Saturday, June 30, 2007




Even if one is crowned with a fine silk turban it is nothing more than a heavy burden if not bowed down before the Lord. The full moon, snana yatra of Jagannathadeva. This dress is the first one with which Giridhari wears a turban. Today's garlands of the wild flowers growing around "the land".
But it's also the day that Akrua came. Gauranga Sundar Mahaprabhu's visit to his beach house came to an end today. There wearing his version of the across the universe dress. What a crown he has, huh? The folks all tried to obstruct the party who came to take Mahaprabhu away but in the end he left.
Over the hills and far away where the spirits fly today. The mountains, trees other pedalers all on the way to Saint Joseph's to both see Mahaprabhu in his home and to pay a visit to the kernel of divine love. The Kernel opened his eyes and raised his left hand. His attending nurse told us that "You guys are real special. He raised his hand on his own. He hasn't done that since he's been here" We told the Kernel who we were and that all the folks are anxious for his return. Then we went the last leg through downtown past the light rail and the banks and all to Mahaprahbu's home.
The most blessed event is that Gandharvika Giridhari and Mahaprabhu are engaging in their evening pastimes in such joy that all the devotees are singing their glories throughout the night.

Labels:





A hot one today so it called for a Radhastami dress that featured vests for Mahaprabhu and Giridhari. The seamstress made a new coli and veil for Gandharvika. When the curtain opened i heard them say "Nothing up my sleeve" Gauranga Mahaprabhu had purple like that of shut up kid with a belt that came from years of when he stayed here.
A quick pedal around the perimeter of our fair city. The Cruiser King on the one side and the east cliff on the other in the middle is the market, the corner and the point, the hook and on and on, but it's time for the sandhya so back to the asrama.
After the sunset service they go off deep into the far off jungle to watch the lion sleep tonight. Nacite nacite dancing and dancing

Labels:

Friday, June 29, 2007





"This is an old outfit right?" Bhakta Blade asked this morning. "Yes, it's their first Gaura Purnima dress". i told him "But it looks like it's new" He went on. "The peacock feathers haven't broken down or anything and Giridhari's kirta hasn't gotten fuzzy or anything." He was impressed. In the first return visit after their installation they wore this dress on the arrival day of SGM. Bhakta Blade's mother asked me "They were going to wear this dress today anyway. I mean you didn't put on because he hasn't seen it yet and it's the newest dress" "Yes" i replied "There all new dresses as far as he knows, he hasn't seen any of them."
The garlands were a team effort. The flowers are little down today but they aren't so bad as....
Mahaprabhu Gauranga Sundar's dress is one that was offered to him before Gandharvika Giridhari manifest. The green and black matches the one the small Deities wear in the afternoon.
A lion on the chase this evening. That's how the preachers are, like a lion on the chase. Mahaprabhu has a light purple color dress and all of them are happily performing their pastimes.

Labels: ,

Wednesday, June 27, 2007





Gauranga Sundar Mahaprabhu had his "I was born at midnight and when I heard that Vrndavana was for shallow thinkers I fell head over heels for Mahaprabhu" dress today. That was the pink one he brought with him on his vacation at his beach house in SOQUEL. Giridhari got a manjari garland today to go with the carnation one. His had a knee tickler. Mahaprabhu who lives here permanently had his original communist garland of red and white carnations. Gandharvika's is like Giridhari's without the knee tickler. haha
Pedaling today had an eerie feeling. The Kernel of Divine Love took a spill and got such a serious head injury he was airlifted over the hills and far away where the spirits fly. All along the twin lakes and harbor he was on my mind. No geese or sufferers today. There were people pedaling double and others who had their colors on training for the next race. As i passed the skate shop shots rang out in the June sky. At first i thought it was a gun fight but on further review i saw it the beginning of a skate show. With all the excitement behind me i turned my face back to the asrama road and the evening kirtan.
O deer dough have you seen Krsna? That's what the gopis asked the doe when Krsna left the rasa dance. And as they prepared for their evening dance Gauranga Sundar Mahaprabhu put on his "Is it tomorrow or just the end of time?" dress to be ready to witness the whole affair.

Labels:

Tuesday, June 26, 2007





Heavenly cloud is the name of this shade.
Wide trim and silver ducks on parade
Ooo urvasi
Since there is thin red ribbon around the seam
Do you think a red backdrop would make it get up and scream?
Would it just want to take us home? wouldn't do us any harm
Ooo urvasi
Today's garland maker and her mother came riding in on their tiger
Making garlands of marigolds, roses and flowers from the land
Gaurangasundara had his teal kirta and black dhoti. “He's just visiting here” some his San Jose folks said “No! He's come home “ One of the local yokels replied. Their good natured ribbing continued for some time but neither would admit defeat
The birthday of a famous pedaler today so i had to get out and circle the town from here to the opal cliff then to the hook the twin lakes past the public radio and then to the shopper's corner. Take an "S" around the afe then the cruiser king the hog farm to the renewed road, through the harbor and up to the sunny cove and then around the east cliff up the market road and back to the asrama.
Pralad a dad for Gandharvika Giridhari and for Gauranga Sundar Mahaprabhu it's window pane. They make it interesting by wanting to be dressed quick and then off to their evening pastimes on the warm summer night.

Labels:

Monday, June 25, 2007





Since any day can become an Ekadasi they wear a dress that has colors everywhere,Giridhari's chodder floats upon the air as he dances here and there and Mahaprabhu has lots of blue while Gandharivka you see her in purple and gold like a queen in olden days. San Jose's Mahaprabhu wears an old outfit today that saves us from falling from the glance of his divine grace.
pedaling in my mind pedaling in my mind from the twenty-fifth street high school to the shore of opal cliffs and then back to Vrndavana and Radha Syama, pedaling in my mind
They all match this night call it baby blue and they perform their pastimes in a graceful way all night lying down only for a moment

Labels:

Sunday, June 24, 2007




visalaksa sikkhipicca camara another peacock feather dress. A stage coach of pearls and peacock feathers pulled up from a Vrndvana tailor shop and it was in time for Janmastami. The marigold and rose garlands go well. "You're picking marigolds and you don't know what color the Deities are wearing tomorrow?" someone asked today's garland maker. But Giridhari chose them anyway.
And tell me is that Mahaprabhu over there on the small part of the altar? i believe you're right. The devotion of the folks here have called him back for some time.
In the ninth they go out dancing while Gauranga Mahaprabhu looks on in ecstacy.

Labels:

Saturday, June 23, 2007



The water of the Guru surrounds the lotus, the disciple, and keeps the Krsna sun from burning the lotus. But it takes more than just one life to get there even if we travel by dragon fly. When or if we get there it won't seem so long and then the clouds will overflow with Krsna's candy. "Mahaprabhu's garland isn't symmetrical" the maker complained to me. "Look" i shot back "the center flowers are where they should be. What can i do if one side doesn't match the other?" "Oh" the maker said as my point was considered, "well, can't you move it somehow?"
All around the east cliff the sufferers came into view while all the tourists built bonfires with their little kids too. Then the road took me around the twin lakes as usual and on past the harbor back to the asrama for the waking. Afterward sickness began to take my mind onto the tour of California and the nowhere bike took the last few stages of today's rounds.
The most blessed event is that even in my down time they called me down to put them to bed and get them otherwise ready for their evening pastimes.

Labels:

Friday, June 22, 2007



Well there's on time and then there's fashionably late. Saint Patrick's day comes fashionably late. The purple is said to be the color the priests wear at Easter time. Gaura Purnima, one of the folks said, is our Saint Patrick's day and the arati was held for his english as a second lanuage class.
The same pedaling route as yesterday but faster. The village was deserted so no one was there looking in the windows instead of driving along, the opal cliff was without sufferers but the murti had a new garland. Then there was the electric pedaler looking for a bar. "A bar?" i asked about three times or each time he repeated the question. i ended by saying "i'm a tea totaling vegetarian" and pedaled off past the hosptial and on to the florist and made the turn back to the asrama in seconds flat.
The lion then took his rest deep within the eucalyptus grove.

Labels:

Thursday, June 21, 2007



The green with a little purple for this Thursday. Though love isn't always on time Gandharvika wouldn't have it any other way. She's got bells on her skirt so you know she'll be there with bells on. Garlands with roses and big daisies. "Oh, Giridhari's is short today" lamented the maker. "Hey, it comes to his knee" i replied "It can't be that short." Bhakta Blade caught the ironing of last night's dress. "It really looks more red now" hmmm how perceptive?
"Where did you go today?" i pulled up next to one of the young folks at a traffic light toward the end of my pedaling today and he asked me that. "Through the village around by your house, down to offer respect to the Sufferer murti and then i swang by your mom's house" "Are you on your way back to the asrama now?" "Yeah" then he gave me a positive mudra and i pedaled off past the train stop, the coming evil empire and then the road back to the asrama where the kirtan was waiting for me to engage in it.
Giridhari wears creamy lemae trousers and golden ankle bells, Gandharvika's chiffon palo has a peacock on the back while Mahaprabhu's deep purple let's us know there dancing at the best place around.....

Labels:



In the beginning Gandharvika and Giridhari were one then they separated to engage in their pastimes. Now they have again joined together as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So it seems it could be said that Mahaprabhu is the original personality of Godhead. Mahaprabhu, superstar, is it alright for me to say that's what it seems you are?
"I tried so hard to get those big daisies in the right place in Mahaprabhu's garland" the maker told me today. Carnations dominated today.
Off to the market to get some sandalwood oil. Starting off in the usual route. That is from the asrama past the florist with "the guy" out front waving to all the passers by. On along through the lots of the invisible convenience store and the hopsital heliport. Then around the turn and over the creek. Between the twin lakes past the Holland bike shop and then the east cliff to bhakta blade's house where the market is. Next to the other market to get a new lighter. On the way to the asrama, i chanced by a restaurant dedicated to Hanuman. One of the employies came out and dandavated right in the middle of the sidewalk. And looking at my watch i noticed i was late. So i went on past the usual tune up spot and the hog shop, jazzersize place along to the asrama for the sunset service
Bhakta blade's mad skills seemed to be working in reverse this evening. They took so long to get into their night dress, the lotus nails, that Gandharvika's sari got caught in so many things it shouldn't have along with the trunks of elephants or the necks of swans. But in the end the rest they take is the rest they've made.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;........................................................................

Wednesday, June 20, 2007



When Krsna feels the breeze from Radharani's sari he gets so much pleasure it's all but impossible to know the pleasure he gets from their intimate contact. The gayatri mantra is about pointing to Srimati Gandharivka and her service. Her sari in this dress is the color she selects for herself. Big fluffy marigold garlands today. Fluffy not a tuffy for them to carry around.
It was late in the afternoon with the rush hour traffic to pedal by. They sat all along my trek today. From the go-light at the end of the asrama road to parking lot of an invisible convenience store to past the trauma heliport and then on to the twin lakes then through the wharf around to the shopper's corner and back up for the sandhya. All along the way there were cars of all years makes and models in all states of repair. Some with the latest country, rock or rege pouring out of the windows and some with talk and other more intellectual pursuit's.
The cool of the evening welcomed the lion's club velvet dress for the resting this night. By now they might be out dancing under the moonlight in the trees on the temple grounds.

Labels:

Tuesday, June 19, 2007



The rusty orange of Mahaprabhu and Giridhari along with the light blue for Gandharvika is something like their traditional colors. Though the seamstress was excited about Giridhari's belt that she made she was really impressed by the chodder and all the colors she worked into it. The amazing technicolor dream chodder.
Weaving through the traffic on this windy kind of day saw few sufferers down by sri sufferer murti or any of the other hot spots for suffering. i pedaled along past the joggers and lovers and families walking. A few young pedalers also darted in and out of the path trying to stay on the pavement. There were yard sales at the houses on the opal cliff and a sidewalk sale at the suffering shop at the hook. As i rounded third and headed for home today a neighbor stopped to warn me that there was another pedaler lying down at the side of the road about a mile from there. He said "I don't know if he fell, is napping, smelling the roses or just a deralect but I think you should check him out and ask if he needs help" i agreed but was relieved not to see that pedaler anywhere. i had to get back fast for the sunset service.
They do call east Bengal the radhadesa and i call this one baby blue. At night it's a different world go out and dance under the moonlight and fog of the bay. Such a sight would surely drown everyone who was able to see it in a pool of ecstatic joy.

Labels:

Monday, June 18, 2007



Akasa Puspa! Yeah, that's a bengali expression that means phantasmagoria. These are certainly flowers of the sky too. The anniversary of the installation of Guru Gandharv ika-Giridhari. The nineteenth of May in 96 so many people here today were in that day's mix. Today they all came to remember their parts in the drama and the pagentry. The garlands are excellent as usual for these days. The Buttercarya gave some gifts and when she saw me shouted "They're earrings they're earrings!!!!" "i know that i know that!!!!! They wanted to wear them as brouches" i shot back. They just wouldn't give enough to stretch around their ears.
A double shot around the hospital curve and the east cliff the twin lakes where the sufferers go to build bonfires. Then on to the hook up to the soccer pitch and back round. "That was a quick ride" Bhakta Blade exclaimed upon my return to dress the small Deities and perform the sandhya
When the whole celebration ended they went in for their Chinese silk soft and smooth as milk and as they jumped into their beds it was the touch that kills

Labels:

Saturday, June 16, 2007



Giridhari blows his flute and Mahaprabhu begins his kirtan, and the devotess dance before their eyes sparkling like a million suns calling the rest of us on and on from all places of the universe. Offered on SGM's appearance day of two thousand five jaya gurudeva. "The Krsna Madhuri flowers save the day and stretch the garlands" the maker said. With the curtain open the Deities outshine all the stars and as devotees arrive from all over the three worlds remembering the day it was offered chant "jaya gurudeva"
Today must have been a recumbent festival there were at least seven as i pedaled this afternoon. Along the road past the high school and the hopstial to the car dealership whose display window the radicals broke last year. The radicals have been pacified by a pedaler's lane on that road now. The around to the east cliff where school children released from captivity haunt the beach. Then through the village and around the market to feed the bear. Whoa it's already time for the waking hammer! Back for a quick loop to the post office, the snob hill and the wharf road then looking over i see the kala rupa once again starring me down. Sprint to the arati.
The most blessed event this evening as usual. "Shiver me timbers!!!!!!!! Murka you back there? The doors are locked!" chacha Sid hadn't come back before his parrot had squwoked.

Labels:

Friday, June 15, 2007



"If a bumble bee comes in and buzzes around the Deity's garland you know your worship is a success" Srila Prabhupada told us that. Today they were around Gandharvika's veil and the bottom of her skirt. In the Bhagavatam one bee came before and she took it as a messenger from Giridhari and engaged in some mad talks. The garlands are of labatiras and orchids. Interesting purple with the yellow and black.
Starting from the left today. That is starting in the village to the east cliff and around the shopper's corner. "Going out for some fun?" The Kernel of divine love asked me "You're having too much fun these days" he said. As i returned he saw me making my way up the hill. He said "Show off! You could probably make the bigger hill too?" Yes" i said. "Show off" he repeated
They went to the jungle again tonight to take rest. They went deep to dance and to sleep

Labels:

Thursday, June 14, 2007



Tell the seamstress to make an extra long kirta of deep forest green, that's the color for Thursday, i hope the arati is starting on time. Mostly carnation garlands with a few donations from the trader. "Couldn't you turn the roses around?" "i'm up against the kala rupa right now, maybe later".
A couple of loops around the wharf in the village up to the school and round the jalapenos, hog shop and the junction. Trailing along behind a couple racers on the newly surfaced road. Back in time for the last few bars of the sandhya.
Then they dressed quickly enough to go out and play in the warm night with a little fog rolling in on it's famous little cat feet.

Labels:

Wednesday, June 13, 2007



Giridhari sashayed in from the pasture
And we all prayed our eyes wouldn’t blink
His peacock feather dipping to his eye, jacket purple and dhoti pink
We embraced him in our hearts as we watched him walk on by
“Steal our minds away this time
Stealthily, just like a thief coming in the night” is what we all wanted to say
The carnation garlands are a constant Wednesday sight today roses are the central figures.
i pedaled out from the asram headed toward the Monterey Bay crossing the opal cliff and around the theater and the shopper's corner then back around the hook through the village around the post office and the kid's park to the snob hill and beyond the second village and along the wharf back through the harbor and circling around the school and the cruiser king along by the Chinese. Around the jazzersize place to the junction and as i pedaled along the renewed road i chanced by a tattooed gentlemen on a bmx he said his name was popa wheelie. i stopped at a light and coming up from behind he was riding a wheelie as he stopped he jumped off and said that his sister's weird she drives a hummer. So i pedaled as fast i could back for to make the burfi.
"There is a backdrop for this outfit" i told Bhakta Blade. "I've been doing this for two years and I've never seen a backdrop" "Well there is." We went out to the wig room and sure enough he found it. By his mad skills Bhakta Blade was able to put Gandharvika's necklace on her without moving Her veil or hair. "He's good" (haha)

Labels:

Tuesday, June 12, 2007



A beautiful blue sari to go with Mahaprabhu's traditional mango and orange and Giridhari's yellow. Gandharvika's choker and earrings are a set offered by one of the folks. Today's garlands were made by a special guest star. i was surprised that so many marigolds were available for the "liberating".
The east cliff along by a section of the beach that i usually avoid 'cause there joggers huff along and empassioned sufferers struggle getting their boards across the road, and parents with their tiny tinies slowly traverse the path that is to be shared by pedalers but for the experience i did today. Then onto the daily twin lakes and harbor jaunt. Back by the "people's island" in the midst of the road to the down town. Then back by the harbor and to the basketball park. Over more construction and back for the sunset program.

Labels: