Volume 9, Chapter 6 - By Indradyumna Swami

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Indradyumna Swami <Indradyumna.Swami@pamho.net>Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 1:22 PMSubject: Volume 9, Chapter 6To: "IDS Diary (of a Traveling Preacher)" <IDS.Diary@pamho.net> Diary of a Traveling Preacher Volume 9, Chapter 6 May 2008 By Indradyumna Swami

"Enemies in Powerful Positions" I arrived back in Europe in early May and met with Jayatam dasa and Nandinidasi to discuss the summer Festival of India tour in Poland. We spend theentire year organizing the 50 festivals, including the Woodstock Festival,that we hold along the Baltic Sea coast. In total, the festivals attractsome 750,000 people.The final weeks before the first festival are always hectic. This year wefaced the challenge of obtaining special visas for the 200 Russian andUkrainian devotees on the tour. They needed Schengen visas, which allow theholder to enter the European Union and visit most countries there for threemonths. To obtain it, however, one must have a job, a bank account, andreferences.It poses a problem because many of our Russian and Ukrainian devotees livein temples. We had to negotiate at the highest levels, including meetingrepresentatives of the Polish Ministry of External Affairs, to find asolution. The problem was resolved only days before the first festival, andthe devotees were granted visas with unprecedented concessions."It was only because of our good track record in holding these culturalevents for almost 20 years," Nandini told me.A contributing factor was the support of the new Indian Ambassador toPoland, who became a welcome ally when he revealed his appreciation forISKCON and expressed a keen interest in helping us spread Vedic culture inthe country."ISKCON is India's cultural ambassador to the world," he said to Jayatam andNandini.He offered to let the Indian Embassy be the official patron of the tour thisyear. With this diplomatic support we went forward with fresh enthusiasm,putting the Indian flag on our newly designed posters and invitations.Despite the support, however, we found ourselves facing the usualopposition. In preparation for the tour, Nandini had contacted the towncouncils in all the towns where we planned to hold festivals. Most welcomedus back, saying they were receiving inquiries from people planning theirvacations as to when the Festival of India would be in their town. But oneparticular town posed a problem for us, and it wasn't the first time.It is one of the largest towns along the coast, with a population thatswells to several hundreds of thousands during the summer. Our festivalthere is always our biggest and most prestigious. Months ago Nandini made arequest to hold the festival in a large park in the center of town. We wereassured by the authorities that there would be no difficulty. But in lateMay Nandini received word from the council that the park was being allocatedto a handicraft fair for the entire summer."This is the problem all along the coast," Nandini told me over the phonewhile I was in America. "There are hardly any cultural events anymore.Everything has become business. It's almost too late now to find anotherspot, but I'm going to try for the beachfront.""The beachfront is the most prestigious place of all," I said. "If we can'tget the park, how in the world will we get the beachfront?"The promenade along the beachfront is the very heart of the action in thetown during summer. Although we had previously held festivals there, we knewthat many of the town's well-placed people were opposed to our getting thelocation again.Nandini contacted the official in charge of the promenade and asked if therewere any weekends available. "It's funny you called just now," he said. "Thespot has been booked for months, but just fifteen minutes ago we had acancellation for the weekend of July 5th and 6th. Would you like to takethose dates?"Nandini couldn't believe her ears. "That's one of the best weekends of thesummer," she thought, and eagerly said she'd take it. She was told thecouncil would be notified and she could sign the contract in the official'soffice in two weeks.Nandini decided that while she was visiting the town she would meet themayor to talk about the Baltic coast resorts giving preference to businessover culture, and she made an appointment for the same day.The recently elected mayor was no stranger to Nandini. Three years ago hewas the headmaster of the biggest high school in town. He heard about ourfestival from some students and came to see it himself. He was sufferingfrom a prolonged illness and was interested our Ayurvedic Cures tent.He waited in a long line to see a devotee consultant in Ayurveda, but thefestival ended while he was still waiting. He felt frustrated and approachedNandini, who was standing nearby. She arranged to bring the consultant tothe headmaster's home that same night.It was 11:00 PM when they arrived, but he was eager to receive them, andthey spoke well into the night. Nandini and the consultant encouraged theheadmaster to live a simpler life and give up some of his bad habits. Hetook their advice and was eventually cured. This year he ran for the officeof mayor and won. He was still grateful to the devotees.Two weeks later Nandini drove north to sign the contract for the spot on thebeachfront. The official in charge of the promenade greeted herenthusiastically. "Everything's all right," he said. "I'm just waiting forthe final paper from the town hall. Please come back in half an hour."When she returned the man's demeanor had changed. "I'm sorry," he said."There's been a last-minute change. The council has canceled your event, anda soccer match has been scheduled for that weekend.""How can that be?" Nandini said. "You told me two weeks ago the spot wasopen and you reserved it for us."The man looked down. "I'm sorry," he said. "There is nothing that can bedone. The council has made its decision.""I'll bring this issue up with the mayor," Nandini thought. "By Krsna'sarrangement I have an appointment with him in 90 minutes."On the way out she called me again and updated me on the situation. "Itdoesn't look good," she said, "but I'll keep trying."On the way to the town hall she stopped at the home of an old friend who hasconnections with the council."It's true what you say," the woman said. "The council is less and lessinclined to cultural events as each summer passes. They give all the primelocations to business enterprises. And I'll tell you something else: at arecent council meeting your festival was discussed. There was a lot ofopposition. That's when the council decided against giving you the park thisyear. After the resolution was passed one of the senior council membersslammed his fist on the table and said, 'There will never be anotherFestival of India in our town!'""Was the mayor there?" Nandini asked."No, he wasn't," her friend said. "Not everyone was pleased, of course. Youhave a lot of supporters here, but be warned, your enemies are in powerfulpositions."Nandini then left for her appointment with the mayor, where she was greetedby his secretary and escorted into his office."It is wonderful news that you'll be having your festival on the beachfrontthis year," the mayor said."The festival has been canceled," Nandini said, holding back her anger."First we were denied a request to hold it in the park, and now it's beenofficially canceled altogether.""Canceled?" the mayor said. "Who canceled the festival?""The council," Nandini said, raising her voice."But I'm the head of the council, and I wasn't informed," the mayor said.He turned to his secretary. "Have you ever been to the Festival of India?"he said."Yes, Lord Mayor," she said, "I have.""And what did you think of it?" he asked.She paused for a moment. "It's a wonderful event," she saidenthusiastically. "The citizens love that festival, especially the children.They all look forward to it.""Thank you," the mayor said.He reflected for a moment then looked at his secretary. "Ask the deputymayor to come to my office," he said.Five minutes later the deputy mayor and the council spokesman came into themayor's office. Without introducing Nandini the mayor talked briefly withthe deputy mayor, then leaned back. "Have you ever been to the Festival ofIndia?" he asked the spokesman."Oh, yes," the spokesman replied, "several times.""And did you like it?" the mayor asked."Very much so," he replied. "I look forward to it each summer."The deputy mayor looked disturbed.The mayor turned to him. "And Mr. Deputy Mayor," he said, "have you everbeen to the Festival of India?""Yes, I have, Lord Mayor," replied the deputy mayor."And what did you think of it?" said the mayor."It's terrible," the deputy said. "We should never let that event disgraceour town again."The mayor then introduced Nandini. "This is Agnieszka," he said. "She's incharge of securing sites for the Festival of India along the coast duringthe summer. She just informed me that the festival, which had reserved asite along the beachfront for the first week in July, was canceled thismorning by the council."The deputy mayor looked down.The mayor paused for a few moments. "Do you have any idea who in the counciltook it upon himself to cancel this event?" he said.The deputy mayor shifted uncomfortably. "I canceled the festival, LordMayor," he said.The mayor leaned forward. "Without consulting anyone?" he asked."Yes," the deputy mayor replied, "without consulting anyone.""Well, let me tell you," said the mayor, "I'm reinstating this festival onthe beachfront for the weekend of July 5th and 6th. Is that absolutelyclear, Mr. Deputy Mayor?"The deputy mayor clenched his fists. He glanced angrily at Nandini and thenback at the mayor. "Yes, it is, Lord Mayor," he said.The deputy mayor stood up. "And could I be excused now, sir?" he said."You're excused," the mayor said.The mayor turned to Nandini. "I hope your festival will be a great success,"he said.Nandini smiled at the mayor. "We're hoping the Indian Ambassador will be ourspecial guest at the festival," she said. "And if he is, diplomaticetiquette would require you to be there as well. That being the case, I'msure the festival will indeed be a success."An hour later Nandini called me. "Guru Maharaja," she said, "we have thesite on the beachfront for the first weekend in July.""Wonderful!" I exclaimed. "How in world did you do it?""It was all Krsna's mercy," she replied. "There's no other explanation."Srila Prabhupada writes:"If the preachers in our Krsna consciousness movement are sincere devoteesof Krsna, Krsna will always be with them because He is very kind andfavorable to all His devotees. Just as Arjuna and Krsna were victorious inthe Battle of Kuruksetra, this Krsna consciousness movement will surelyemerge victorious if we but remain sincere devotees of the Lord and servethe Lord according to the advice of predecessors . . . . If we attempt thisseriously within society, it will be successfully done. There is no questionof estimating how this will happen in the mundane sense. But without adoubt, it happens by the grace of Krsna.[Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 4.79, purport]Indradyumna.swami@pamho.netwww.traveling-preacher.comAudio lectures: www.narottam.com