Shri Prafullbhai Patel, Central Minister of the Civil Aviation inaugurates Bhagavat Katha at Gondia, Maharashtra, India

The Gondia Bhagavat katha began on 16th December 2007. The chief host and organiser of the katha was Shri Gopaldasji Agrawal (MLA). The sole purpose of organising this katha was attainment of spiritual bliss.

The Shobha yatra of Bhagavatji commenced from the Agrasen Bhavan. Singing kirtans and bhajans it arrived at the katha venue. Shri Prafullbhai Patel, Honourable Central Minister of the Civil Aviation, inaugurated the katha by deepa-pragatya. Shri Prafullbhai Patel then congratulated the people of Gondia in his speech, on the occasion of the commencement of Shri Bhagavat katha. He further said that the arrival of Pujya Bhaishri in Gondia signified the good fortune of the people of Gondia.

Following on, the organiser of the katha, Shri Gopaldasji expressed the family’s delight on being instrumental in organising this Bhagavat Katha Gnan Yagya. He further added, “Bas karte ho tum kanhaiya, mera naam ho raha hai”; meaning, “Oh Kanhaiya! It is you who are doing all this. My name is only associated with it”.

Pujya Bhaishri offered his pranam to Bhagavatji and began narrating the katha saying that Shrimad Bhagavat katha is the only true wealth of our lives. No one can steal this wealth from us; in fact this wealth increases the more we distribute it to others. He further questioned whether man is really intelligent when he forgets his true wealth in the process of earning material wealth and goes on to commit sins for the sake of earning material wealth.

Pujya Bhaishri mentioned in the katha that man wastes his priceless time in earning the worldly wealth, which is not going to accompany him, and neglects the true wealth that will actually accompany him in the next birth. Therefore we should listen or narrate the Bhagavat katha everyday and save this true wealth in our lives.

Shri Krishna janmotsav was celebrated by with great fanfare at 10.00 pm on 20th December by at least fifteen thousand people. The host family presented beautiful depictions of Yashodaji, Vasudev, Nandababa and Baal Krishna. Offerings of chhappan bhog were made to Shri Govardhandhari Prabhu on 21St December and the prasad was then distributed amongst the assembled devotees. A grand wedding procession of Shri Krishna with Shri Rukminiji was done on 22nd December.

While in Gondia, Pujya Bhaishri performed an inauguration ceremony of a dharamshala. He also went for darshan to temples of Lord Tirupati and Rani Sati maa. The Samasta Marwari Samaj welcomed Pujya Bhaishri and was gratified with his darshan.