Chapter 42: Weeklong Sankirtan in Lonara (1976)

Lonara Village inKhargone, Madhya Pradesh

Lonara is a tiny village in Khargone Tehsil in Madhya Pradesh. It lies at one extreme end and is accessible with great hardship. But no impediment which can hamper a saint's grace. Shriji had got acquainted with some devotees from Lonara in Khargone and Barwani and they had taken him to Lonara, a couple of times. Satsang[2] and kirtan had been organised at that time.

Shri Ram Navami

Shri Motibhai had held a weeklong sankirtan in Barwani on Deepawali in 1974. Devotees had come in very large numbers from Lonara and enthusiastically participated in the devotional singing. Inspired by this experience they had initiated sankirtan in their village. Sankirtan was now held on Akshaya Tritiya[3] every year but Shriji had not been able to go there for the past three years. In 1975, the villagers successfully concluded a month-long sankirtan on Ram Navami, hoping that Shriji would come to their village. They repeatedly requested Shriji to come to Lonara.

Dr. Chandradeo Dube was the main figure of the Lonara devotional group. He had awakened an ardent longing for sankirtan in the village folk who had tried to call Shrijin by arranging a weeklong or month long sankirtans. Firmly determined to call him this time they kept a nonstop sankirtan for a week on Basant Panchami which fell on 5^th February, 1976, and informed Shriji about it.

Basant Panchami

Being in poor health Shri Maharajji wrote that he would come on Holi and they should start the sankirtan but the devotees of Lonara would not accept this under any circumstances. Several letters and telegrams were sent, asking him to come over otherwise they would come to Vrindavan and take him to Lonara. Shriji could not evade this loving insistence and he telegraphed them that he would be reaching a day before Basant Panchami.

Mathura Junction

Shriji started from Shri Dham for Lonara via Delhi and Bulandshahar on 26^th January, 1976. One has to pass through Mathura to go to Madhya Pradesh from Delhi. So we all went to Mathura Station to see off Shriji. Shri Deviji offered him tea etc., He reached Lonara a day before Basant Pancham via Bhopal. The hearts of devotees who had been thirsting for Shriji for the past three years were overjoyed and a wave of delight surged through the entire village.

Shri Maharajji stayed at Dr. Chandradeo's place. The sankirtan had been arranged at Shri Ram Mandir, situated in the centre of the village and Dr. Chandradeo was its chief organizer. Sankirtan began on 5^th February,1976 on  Basant Panchami. 

 Shri Ghanshyamji

 Shri Ghanshyamji began the manglacharan [4] by singing a pada. Soon after, Shriji threw up gulal (red powder) and started the sankirtan. Shriji and Thakurji (Ghanshyamji) conducted the kirtan, every morning and night. All the villagers, right from children upto very old men and women, spiritedly took part in the mass singing. There was not a single person in the entire village who did not participate in the kirtan. The weeklong sankirtan lasting for seven days, ended on Ekadashi[5].

 

Nimar Region

Almost all devotees of the Nimar region had attended the devotional singing. It seemed as if Braj Dham had been transported to Lonara with Shriji's presence.  A grand procession was organised that day. Platters laden with prasad were brought from every house. It seemed as if it was the Annakoot[6] festival of Giriraj. Prasad was distributed to all. Shri Maharajji sat surrounded by thronging people. Steeped in the sankirtan's everyone right from children to the elderly would dance, sing and weep at times in joyous abandon.

Everyone was unhappy that the sankirtan was about to come to an end.

“ A month long, continuous sankirtan should be held,” a devotee intervened.

“ The sankirtan should continue without a break for 120 days is what I wish,”  Shri Ghanshyamji responded.

Abhinav Gokul Gram

On hearing this everyone began dancing with joy. Seeing the villagers' unprecedented fervour and love for sankirtan, Shriji named Lonara Village 'Abhinava Gokul Gram. Thus the sankirtan which was held for seven days preceded the four-months long sankirtan which followed. Holi Purnima, that is 15^th March 1976 was decided as the day on which the sankirtan would begin.

The weeklong sankirtan had left an indelible impression on the villagers. Its resonance was strongly felt in ever lane and house of the village even after its conclusion.

Four-month Long Nonstop Sankirtan at Lonara

It is difficult to say when, where and how a saint's grace is showered. No one could ever imagine that a sankirtan could he held in this small village with such joyous abandon and fanfare. So be it! The four month long sankirtan at Lonara had been pre-planned during the weeklong sankirtan. 

 

Holi Purnima

Accordingly it was auspiciously inaugurated by Shriji at Ram Mandir on Holi Purnima that is on 15^th March, 1976. Incidentally, the birthday of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also fell on this day. The site of the sankirtan was decorated with  buntings, banana plant pillars and foliage, besides other ornamental decorations. A splendid procession, a shobha yatra,  was taken out before start of the sankirtan. The search for two good looking boys began. After selecting the sons of Shri Ramlal Bhai and Shri Durgashankarji, Shriji asked Ghanshyamji to do their shringara and deck them up  as svarupas of Shri Radha-Krishna. New yellow-coloured clothes were got from the village.  

A Mukut & Chandrika

A chandrika[7] and mukut[8]  were placed on the heads of Shri Radha-Krishna. With the application of collyrium in their eyes and vermillion marks on their foreheads, Ghanshyamji dressed up the two boys with beautiful shringara or adornment.

Svarupas of Shri Radha-Krishna

Decked in the best of finery, the svarupas were sitting when Shriji passed by. He was fascinated to see the adorned Yugal, the divine couple. Carried away by overwhelming emotion, Shri Maharajji went on looking at the boy dressed as Lord Krishna.

Exulting, “ How attractive he is looking,” Shriji went into a state of religious rapture. Going into the room, he poked his finger into his left cheek and lay down on the bed for an hour. Due to the effect of Shriji's intense spiritual ecstasy falling on him, the boy decked as Lord Krishna also had bhava avesha and entered a trance like state of religious rapture. A divine glow spread over his face, and his eyes turned red. The boy enacting the role of Lord Krishna was shy initially but soon he overcame the shyness. Ghanshyam showed them the mirror. Seeing their faces in the mirror the boys became forgetful of themselves, their mood becoming all the more serious.

 Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj

The two svarupas of Shri Radha-Krishna were seated on a beautifully decorated chariot. One chariot had been readied for Shriji but he refused to sit on it. Singing devotional hymns, he walked along with the devotees doing sankirtan and proceeding on foot. Shriji had not even worn wooden padukas on his feet. Taking a round of the town along with the excited sound of sankirtan, everyone reached the Ram Mandir in about three hours. Observing that the trance like state of religious rapture still prevailed in the boy who had become Lord Krishna, Shriji gave orders to perform 'arti' quickly and take off the shringara or adornments.

 

The Harmonium & Tabl
a

Shriji stayed in Lonara for eight days after the sankirtan, imparting delight and encouraging the devotees. Hearing the sweet and melodious singing of Shriji and Ghanshyamji, enchanted listeners sat in front of them for hours together, singing devotional hymns in rhythmic tune. Discharging their domestic duties, rural women would do kirtan in their rustic style, in the afternoon. Enthusiasm, intentness and eagerness could be perceived in their singing. Many boys easily picked up playing the harmonium and tabla.

Rang Panchami

The festival of 'Rang Panchami[9]' follows 'Phalgun Purnima[10].' This festival is celebrated with much fanfare in the Nimar region, but it had gradually acquired a distorted form. Mud, coal tar and coal had begun being used instead of colour and gulal. Getting inspired by Shriji and Ghanshyamji, the villagers showed enthusiasm in celebrating this festival as the Holi of Braj in their novel Gokul. Getting permission from Shriji, arched gateways were built at various places and groups were formed.  

Tesu Flowers

Each group was given lukewarm saffron-coloured water, prepared by boiling tesu flowers. Fragrant gulal had already arrived from Shri Dham. Shriji was initially worshipped at his place of rest by the offering of flower garlands. Thereafter, Shriji stepped into the temple with Ghanshyamji where kirtan went on for a while. Shriji then moved ahead with the musical troupe to enter the village. Hymn singers and musical instrument players of the troupe were leading the procession. Clusters of women had gathered at the main entrance of the village to witness the show.

Shriji and Ghanshyamji began showering 'gulal.'   

Gulal 

Coloured powder was rained on Shriji's group from both sides. Impelled by the spirit of Braj,  
 

Rasiya Songs of Holi in Braj

Shri Thakurji (Ghanshyamji) began singing rasiya[11] songs of holi in Braj. The troupe singing devotional songs gave him company.

Bestowing the delight of Braj on village folk, Shriji obliged them on Rang Panchami. Then onwards, the villagers of Lonara abandoned their earlier deranged ways and began celebrating Rang Panchami in joyous abandon. Nature remained favourable during these four months. Neither a dust storm nor a storm spoiled the show. Rains came at the fixed time and the farming community could finish sowing crops without any impediment hampering the process.

Barwani, Madhya Pradesh

Shriji left for Barwani on 21^st March to take rest and came back to Lonara on 10^th April. Although he and Ghanshyamji were not in good health, they would get kirtan done for two to three hours at a stretch, to inspire the villagers. Devotees would keep coming for this sankirtan from Khargone, Barwani and Bhopal, as per their convenience. Extraordinary incidents occurred and change of heart took place in several people during this sankirtan.

Shri Ramesh Saraf, a resident of Khandwa, was posted as Assistant Director Town and Country Planning in Bhopal. He had seen Shri Maharajji at Hiralal Gupta's place. He had even taken part in sankirtan many times and was very impressed by Shriji. His elder brother Balkishan Saraf was one of the affluent people of Khandwa and 

 Sadhus

would tell Rameshji not to be beguiled by sadhus. Rameshji had once compelled him to attend the satsang and sankirtan of Shriji at Barwani. He too was impressed by Shriji.  

Fruit Basket

Once he reached the Lonara sankirtan by car along with many wealthy and respected persons, bringing several fruit baskets, flower garlands and other gift items along with him. The villagers took him to be a minister (because for some reason information of a minister's arrival had reached the village) due to his pomp and splendour, and gave him a respectful warm welcome. 

The Garba Dance

About two hundred rural women were performing the garba[12] dance along with singing devotional hymns. Shriji was resplendently sitting on his seat. As soon as Sarafji arrived he prostrated before Shriji in supplication. Sitting in the kirtan Sarafji was delighted as tears of joy streamed down his cheeks. People accompanying him were also getting engrossed. Undivided attachment for Shriji arose in Sarafji''s heart in this sankirtan.

 Hiralalji had already fully surrendered to Shriji. His younger brother Motibhai, a resident of Barwani, was also fully devoted to Shriji. Motibhai's brother-in-law Jagdish and Vrindavan Gupta were rich, respected men of Khargone. Shri Hiralal urged them to go to the sankirtan in Lonara for Shriji's darshan. They came in cars along with their families.  

Earlier these people had been very impressed by miracles of Shri Sai Baba but seeing Shriji in kirtan for the first time, they were so influenced that getting detached from all miracles they became his exclusive devotees. As long as sankirtan went on in Lonara they kept commuting by scooter. Later on, they called Shriji to their place and arranged for sankirtan and wholeheartedly served Shriji along with their families.

Motibhai along with his family from Barwani, Shri Pannubahi, Hiralal's son-in-law Radheshyam Gupta (Deputy Director Agriculture) and his wife Chandu Behan from Indore, Shri Basantrao Kulkarni and his wife Rajani from Bhopal took part in the kirtan. Shri Lalji Chadda, manager of Blue Star and a loyal devotee of Shriji, along with his wife Neena took part in the sankirtan with great enthusiasm.  

Frying Pooris

On the day of bhandara Neena rolled out the pooris[13] and Lalji fried them in the frying pan, for hours together. This couple is very sentimental. Shashikala and Vijaya, the two daughters of my respected brother, had also come for the kirtan. The affluent people of Khargone, Shri Balkrishna Ganpati, Balkrishna Mahajan, Limadiya Dada, the Mahajan brothers, Poonam Chand, compounder Ramdas, Parsain Ma, mother of Ramesh Parsai, lawyer Shaligram from Barwani, Puroshottam Bhai Gupta,Tiwariji, Ram Sajeevanji (police sub-inspector), Babubhai of Green Hotel and busloads of other devotees had arrived. Shri Rajnathji Shukla had come with his family from Gwalior and his son Puroshottam (Director of Phones) had dropped in from Jabalpur. Several devotees and even Manoramaji had come from Vrindavan.

Shri Ramesh Saraf who had come to Lonara for the weeklong sankirtan, arrived and took part in the four-month long kirtan in Lonara. Shri Rameshji's younger brother  

Vidyadhar was assistant manager of the Food Corporation. He was a lover of music, very fashionable and had a melodious voice. Moreover, he used to sing film songs in gatherings with joyous abandon. Vidyadhar had seen Shriji for the first time in Bhopal.

Whenever Rameshji asked Vidyadhar to come for the kirtan he would laughingly remark, “ Brother you are indeed amazing! What is so great in a kirtan! If I sing a gazal[14] you will be enraptured and forget all about the kirtan.”

Shriji

On his brother's insistence, Vidyadharji unwillingly went to the kirtan at Shri Hiralalji Gupta's residence, and beheld Shriji. He was somewhat attracted to him. A few days later he went with Rameshji to kirtan at Shri Sheelji's place in Bhopal.

Ghanshyamji was leading the kirtan. Hearing its sweetness, Vidyadhar sat enchanted.

After the kirtan got over, he enthused and told Rameshji, “Bhai! I have experienced for the first time that a kirtan can be so sweet. My heart was forcibly being drawn to Lord Krishna in delicious anguish. “

Thereafter,Vidyadharji became kind of self-oblivious on listening to Shriji's satsang.

Vidyadharji (extreme right) Surrenderance to Shriji

Shriji's statement of 'unconditional surrender' touched his heart and Vidyadharji  surrendered himself to Shriji. He gave up singing film songs and began taking the lead in singing devotional hymns. Above all, he fully co-operated in the four-month long sankirtan at Lonara. Vidyadharji stayed in Lonara for one and a half months. Residing here he used to visit neighbouring villages at the insistence of Shriji's devotees.