[Assam] Yogi Krishna's birthday - commercial Anup Jalota sings in ISKCON temple in Washington DC ; bike pilgrimage, Valmiki devotionals

[umesh sharma]

Hi,

Some of us may be hapy to learn that the famous Indian gospel singer (Hindu hymns)  performed free  at ISKCON temple of Washington DC. I rode my bicycle  total  4 hours  at night  on highways  to  be there.  It was  worth it.

http://www.iskcondc.org/content/shri-krishna-janamashtami

To be clear, I have never been his fan. Infact , as a child I preferred the music of Hari Om Sharan, and our Jaipur School music teacher better than his - since the school teacher were traditional musicians/singers for the Jaipur king - though now struggling to make a living. The Mr Mohan Pareek (his first name was different, Mohan was his second name - I forget - that was when I was in elementary school)   . Well, that guy
 sang for God only, not for money - had great intensity and (I got his name I think Shashi
 Mohan Pareek) a much
 smoother , melodious voice.

However, over the years I have come to realize that commercialization of art may make it less pure but spreads the message to a much larger audience, who may never get a chance to experience the grandeur otherwise. Tonight, Anup Jalota was humble and even cracking jokes at his own expense. Perhaps he realized that in the US he was like one of us, no local newspapers and TV channels to interview him and give him coverage. 

He sang well, just like in the audio cassette I had brought with me from India (it was not pirated). However, I also have here cassettes of a recording we ( I and my father ) had done in 2003 - just before I took the GRE to come to US, of an alll night hymn devotional where lots of singers sang (of Valmiki - sweeper community - many quite educated and working office jobs, some doing traditional cleaning jobs)  - most having no formal training in music but they are the the greatest
 devotees. Despite so much ridicule and ostracization they believe in the faith. To be sure they pray to the one almighty and to the
 various Gurus rather than the mainstream Hindu deities like Krishna and Ram.  However they do sing bhajans/hymns of Krishna , Ram .

There were people all over the farmhouse/temple. There is no great building - more like an ashram - last time I went there was when Satyen-da (of Assamnet) had a function there, last year. They have cows also, whom I fed bananas (picked from the temple offerings). Today I had only $4 cash in my pocket so bought $3 worth of pakodas (fried with cawliflower inside and coconut chutney , tomato hot sauce - all freshly made) and gave $1 donation. Free food/prasad is only on Sunday ( I am not going there tomorrow for it).

Anup Jalota said, "After this bhajan evening here my batteries are charged for one year." 

My batteries were charged by the thought that I was struggling (just like Krishna did since his birth in jail under the terror of death at the hands of the king - his mom's bro) to get to the
 temple. Krishna was a great Karma Yogi - an action man. We can all learn from that - on his birthday.

Greetings on Janmashtami (Krishna's birthday)

Umesh 

PS: My father was also born at midnight on Janmashtami, like Krishna , I am told.

This was my second night bike ride to a Krishna temple in another state ( I rode from Washington DC into Maryland - over two hillocks etc). the first one was a all night 100 mile one in Sep 2002, which led to two all night motorbike rides and  gave me  a  vision and confidence  to  face  the  unknown  - and try to  cross  the seven seas - to the US



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