down to 8 million. Govardhan Development officer Hari Om Sharma said the reason numbers are going doing is the lack of facilities.

Why are the numbers going down? Certainly much less this year than predicted. Better facilities than previously. B.D. Paulson, the police superintendent says that since the road has been made wider all around Govardhan, it now looks like there are less people.

Since there were no buildings on the road, etc., people were able to walk easily. But there is some concern that attracting more people to the mela is necessary. Mathura Prasad Kaushik, the head sevayat at the Danghati temple said that it is not a good sign for Govardhan that less people are coming. Visitors have to face many difficulties. Not everyone wants to face the crowds and would rather come and do the parikrama on a regular day.



Deaths and Accidents

One pilgrimload of buses was forced to stop near Raya railway crossing. As the driver was dealing with the problem, the passengers got out. A car coming from behind ran into the bus. Several people were injured and two woman, one from Aligarh the other from Meerut, died. Several of the others are still in critical condition. Another person was killed on the road near the Jaygurudeva temple.

During the mela, three people drowned. Because of it, people in need of first aid had to wait long hourse before getting it.

As a safety measure, the PAC had a motorboat on the Manasa Ganga and divers stood at the ready. Microphones were sending out warnings of deep water, which were also cordoned off.

Despite all these preventive actions, two accidents happened.


One woman from Agra, another from Faridabad drowned. One of the women was taken to the Govardhan general clinic, but there were no doctors available. She was taken to a private clinic and treated, and then refered to the Mathura health center, but the drive took three hours and by the time they reached, she was dead. They asked the driver to stop at some other health center on the way, but he refused. When she was dead, the family members started a riot in the hospital. 

One pilgrim died of a heart attack in a guest house at Radha Kund while resting after the parikrama.


Radhe Radhe!

Tree Planting in Vrindavan

The Forestry Department of Mathura and Friends of Vrindavan jointly begins the tree plantation drive in Vrindavan. In the first day of the drive the trees were planted in Lalita Bag, Hardeo Ji ka Bagicha, Govind Dev Temple, Tatia sthan and Porter Burchard Methodist School. The trees will be planted in different temples, ashrams, schools and community places. It was declared that the trees will be planted in the selected areas where the protection is made available by the community members and taken care by them. The fifty trees of Kadamba, Neem, Peepal and Kanji was planted on the first day. Many saints and devotees were present during the event.

Sand bath

I don't know if this picture is from this year's Dussehra, which was just a few weeks ago, or whether it is from another year. I don't see a date. The caption says, "Hindu devotees have baths with sand in protest against polluting the Yamuna river on the eve of Ganga Dussehra festival at Vrindavan, Mathura, on Sunday."

I thought it was worth posting. Taken from Udayavani, Karnataka's Daily. Found through 24dunia.com.

Truly Helping the Cause of Making Braj an Eco-Sensitive Area

Katie Jo Walter is our intrepid research scholar, whose association and assistance we are most fortunate to have. From Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, she is India on a 9-month Fulbright fellowship in communications. Her topic is "Between Religion and Economics: Establishing Ecological Development Discourse in Vrindavan," which is a most timely and related topic. This is Katie's second tour in India, the first time she helped establish a woman's collective called Vrindavan ka gaurav. She is associated in Vrindavan with the Sri Chaitanya Prema Sansthan.

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Here I am, popping up on a borrowed computer to remind everyone: If something (petitioning for Braj as an Eco-Sensitive Area – or ESA) seems too good to be true (i.e. a clear, direct and relatively quick process), then it probably is!

The declaration of Braj as an Eco-sensitive area would be a great achievement. It would limit reckless development and require eco-conscious master planning. However, there are formidable hurdles to clear, namely:

1. The fact that Braj is a large (about 3800 sq. km.) and includes not only several large cities in their entirety but also spans three separate Indian states is a hindrance. Protection of such a large area containing urban centres has not been extended thus far, but this does not mean that Braj cannot be the first. It is encouraging that Mount Abu, including its town (which is a little less than half the size of Vrindavan) has recently been declared an ESA. (official notification on Mount Abu can be found here.

2. Again, the lack of a clearly delineated process for achieving the goal will serve as a frustration. The application process, grounds for advocating protection and even the official definition of an ESA are unclear. This led the Pune and Delhi based non-profit Kalpavriksh to create a report (here) detailing the history of ESA’s and how they have been acquired, including several specific case studies. According to the report’s introduction:

“…these (ESA) clauses have been used only by a few actors mainly because of the lack of knowledge about the scope of ESAs and also due to the MoEF’s ambiguity in notifying them.” and, “…due to incomplete informa¬tion, many proposals that were submitted to the MoEF are still pending or were subsequently rejected as they did not meet the MoEF’s criteria”.

Specific case studies by Kalpavriksh make two conditions for success clear:

1. A large, cohesive and vocal group supporting ESA status. This is where we can all help. The BVHA is doing a great job of getting the ball rolling, but the organization needs to be more transparent and inclusive of all members in terms of meeting attendance, opinion/logistics sharing and fundraising (the particulars of this are for another discussion). Bringing everyone together – in body, name and spirit – will lend not only the BVHA strength but also a great deal more credibility. Past successes involve numerous NGO’s and public/political figures united for the common cause of ESA status.
   
2. A well-informed, intelligent argument for the cause of protection. The religious significance of Braj is well-known and we need to go beyond this in our arguments (Please note: I am not saying that this aspect should be ignored; I am simply saying that it cannot be a stand alone argument). The Kalpavriksh report notes that success in the past has come from arguing along the lines of benchmarks made by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) itself. For example, the Kalpavriksh report cited the MoEF report from the 80’s entitled, “‘Parameters for Determining Ecological Fragility” as critical in supporting the case for Dahanu (near Mumbai). A quick search revealed a 2000 report revisiting the “‘Parameters for Determining Ecological Fragility.”

Anyone who is serious about helping the cause to make Braj an Eco-Sensitive Area should look at this MoEF report and start building arguments around that. Here is the link. One can also look at all ESA notifications by the MoEF to see what arguments made in the past can also work for Braj.

Granted, we are only beginning to embark upon this effort. However, I find it important for supporters to know exactly what we are getting into, what it entails, and how we can best help. I look forward to hearing the outcome of the BVHA delegation’s visit with Sri Jai Ram Ramesh so we can learn how best to proceed and make our every effort count as much as possible!

Vrindavan dham ki jai!

Katie

Declaring Braj an Eco-sensitive Zone

Dear Friends,

Radhe Radhe! The Braj-Vrindavan Heritage Alliance (BVHA) is seeking to get the whole Braj region to be declared as an Eco-Sensitive Zone.

We are in process of sending one representation to Shri Jai Ram Ramesh, Hon'ble Minister of Environment & Forest, requesting him to declare Braj, with the focus on Vrindavan, as an Eco-Sensitive Zone.

It will be very helpful if you can send some of your views to us on why Braj & Vrindavan should be declared as such.

Your valuable comments will help us immensely to draft the petition. Kindly send your suggestions as soon as possible.

Pranams,

Yours in service

Jagannath Poddar

Kirtaniya Aindra Prabhu Leaves Body in Vrindavan

Aindra leading kirtan at last year's
Global Kirtan for the Yamuna at Keshi Ghat.

Devotees from all around the world are mourning the passing of His Grace Aindra Prabhu, the leader of the 24-hour kirtan at the Iskcon Krishna Balaram temple in Vrindavan, who entered Radha and Krishna's nitya-lila this morning at 7.15 AM.

He was found in his room doing dandavat pranams in front of Goura Nitai, his personal deities. A devotee, who always helped him to serve his deity, tried to open the door this morning, but when there was no answer, he had the door broken open, and Aindra Prabhu was found lying in silent obeisances before the Lord.

His Grace Aindra Prabhu, a direct disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, was in charge of the 24-hour kirtan at ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir as ordained by Srila Prabhupada. His sincere devotion and commitment generated a pure spiritual atmosphere in the temple and strengthened perfect devotion in the minds of all visitors to the holy abode.

Aindra Prabhu received Harinama diksha in 1973 in Washington D.C. For many years he served as a pujari at the temple and regularly engaged in Harinama sankirtan and book distribution. After several visits to Vrindavan Dham, he was inspired to revitalize the 24-hour kirtan which had originally been started at the Krishna Balaram Mandir in 1975.

In 1986, Aindra Prabhu came to establish himself permanently in the Holy Dham, from which time he fully committed himself to the service of the Holy Name in the form of Maha Mantra kirtan, inspiring thousands of devotees from India and around the world with his great enthusiasm and melodious chanting. His wonderful devotional recordings have spread far and wide, bringing joy to the hearts of thousands of devotees.

May your chants remind you of Vrindavan and the blessings of Radharani and Shyamasundar be with you forever. We cherish your glories always in Vrindavan and may you live forever in the memories of all the devotees of Vrindavan. May you be ever absorbed in the glorious pastimes of Radha Krishna, always singing their holy names for their pleasure in the nitya lila.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

(From Lakshman Poddar, Facebook) --
More.

BVHA Meeting at Kishore Van, July 14, 2010

July 14th 2010. A meeting of the Braj-Vrindavan Heritage Alliance was organized at Kishore Van. The meeting was chaired by Dr. K.L. Meena, Divisional Director of Uttar Pradesh Forestry.

It was resolved that the BVHA is very serious about getting the entire Braj be declared as the Eco Sensitive Zone, focusing on Vrindavan. They said if Braj is declared an eco-sensitive zone, then the hills, trees and water bodies can be saved from the greed of the developers. Moreover, the agricultural land around Vrindavan and Govardhan would not be used for the construction new colonies.

The Braj heritage has to be conserved at any cost and, if needed, people are ready to give their lives for it. A delegation of the BVHA will meet the Union Environment Minister for this cause.

Shri Govind Kishor Goswami, Sevait of Kishor Van, said that the celebration of 500th birth anniversary of Shri Hari Ram Ji Vyas will begin from 26th November, 2010. He asked that the BVHA be fully involved and participate in this event and help him to bring celebrity singers from Mumbai who can sing the Sakis and Pads Shri Hari Ram Ji Vyas. The alliance members unanimously approved his request.

Shri Goswami also said that he welcomes everyone to support the joint initiative of Friends of Vrindavan and BVHA to restore the Sacred Grove of Kishor Van. He said though he is the Sevait of Kishor Van but worshipping and adoring the Lord is everyone’s right. There is no restriction entering the temple and the grove. Any devotee who respects the rules of the sacred grove of Kishor Van is welcome to visit and practice his rituals here. He is ready to enter into an agreement with anyone whoever helps him to restore Kishor Van.

Shri Ghanshyam Kishor Goswami, son of Shri Govind Kishor Goswami also agreed with this arrangement.

Shri Govind Sharma, Sevait of Vanshi Vat said that he was also willing to restore the sacred grove of Vanshi Vat. The BVHA may adopt Vanshi Vat once the project of Kishor Van accomplished. He said that all the temples should be encouraged to restore their gardens and water bodies.

Dr. K.L. Meena in his presidential address said that he will save the biggest plants of Kadamba, Tamal and other typical trees from his nurseries to be planted in the BVHA projects. He also declared that all sort of technical support will be given by the U.P. Forestry to restore Kishor Van. He took away a sample of the soil from Kishor Van to be tested in the laboratory of the Forestry Department.

He said that it is the responsibility of the local bodies to relocate the stray animals. If the municipality or any one takes the responsibility of relocation of the monkeys he can give the NOC (no objection certificate). He said that the first step to restore Kishor Van is to cover it with iron nets only. This area is dominated by the monkeys, thus no fencing can stop them from coming inside the grove.

Present in the meeting were: Govind Kishor Goswami, Naresh Narain, Ghanshyam Kishor Goswami, Madhumangal Shukla, Kanhaiya Gupta, Sushil Chandra Sharma, Dr. Chandra Prakash Sharma, Ram Narin Brajwasi, Govind Mahant, Pratibha Sharma, Manju Sharma, Bal Krishna Goutam, Shyam Lal Sharma, Indra Prakash Pahuja, Ankit Agrawal, Braj Mohan Khandal, Krishna Gopal Gupta, Ravindra Kulshreshtha, Jagannath Poddar, Avishek Shrivastava.

Radhe Radhe !

ASI responds to questions from BVHA

In the recent meeting with A.R. Siddiqui at Jugal Kishor temple in Keshi Ghat, BVHA delegates asked that the right to information requests sent to the Agra office of the ASI be responded to. Today, after a long wait, the following answers were given in a letter received today:

Reply from the Archeological Survey of India, Agra under the Right to Information for the construction of the half circular flyover in front of the Kesi Ghat.

(1) Was the No Objection certificate sought from the ASI before starting the construction of the bridge?

Ans. The NOC was not taken from the Archaeological Survey of India before constructing the bridge.

(2) How far is the bridge from the ASI protected Jugal Kishor Temple?

Ans. It is within the 300 meter area from the ASI protected monument.

(3) What actions did the ASI take when the information on construction of the bridge came to its notice?

Ans. We asked the concerned department to stop the construction of the bridge as soon as it came to our notice and we wrote letter to the local administration requesting them to stop the illegal construction.

(4) Is the construction permissible under the new law of the regulated area of ASI?

Ans. As per the law there can’t be any construction with the Ariel distance of 100 meters. The construction can be permitted within the regulated area with some conditions if the concerned person or agency applies in the prescribed format.

Sd/- Anil (Central Public Information Officer)

Also, it should be noted that in PIL 36311, stopping the cutting of trees, the Court extended the time for filing a counter affidavit by a further period of four weeks from July 13. The interim order shall remain in effect till further orders.