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                      We 
                      can hear our party conducting a small programme within the 
                      walls as we circumumbulate the periphery of the temple, 
                      while one of the Western Brahmacharis tells us the sweet 
                      tale of how the Deity walked here all the way from Vrndavan 
                      to bear witness to His devotee. The 
                      Indian group soon re-emerge, still chanting, and we join 
                      them to walk back to the bus, still chanting....  
                      The rest of the ride to Puri goes without interruption. 
                      We have been on the bus for well over 24 hours, mostly without 
                      any sleep, and our bodies feel the journey taking its toll. 
                      By the time we arrive at our Temple in Puri Dham at around 
                      9:00pm, and 30 hours since we first boarded the bus in Nabadwip, 
                      we are extremely happy to reach our destination, and safely 
                      too.  It 
                      takes a while to settle everybody into their accommodation, 
                      with their luggage - there were well over sixty people on 
                      the bus! Prasadam distribution is quite hectic with everyone 
                      arriving at different times, but everyone is content and 
                      satisfied, without complaint. We definitely look forward 
                      to a good sleep in a horizontal position though! 6th 
                      July 2005 - Puri, 1st Day  
                      This morning nothing is planned for us; it is intended as 
                      recovery time from the long, tedious but worthwhile journey. 
                      However a parikrama of the Holy Dham led by Sripad Acharyya 
                      Maharaj will take place in the afternoon after Prasadam.  
                      I had been to Puri earlier this year, during April. It was 
                      very quiet then. I had visited most places of pilgrimage, 
                      and had developed a particular fondness and attraction for 
                      the Tota Gopinath Temple which is situated only about a 
                      ten-minute walk from our temple which is near the ocean. 
                      I feel I want to go there first thing, and chant some rounds 
                      of japa in a quiet moment, since I imagine that during the 
                      parikrama it will be a different atmosphere with so many 
                      people. So I go, taking three other Western Didis along 
                      with me. It is very sweet and we spend about an hour there. |