Sadhu Thakur’s utsav for me

NEWS & VIEWS

By Suroshree Sinha, Bangalore

I have hardly been to Sadhu Thakur’s utsav. It was either something with office or something that kept me away from going. However, every time I had gone there I landed up meeting people who were either just phone friends or friends with whom I have lost touch. In Delhi I landed up meeting so many people and they are still in touch and are friends. To mention a few – Rishi, BN, Jyotirmoy, Tridiv.

In Delhi I had gone to represent my father Mr Kajal Kanti Sinha, who was in Pune that year, for the same thing. He called me through out the time and gave me an update of everything that was happening there when it was happening at the same time in Delhi. Dad wants to visit every place where they are making an effort to celebrate Sadhu Thakur’s utsav.

This year I am in Bangalore (for people who do not know… well I just got married in this town… thanks for the congratulation mails). He was here to visit me and the coincidence!!!! It was time for Sadhu Thakur’s utsav and he wanted to be a part of it. So we all got dressed up for the occasion and visited the venue. It was in a Krishna Mandir tucked away in the corner of the main street. It was decorated very simply with a stage, a seating area, a changing room and a dining area.

The first thing that struck me was the area was so clean, I mean where do you see clean temples in North, except the ISKON temple. Well, they had put together some cultural programs and Sheila kaki (She has written on the same event – check it out too) was ushering the whole event. She really did a brilliant job. She is a teacher so it comes naturally to her. There were some very well put together dance items, song numbers and a very well written poem about the life of Sadhu Thakur. Dad then spoke about the only Bishnupriya Manipuri temple that is coming up in Raadha kund and how everyone involved in it is wishing to have a Sadhu Thakur utsav there some time in the near future, and requested everyone to contribute an amount, what ever suitable for them.

The second thing that caught my eye was the way the elders were ushered to have lunch before any young bloods and no one complained. It needed a little mentioning but it happened, just the way it happens in the villages. This is something that is a beautiful tradition, a small gesture to show that you respect your elders.

That day I met lot of people and realized that in that utsav I had more family members than I had expected it: relatives I did not even know, friends I had long lost touch with. The day ended with introduction of who was who and I left with a long list of phone numbers and knowing that I have more family members in Bangalore than I had originally counted.

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