Bid farewell to bumpy rides on dusty roads, now you can cruise to Mayapur
Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey | TNN | Updated: Feb 26, 2019, 06:37 IST
JaladutaKOLKATA: There’s good news for those who had been complaining about the long, dusty and potholed roads to Krishnagore, which lead to Mayapur. Weekend trips to the Iskcon headquarters will be a breeze from Thursday when a luxury cruise is set to be introduced.
The five-hour ride to the temple town on Jaladuta will be a unique experience, Iskcon representatives promise. Named after the cargo ship that Srila Prabhupada, founder of the spiritual order, took to reach Boston in 1965, the cruise titled ‘Go Jaladuta!’ has a lot to offer. From air-conditioned interiors and delicious prasadam for breakfast to a refreshing time on the deck to soak in the scenery of rural Bengal along the banks of the Hooghly, the arrangements are lavish. Iskcon has chosen to start the cruise from February 28 because hundreds of foreign devotees will be coming in through the city to go to Mayapur for the ‘maha abhishek’ of the deities on March 1. This is a prelude to the array of events that have been lined up for Gaur Punima/Holi, which is a special festive time at Mayapur.
“For years, we have been receiving complaints about how difficult it is to traverse 130km from Kolkata to Mayapur. It is not a huge distance, but the trip is bumpy and dusty. Devotees have a harrowing time reaching Mayapur. Most are so exhausted after the drive that it takes them a whole day to recuperate. We hope we will be able to provide some relief now,” said Subrata Das, spokesperson of Iskcon at Mayapur.
“It will be a ‘sattvik’ experience on the sacred waters of the river. There will be kirtans and videos that will showcase Mayapur and its unique path to Krishna Consciousness, that transcends religious boundaries,” said Alay Govind Das, a member of the management.
Starting February 28, the Kolkata-Mayapur cruises have been scheduled on March 4, 7 and 20 and Mayapur-Kolkata trips have been slated on March 2, 6, 17 and 23. The liner has 30 seats. The cruise’s popularity will decide on incresing the frequency, a source said.
The five-hour ride to the temple town on Jaladuta will be a unique experience, Iskcon representatives promise. Named after the cargo ship that Srila Prabhupada, founder of the spiritual order, took to reach Boston in 1965, the cruise titled ‘Go Jaladuta!’ has a lot to offer. From air-conditioned interiors and delicious prasadam for breakfast to a refreshing time on the deck to soak in the scenery of rural Bengal along the banks of the Hooghly, the arrangements are lavish. Iskcon has chosen to start the cruise from February 28 because hundreds of foreign devotees will be coming in through the city to go to Mayapur for the ‘maha abhishek’ of the deities on March 1. This is a prelude to the array of events that have been lined up for Gaur Punima/Holi, which is a special festive time at Mayapur.
“For years, we have been receiving complaints about how difficult it is to traverse 130km from Kolkata to Mayapur. It is not a huge distance, but the trip is bumpy and dusty. Devotees have a harrowing time reaching Mayapur. Most are so exhausted after the drive that it takes them a whole day to recuperate. We hope we will be able to provide some relief now,” said Subrata Das, spokesperson of Iskcon at Mayapur.
“It will be a ‘sattvik’ experience on the sacred waters of the river. There will be kirtans and videos that will showcase Mayapur and its unique path to Krishna Consciousness, that transcends religious boundaries,” said Alay Govind Das, a member of the management.
Starting February 28, the Kolkata-Mayapur cruises have been scheduled on March 4, 7 and 20 and Mayapur-Kolkata trips have been slated on March 2, 6, 17 and 23. The liner has 30 seats. The cruise’s popularity will decide on incresing the frequency, a source said.
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