Prabhupada Marathon in Bangladesh
For several years I had been meditating on arranging a Prabhupada book marathon in Dhaka – the Bangladeshi devotees haven't been exposed to Srila Prabhupada's view on book distribution, and to the ISKCON tradition of the book marathon.
This year was the first time I would be in Bangladesh during the month of December, and on my arrival in Dhaka in October I had suggested to Jagatguru Prabhu: "Let's do a book marathon this year." He had been a little doubtful, saying: "Not this time."
He felt there were too many managerial problems hanging in the air, and we were not ready for it. So I had given up on the idea, not wanting to push him too much.
A few weeks later, at the end of November, Dvijamoni Prabhu, one of our brahmacaris, had come back from visiting Chowpatty and Pune temple, and he had reported to him: "The devotees in Pune are having so many discussions about the Prabhupada marathon – maybe we can also do something…." And gradually the idea took shape…..
We had some meetings and a general isthagosthi, and I used every opportunity to speak about book distribution: on the big Friday evening program, on the Prabhupada-nectar class on Thursday evening, and in the SB class. I talked about Prabhupada's view on book distribution, the history and beginning of it, the discovery of the first marathon, decorated with a few nice Sankirtan stories.
Every morning after Mangal artik we read for five minutes from "The Nectar of Book Distribution" – the evening before I pick the paragraphes, and one devotee translates them.
It didn't take long for everybody to become enthusiastic…..
We decided for a ten-day marathon, from the 5th til the 15th of December. We can always extend, if the devotees feel inspired. Since it is their very first marathon, we thought it is better to begin with a shorter but nice experience.
Bangladesh being a Muslim country and the Hindu population being only around 15%, we cannot simply go in the street for distribution, especially also since it is considered to be an offence to try and "convert" a Muslim. So we have to find different ways of meeting the Hindus. Devotees quickly had some ideas: to use their contacts with Hindu people who work in offices, banks, hotels, hospitals etc. We could go to some markets where the shop keepers are mainly Hindus. We could also ask big business men to sponsor BG's for free distribution to the poor, to students, to jails and libraries etc.
Since December is the month of 'Gita Jayanti' we decided to use this as the official reason for our marathon – the Gita Jayanti month, which awards special mercy for those who accept and distribute Krsna's instructions. The devotees quickly whipped up a little pamphlet about the event of Gita Jayanti, with a nice quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"There is no literature throughout the universe like Srimad Bhagavatam. There is no comparison. There is no competition. Every word is for the good of human society. Somehow or other, if a book goes in someone's hand, he will be benefited….Therefore we are stressing so much, 'please distribute books, distribute books, distribute books.'"
Since I had been speaking so much about the marathon, I knew I had to go out myself – I had no choice….! There was no way I could just sit back and relax, watching others go out. I felt devotees were looking at me, whether I would "walk my talk"….. (By the way: I am fifty years old and was diagnosed with cancer last year….)
I teamed up with Madhavi Nandini mataji and one boy called Animesh, who had recently started coming to the temple. We collected all kinds of ideas where we could go, and our first day out was at the Dhakeswari temple, which is one of the main national Hindu temples in Dhaka. The management is very favorable there and gave us permission to distribute books on the temple premises.
Already on our arrival when taking the books out of Madhavi Nandini mataji's car, one family stopped and bought one of those little English Bhagavad Gitas. It turned out to be the high commissionar of India – it seemed like Krsna had sent him along to give us some encouragement…..
We met many nice and highly educated people, and practically everybody knew ISKCON. I met one young fellow who is studying in Sydney and had been to our temple in North Sydney and also to the New Gokula farm, and he bought a BG for his future wife. Another fellow is studying in Melbourne, and he had never been to the temple, but bought a BG and promised to go to the temple on his return to Melbourne. I also met a few foreigners and tried to talk to them, but I was not very successful. Bangla people are so much easier for me to connect with – I must be Bangla, born in Germany by mistake…..
On our first day we distributed 11 BG's and 17 small books within three hours…..! Needless to say – we were in bliss….! The Sankirtan fever had caught us…..
Madhavi Nandini mataji is a natural Sankirtan devotee, and it's great fun to go out with her. We have a nice team spirit – often I start speaking to people in English, and if their English is not good enough then she takes over and speaks in Bangla, and I happily agree to be her 'dancing white elefant'….
She is very busy since she is running several afternoon schools and coaching centers. But whenever she has the time we go out together, and we always meet some nice people and distribute quite a few books within a short time. Dhakeswari temple is our favorite spot. Yesterday the two main pujaris of that temple came and bought some books, and they invited me to give the main lecture of the week on Sunday evenings, on SP's BG…..!
One afternoon I was sceduled to give the lecture on a yearly namahatta festival, so we couldn't go out on book distribution. I finished my lecture by glorifying Prabhupada's books and telling about the Gita Jayanti marathon, and I offered to sign every book with some blessings which people would buy. As soon as I had finished speaking so many people were coming up to the Vyasasana, wanting to buy books – I was indeed very busy writing blessings……
After three days there were no BG's left in the temple – we have to switch over to Krsna book……
When offering Krsna book I often tell people that it is an ideal book for children. I say that most parents in ISKCON don't allow their children to watch TV, since there is so much garbage on it. But instead they read stories from Krsna book to their children, so that the children grow up remembering all the different pastimes of Krsna, and even play and enact them. People in this part of the world really like this line, because they are very concerned about their children being taught the culture…..
Who would have ever thought that a Muslim country can be such nectarean field for book distribution….?!
Your servant,
Devaki Devi Dasi
