Page 20 - OPIHI (English)

6 nAthdwArA

Finally the mukhiyajés close the You can see that the people sweeping
door, but still people clamor for are not temple staff. They’re people
more darçana, and so it is opened who have taken up the work in the
again. People call out names of mood of sevä, devotional service.
the Lord, “Jaya Känäiyä Läla! Jaya
Vaàçédhäré!” Then the door is the mood of the spirituAl
finally closed, and a curtain made world
of bamboo is let down in front of it, This mood of doing service for
and that’s the end. the Deity is a wonderful feature of

People at once offer obeisances and Nathdwara. When I entered the
then take up brooms to sweep the temple yesterday, there was a big
temple and the adjoining courtyards. pile of chopped-up logs for use in
cooking for the Deity, and people
from the temple staff were telling
everyone to take it inside to the
kitchen. Sevä karo: “Do service!”
So people were doing it. I also was
fortunate enough to get a chance to
help.

And there’s all sorts of service you
can do. There are places you can
help chop vegetables, places to make
garlands, places to churn yogurt,
and so on. Even people coming from
rich families feel happy to do some
menial service for the Deity.

Out in the courtyard people sit in
circles, cutting vegetables in the
early-morning sun. This groups cuts
one kind of vegetable, that group
another. Paëòitas in the courtyard
sit and read from scripture.

A temple gatekeeper stands guard In another courtyard a cultured-
with his son, his traditional sword looking kértana group sits chanting
hanging ready behind him. with various instruments, but few