Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
As I write this offering, my mind reverts to something very simple. A young boy is arranging a small Ratha-yātrā in the courtyard of his home – the house of your father, Gour Mohan De, in Calcutta. It’s a modest chariot, a few neighbors in attendance, and Lord Jagannātha emerging to meet everyone.
It is difficult for us to fully understand how that moment has now expanded across the world. Today, by your mercy, Lord Jagannātha travels through the streets of major cities on every continent.
People from all walks of life come forward. They pull the ropes, sing, dance, and accept prasādam. Many may not understand everything, but they feel something. We believe that what they are truly receiving is your compassion.
You desired this. You carried this wish. You gave this festival to the world.
Here in Sandton, Johannesburg, we are preparing for our fifth Ratha-yātrā. It is still growing. Some days it feels unsteady. There are many moving parts. Devotees are cooking, making samosas, building, calling, inviting – trying to bring everything together. Not everything goes as planned, but the effort is sincere. We are endeavoring to do this for your pleasure.
Over the past months and this past year, we have endeavored, in our small way, to continue your mission here in South Africa. The temple remains a place where people can come. Outreach continues in various spaces. Young people gather. Books are distributed. Prasādam is served. Slowly, something takes shape.
At the same time, we feel the weight of separation. Many of your followers are leaving this world – senior devotees who carried your mood so strongly. We feel their absence. We understand how much they held. And naturally, a question arises.
How do we serve you now? We do not feel fully qualified, but we do feel responsible.
Thus, we strive to stay engaged. To stay united. To maintain the kirtan. To keep the doors open. To continue inviting others. And in this effort, we pray that we are not alone – that through these small attempts, others can come closer to you.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have given everything – the holy name, your books, your example, and a mission that continues to progress even now. We are simply begging for your mercy. Please allow us to serve with sincerity. Please help us remain steady. And if there is any value in what we are doing here in Sandton, please accept it.
This Ratha-yātrā is yours. This temple is yours. Everything we try to do is yours. We strive to be yours.
Your servants,
The ISKCON Sandton community
(written by Vibhu Caitanya Dāsa)