First Andean Vaisnava Mela Hold at The Mystic Sun Island in Bolivia

From June 20 to 22, an ecstatic international vaisnava sanga took place at the impressinely beautiful sacred Titikaka lake, at 3800 meters over the sea level.

Devotees from all over South America, (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Perú, plus representatives of Australia Germany and the United States, combined together to share unforgetable experiences of kirtan, Krishna katha, prasadam and loving exchanges amongst devotees (dadati pratigrihnati ...).

The meeting place was La Paz, Bolivia, where some street harinam sankirtan took place, along with -well attended lectures in downtown. The trip started early morning on saturday the 20th, to Copacabana a little town located at the shores of the sacred Titikaka lake, and 3 and a half hours away. There the devotees partake an ekadasi prasadam and executed Harinam Sankirtan attracting the locals and tourists, some of which joined the kirtan either chanting and dancing or at least clapping.

In the afternoon, the group started to the sun island, by boat in an idillic landscape for one and a half hours. Five boats were required to transport 120 devotees, that happily chanted during the trip, taking pictures and video recording the amazing sight.

Once at the sun island, the devotees climbed rock stairs build at least 1000 years ago. At the end of the stairs, three fountains supply fresh pure water. According to the tradition, these waers give one the blessing to be freed from the vices condemned by the Incas, that summarized their law in three commandments: dont be liar, dont be thief and dont be lazy.

That night a fire was ignited and the devotees departed some songs, talks and light prasadam.

Next day took place fire sacrifices: eleven initiations, five marriages and one sannyas initiation. This is the seventeen renunciate of South America amongst the alternative missions affiliated to the World Vaisnava Association, presided by the seniormost vaisnava, Srila Bhakti Promod Puri Maharaj. As it was remarked, the heart of the devotees is such that we dont inquire about the past life of the people Just the desire to surrender. The kanti, japa or devotional clothe is the sole passport anywhere in the world to enter a wonderful realm of friendship and service.

Besides a few ISKCON members (there was an open invitation through the internet), most of the devotees that attended, take part of Vrinda (Vrindavan Institute for Vaisnava Studies), Seva (Editorial service for the vaisnava acharyas) and ISEV (Institute for Higher Vedic Studies) missions founded by His Holiness BA Paramadvaiti Swami, Sripad Atulananda Prabhu, and the late Harijan Maharaj, all disciples of Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that took shelter and guidance of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhardev Goswami Maharaj, selected by Srila Prabhupad to give philosophical guidance to his disciples after his departure, and a great well-wisher of Srila Prabhupad's mission, and without a doubt one of the foremost representatives of the vaisnava siddhanta in the line of Lord Caitanya, through Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur.

During the festival, songs and prayers in glorification of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and Guru-Gauranga were chanted in sanskrit, Spanish and Aymara, the language of the natives of that area. Traditional dances were performed, as the 21st of June is the solstice of winter and a main event for the locals, that worship the sun to "tie it" so it does not go away. This day is when the sun is at the maximum distance from the southern hemisphere.

In the morning, some devotees saludated the sun with the surya namaskar, that some locals contemplated with delight. The young sannyasis were seen helping enthused in menial service. Kitchen, cleaning, serving.

This particular place has an astonishing and majestic beauty. The sacred Titikaka lake, the highest (3810 meters over the sea level) and one of the largest in the world has crystal clear water and a strong mystic atmosphere. The lanscape is decorated with some of the highest mountains, covered with snow, almost 7000 meters tall (...feet), In the islands one is located at the same altitude than the white clouds or sometimes over them, with a thin air and a clean blue sky. During the night one can see millions of bright stars that astonished the devotees.

Besides several presentations of Krishna Consciouss music groups with a wide spectrum of rithms going from native andean tunes to country, rock and rap, a drama presentation by the group of La Paz, Bolivia featured a devotee from the second generation troubled questioning his values and identity. All of this happened around a big fire heating the cold atmosphere.

On monday the 22nd the leaders held a meeting to subscribe the PAT (transcendental andean pact) a joint declaration of 38 points on cooperation, values, friendship, environmental and moral issues inspired for the vaisnavas and meant for the society at large, as they exclude sectarian views.

Suddenly snow started to fall, covering the island in white, followed by a rain and finally bright sunshine, bringing auspiciousness. The locals thanked the devotees for their chanting, as they believed was the cause of a much needed rain. Surprisingly, the Moon island, located just one kilometer away, did not get the snow nor the rain. For saying thanks they use a word that sounds as "God will repay you".

South America charms its visitors with huge and beautiful lands, as well as religious and mystic practices of the natives, specially the area of Peru-Bolivia, where the Incas set up their sun empire and a large population of natives survived the Spaniards conquest. There is a rich blend of races and languages, as the natives belong to different cultures, mainly Aymara, Quechua and Guarani. The spaniards also come from different nations, mainly Castilia, Cataluna and the Basque, that have also different languages, and different ethnic origin ranging from native Iberians (that worshipped the bull), and blends of Kelts, Goths, Jews, Vikings and Arabs.

Except for the corrupt governments, South America, rich in natural resources but poor in management is in general populated by pious people, that welcomes devotees. In fact, the population of Latin devotees is increasing, and Krishna consciousness is becoming more and more familiar.

The mela for 1999 is scheduled to be in Peru, at the ecological community of the Trulys of Krishna in Chakra y Mar, an oasis located between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The 2000 year mela will be held in Banos, Ecuador, where a beautiful 60 hectars land is being prepared to host hundreds of devotees.

PART 2

The sun island was carefully laboured by the Incas about 1000 years ago, as they believe that a divine couple appeared there thousands of years ago. According to some scholars, they were not other than their lordships Sita Rama. The distance between the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka is described in the Ramayana locates Sri Lanka far away from the current Ceilan (named also Sri Lanka), suppoorting the theory that South America was the abode of Ravana. It is believed that Kumbakarna resided in Brazil and probably also Vibhisana, as Brazil is the only plce outside India where Tulasi plants are found.

Aruqeologists have fund huge tunnels that probably linked south America with Asia under the sea The ancient Maya culture ruins in Central America, hold deities of Hanuman and Jatayu or Garuda guarding the sacred temples. Jatayu is described as a big bird that could be the ancestor of the andean condor, sacred to locals, that is the biggest bird in the world. A deity of Gopal Krishna in Jade was finded further north.

The inhabitants of the "Altiplano" perform a dance that symbolizes a battle between the pious and the evil forces, called "diablada", -the demons dance -, were the demons fight against an army on monkeys (Hanuman, Sugriva, etc) and some bears (jambavan), and even the conversion of one demon takes place (Vibhisan). One of the monsters has many heads (Ravana) and finally the evil forces are overcome and the whole parade ends up in a temple, matching the Ramayana epic.

Furthermore, the andean natives resemble the Tibetans in such a way that except for the language it is not possible to stablish a difference. They wear the same colours and type of clothes, similar eating and worshipping habits and also trade salt with grains from warmer regions.

Sri Lanka is described as a beautiful well planned country, with carefully organized buildings. Reseaeches found that the Tiwanaku ruins are older and more complex than the Aegiptian Pyramids, and modern technology wouldn't be able to rebuild it.

In short, there is much to be discovered in this wonderful place supporting the acharyas support to an ancient Vedic Culture expanded all over the globe, to be probably awaken by the power of the Holy Name and Lord Caitanyas mission. Try not to miss the next mela!

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!