Raising The Flag

Second half of tour begins

Today is Ekadashi. Paramahamsa Maharaj has chosen this auspicious day to install a large 2x3 meter (6x10 foot) flag that he has brought with him from Nabadwip, India.

At eight o' clock in the morning, in a simple flag-raising ceremony, accompanied by kirtan, the flag is hoisted high above the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Ashram here on the new flagpole that was erected on Monday.

Everybody knows the famous story of how Srila Sridhar Maharaj composed this verse mysteriously predicting the future greatness of the Math:

srimac-caitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim
bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-navadvipa-koladri-raje
yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti
nityam rupanuga sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa

"On the banks of the Ganges in Koladwip, Nabadwip, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math stands resplendent. The flag flies high, singing its glories around the world. There, the residents chant the glories of Lord Gauranga and aspire to serve Sri Sri Radha-Govinda in the line of Sri Rupa."

After the ceremony, we have a light ekadasi breakfast, then Premasindhu Prabhu and Gopinath Prabhu drive Paramahamsa Maharaj and me down to Durban for the second half of our South African tour.