Travel Journal#21.29: Paris, London, Newcastle

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 29
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 29: July 16–22, 2025)
Paris, London, Newcastle
(Sent from Sarcelles, France, on July 26, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

The twenty-ninth week of 2025, I mostly lived at ISKCON Paris in Sarcelles, eighteen minutes by train north of Paris itself, except Sunday and Monday, when I visited the UK for a Ratha-yatra and a harinama. In Paris I chanted Hare Krishna for three hours each afternoon, usually from 3 to 6 p.m., except Thursday when we chanted from 5 to 8 p.m. with a group of devotees who do harinama after work. Agnideva Prabhu visited Paris for almost a week, and he joined us on harinama practically every day. After chanting four days in Paris, on Sunday I flew to Birmingham and took a train to London, arriving just in time for the ecstatic London Ratha-yatra with amazing devotee participation and a stage show with a lot of kirtan. Monday I did harinama in Newcastle with two devotees before flying to Dublin and then to Paris. 

The last day of the week I did harinama in Paris with Marat at Les Halles.

I share a quote from a Srila Prabhupada Ratha-yatra lecture in San Francisco. I share notes on classes by Janananda Goswami in London, and Agnideva and Bhavasindhu Prabhus in Paris.

Thanks to the devotee who gave me a plate of prasadam after the London Ratha-yatra, so I did not have to wait in line. Many, many thanks to Madhava Kumar Prabhu and the Manchester devotees for giving me a ride to Manchester after the Ratha-yatra and letting me stay overnight in their temple, before taking a bus to Newcastle. Thanks to Vasu Shrestha Prabhu for the wonderful Ekadasi lunch and dinner and for joining me on harinama in Newcastle along with his friend, Unnimaya. Thanks to Marat for joining me on harinama in Paris.

Itinerary

June 19–August 19: Paris
August 5–9: New Mayapur Balaram festival
August 20: London harinama
August 21–22: Liverpool harinamas
August 23: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
August 24: Liverpool harinama
August 25: London harinama and flight to New York

Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Rue de Caumartin, and Patita Pavana Prabhu plays harmonium (https://youtu.be/I0lJjRw7Zpc):

Next Patita Pavana Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/vpwhVz52aoI):

While Patita Pavana Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, the devotees, along with a passerby, danced in a circle (https://youtu.be/WzM7txrsEVY):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles in Paris (https://youtu.be/aYCttm55a0k):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and Patita Pavana Prabhu plays harmonium (https://youtu.be/3t7Zwz2qhRw):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles in Paris, and a passerby plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/ex2MvT-apZs):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a passerby plays karatalas and chants (https://youtu.be/1CG7-1aJl9A):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a young woman plays the shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/pFuXjJyljIM):

Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/MivBLY0yxfk):

While Rohininandana Prabhu was chanting, a passerby danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/ryYrv85kqsU?feature=share):

Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles in Paris, and two guys dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/to3lcO0uZjo?feature=share):

Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Saint-Michel (https://youtu.be/LrpJFjEUeO4):

While Patita Pavana Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, devotees danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/dobxA0UwDqA?feature=share):

Tuesday I was tired because I did not sleep very well the previous night in the Dublin airport on my return from Newcastle, and so I just decided to chant from 5 to 7 p.m. in the evening. Marat kindly joined me for the last half hour. Here I chant Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and Marat plays the karatalas (https://youtube.com/shorts/lIkbEkRnCvs?feature=share):

Chanting Hare Krishna in London

I wasn’t planning to attend London Ratha-yatra, but as I looked at Lord Jagannath in Paris three days before the event, I decided if I could get from Paris to London for under £50 each way I would go. I found I could fly from Paris to Birmingham for €19.99 and take a train from Birmingham to London for £20.90. And I found although there were no cheap flights from London, I could fly from Newcastle to Dublin for £19.99 and Dublin to Paris for €19.99. Thus I decided it was meant to be, and I thanked Lord Jagannath when I returned. It was my 11th Ratha-yatra this year.

During the Ratha-yatras with three carts, I dance in front of Jagannath’s cart, play the shakers, and give out the free literature.

People would watch the procession from the top level of the double-decker buses and take videos.

Keshava Maharaja chants Hare Krishna as Lord Jagannatha begins His London Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/yubORWi1m0w):

Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in London Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/mRZbcvZwnEE):

Devotees chant and dance before Lord Jagannatha in London Ratha-yatra (https://youtube.com/shorts/_QXcgqxOUvc?feature=share):

The procession started amid sprinkles of rain, but by the end the sun came out.

I decided the stage show program was so short I did not want to waste time in the prasadam queue. I thought if someone offered me prasadam I would accept it, but I did not want to wait in the line. About ten minutes later, a devotee lady offered me a plate of prasadam.

There was a lot of kirtan in the stage show. Here are some videos of it:

Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna during London Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/J0pBKL2z0eY):

Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during London Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/cD5DkijaXao):

Giridhari Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during London Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/vMMdzYS9FGM):

Govinda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during London Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/-m8n-zs1VIc):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Newcastle

Here I chant Hare Krishna with Vasu Shrestha Prabhu and Unnimaya on Northumberland Street in Newcastle in the North of England, and many passersby joyfully interact (https://youtu.be/7kP7iDnLxiQ): 

Here I lead the chanting of Hare Krishna on Northumberland Street in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/CyVR8ij85U8):

Vasu Shrestha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Northumberland Street in Newcastle, and Unnimaya plays harmonium (https://youtu.be/5T63vVhSYQ8):

Later Unnimaya switched to playing the karatalas (https://youtu.be/xDSAGBNt3h0):

Unnimaya chants Hare Krishna on Northumberland Street in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/lLkpPhdz2AI):

Photos

I met Shyama Priya Devi Dasi on harinama in Thessaloniki in 2008. She was chanting Hare Krishna so blissfully she reminded me of Sacinandana Swami. When I told my friend Tara Prabhu that, he said, “She is a disciple of Sacinandana Swami.” Years later she moved to Newcastle, and I would see her when I visited there. She is an artist, and she showed me her latest pictures:

She also showed me her Radha Krishna deities.

Her altar also has personalities from the Christian tradition she was brought up in and which she feels helped her on the spiritual path.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a lecture at the 1969 San Francisco Ratha-yatra:

“Today this inauguration of Rathayatra ceremony will bring a new chapter in the history of the world. It is stated in the Vedic literature that anyone who sees Lord Jagannath seated on this car will no more have to take birth within this miserable world. It is that potent. This Krishna consciousness movement is to take you to the highest state of eternal bliss and knowledge. It is not a sentimental movement, but is the practical means of perfect spiritual realization. If within this life you practice Krishna consciousness, then you will very easily be able to go to Goloka Vrindaban, and you will have your blissful life, eternal and full of knowledge. So today you should start this process. Simply chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I request you that you follow this car of Lord Jagannath, and make progress in your life to Goloka Vrindaban.”

Janananda Goswami:

From a lecture in London on July 20, 2025:

At Ratha-yatra at least distribute one book.

If you understood that Srila Prabhupada is there dancing on the Ratha-yatra, would you be on your mobile phone?

These devotees like Parasurama and Titiksu Prabhus, who are organizing Ratha-yatras all over the country, are definitely going back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to go to as many Ratha-yatras as possible. If you wanted Srila Prabhupada to come, you would organize a Ratha-yatra.

Agnideva Prabhu:

It takes a pure devotee to understand a pure devotee.

Although Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya knew so much Vedic knowledge, he could not understand that Lord Caitanya was the Supreme Lord until the Lord showed him some mercy.

Bhavasindhu Prabhu:

Here we see of the Godbrothers of Lord Caitanya, Kasisvara was bodyguard of Lord Caitanya and Govinda was the Lord’s servant. Thus everyone is the servant of the servant of the Lord, and they are given different services.

There is a connection between Krishna-lila and Lord Caitanya’s pastimes.

The disciples of Srila Prabhupada were considering that they were in dirty place in New York City, but Srila Prabhupada told his followers that they were in the spiritual world.

ISKCON is meant to benefit everyone in society.

In more than one of the seven purposes of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada uses the world “together.” This indicates that we should always be working together.

ISKCON is an invitation for people to escape from the darkness of the material world and to remain in the purity and light of the spiritual world.

-----

This prayer appears in a purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.8.24, which we were reading in Paris. It is also spoken by Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis and Ramananda Raya in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 1.206 and Madhya 8.73. It is included by Srila Yamunacarya in his Stotra-ratna (43). It is a prayer to the Lord expressing a desire for the joyful state of spiritual perfection:

bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-manorathantarah
 kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam

“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?”