Udupi 18th of October,
Today we took a late afternoon visit to Malpe to see the beach front there.My husband had heard that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also visited this beach and danced with great happiness here.
Now in India, despite it's modernization, still the local people do not go sunbathing or surfing at the beach.
This particular beach is spiritually significant.
Long ago ,say more than 800 years ago, when Sri Madhavacharya was living here, he once saw a boat which was in difficulty due to a storm.
The captain took help from Sri Madhavacharya and his boat was saved. He was very grateful and begged this sadhu to accept some daksina for his help.
Now just shortly before, Madhavacharya had dreamed that Krishna was coming to him, so he looked on the ship and saw a large block of Gopi candana which the captain was using as a ballast.
He asked for that. When the candan was broken apart, inside was a Deity from Dwaraka [the ship was coming from there]. It was Krishna, in the mood of a small boy, as worshiped by Rukmini.
It is said that thirty men tried to lift this Deity but none could move Him.Then Madhavacharya picked Him up effortlessly and carried Him to where He is now - in Udupi in His temple - Sri Krishna Mutt
.
We walked along the sand chanting.
Recognizing our good fortune to be here and understanding the spiritual significance of this beach.
Sri Gopala Krishna Kijaya
On a more mundane note,we saw a sign saying
"swimming is not good for life"
Indians are not swimmers. They come to the beach for standing in the water.
Or offering ashes of departed family members.
playing cricket or taking a stroll.
I was aware of a marked degree less sensuality on the beachfront here, but Siromani, who is a graduate in medicine doing her internship in Udupi, explained what is now taking place.
Siromani resides in Manipal, a "college town" devoted to attracting rich foreign students.She told me that this district has the highest rate of HIV in all of India.
She commented how degraded student life is now, with freedom of every kind including drugs and so forth.
However she said that since she first came to Manipal she's watched the degredation increase, but she's also watched the students becoming more interested in chanting.
Preaching has become stronger as well.
Siromani, herself an expatriot Indian from Kuwait, first became a devotee here.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that everywhere there will be chanting of the Holy Names. Both within India and abroad.
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