With crystal jingling and roses woven into the fabric, Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari, today’s aruna hara posse come ridding into town again. Gandharvika and Giridhari have toe ticklers on their leis. (haha One of the folks told me that “garland” isn’t the right word. That really refers to flowers as a long string. The dictionary has the same definition for both words though)Giridhari’s even wraps around his ankle and comes up between his feet, Gandharvika’s goes past her toes too also resting between her feet.
The mind took me beyond the usual haunts and through the years too. I pedaled down a stately street in a toddling town today in a year as long ago as when I performed the first arati of my time. I pedaled beside the cart of Subadra with the acarya aboard. In the middle of that parade he rode the cart and I pedaled alongside watching those people dance and I knew they were happy for a while. Still the years called me back for the vaikalika service and the chills kept me down. Still I went on over the time and back to the future beyond my own time again as I pedaled to the top of the hidden hill that overlooks the bay and saw the folks with the acarya on the beach watching the sufferers and speaking the truth.
In the evening the Deities dawn their "It's a miracle Mom!" dress and go off for their rest and all night pastimes. Made so quickly so as to be offered on Vyasa puja day, the day after Janmastami.