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Dear Devotees, please accept my dandavat pranams. Let me share with you some memories and photos from Gurudeva's visit in Sweden this summer 2005.
During one week in the end of July, we had some intensive and enriching days together with Srila Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami, who came to visit us in Sweden. The first days, which offered beautiful sunshine as well as thunderstorm and vehement hail, it was the people in Gothenburg who had the chance to listen to lectures given by our Guru Maharaj.
We spent the days not far from Gothenburg at the Imlitala farm, a place that Mahahari prabhu has built and been working with for several years. It is a beautifully situated ecological farm close to the seaside, and there were around ten devotees staying at the farm over the weekend.
There was morning and evening programs with lectures and music, and delicious prasadam was served during the days.
Many visitors came from far and near, and the Saturday program at Skansberget, in central Gothenburg, was very appreciated by all who were present.
On Sunday we took leave of Imlitala and Gothenburg to go to Huskvarna and Jönköping. To the joy and inspiration of many people, there were bhajans, Prasadam distribution and lectures about bhakti yoga during three days.
Our Guru Maharaj stayed over night with Brahma Samhita prabhu, Vasudeva prabhu. Maha Hari prabhu and Anubhav prabhu and myself in some nice houses in a glade at Moliden outside of Jönköping. In the beautiful nature we had the morning lectures after fresh swimming in the lake nearby.
Before the Sunday program, Guru Maharaj was interviewed by a journalist from the local newspaper, which the following day resulted in a nice article about the travelling monk.
The evening program was held in Huskvarna at Nimai Sankirtan Ashram – a program attended by many interested people. The atmosphere was nice and Prasadam delicious.
On Monday we gathered for another well attended program in Jönköping at Bhakti Yoga & Meditation Centre, together with Guru Maharaj and his godbrother Raivata prabhu. It was an interesting and appreciated lecture followed by questions and nice Prasadam.
The last evening in Jönköping there was an official program at the Theatre in the Culture Area. Many satisfied visitors got answers on their wonderings, and some praised the lecture of the evening and the philosophy presented there – a philosophy which was new for many of them.
On the way between Jönköping and Stockholm, the group of devotees stopped to visit Guru Maharaja’s godbrothers at Almviks gård, the Iskcon farm outside of Södertälje. It was a joy of reunion, and we took darshan from the Sri Pancatattwa, the beautiful Deities, in the temple there, before a nice Prasadam was served.
In Stockholm we gathered together with some other invited people in the appartment of Bhakta Gustav in Gamla Stan – a nice meeting with lecture, song and Prasadam before Guru Maharaj and some of the devotees went for harinam in the nearby area.
Soon it was Thursday, and the week together with Guru Maharaj and the devotees in our Vrinda family had come to an end. We all look forward to come together again singing, dancing, listening and rejoicing with each other and with our beloved spiritual master, who so generously shared with us his wisdom and overwhelming inspiration and spiritual love. We hope that many more will get the opportunity to meet with our Guru Maharaj the next time he comes to Sweden.
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Aspiring to serve,
Manah Siksa Devi dasi
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