by Bhakta Matej
Posted July 30, 2003

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At the beginning of July, devotees in Slovenia started their second Padayatra. Last year's Padayatra received full coverage in Back to Godhead magazine with a ten-page cover story in the May/June issue.

The devotees this year had less work to do than last year, when they had to get everything going from scratch: a chariot, an ox, and so on.

The cart carries Srila Prabhupada's murti, a householder's Deities of Nitai-Gauranataraj, and Tulasi Devi. The ox is big (1,200 kg). He is named Bhima, and the devotees bought him last year. He has been waiting for this moment all year on a devotee's farm.

There are about thirty devotees on the walk full time: brahmacaris, students, grhastas, and older people. In addition, there is a team of devotees who travel in a temple bus on the coast every year to chant on the streets, and they have joined us.

Devotees are organized in groups (for kitchen, bhoga, transport, safety, music, and so on). The Padayatra will last for three weeks, and it is divided into two parts. First, ten days on the Slovenian coast, and second, ten days in the mountain areas, around beautiful lakes.

The Padayatra will move almost every day, stopping at schools and camps, where the devotees plan to have bhajans and puppet shows for the public. The devotees will distribute cookies, flyers, and books. Another report will be sent at the end of Padayatra.

© dipika.org July 30, 2003