Phnom Phen Sadhu Sanga 2020

By: HG Gunaavatar Das

On February 2, 2020, a group of devotees travelled from Siem Reap to Phnom Phen, Cambodia to attend the Kirtan and Sadhu Sanga Program with the Indian community. Headed by Mr Mohan a gathering was arranged at “Art of Living” centre there. About 50 people, including some Cambodians, joined the program that night.

We were a group of 11 devotees travelling by bus from Siem Reap. We stayed at Shuka Mataji’s condo near Oresey Market. Mataji wanted to use that place as the ashram where devotees can spend some time doing devotional activities in Phnom Phen. She has purchased several music instruments like 3 mridangas, 3 harmoniums, kartals, altar, arati paraphernalia, books, cooking pots, etc. Everything is completed to meet one’s basic requirements.

The next day, we did morning kirtan, cooking and in noontime, some devotees went out to visit the museum of Killing Field, victims of Khmer Roung/ communism.

The program was at 5 in the evening, beginning with a small kirtan and speech by HG Kala Prabhu (ACBSP), followed by kirtans by HG Kisora Krishna Prabhu, many devotees are it a Prabhu or Mataji were seen dancing blissfully. After that, we had prasadam prepared by Mr Mohan and his friends. As other devotees partook prasadam, Aradhika Mataji from Russia led the kirtan. Once prasadam was over, everybody joined again to celebrate the kirtan evening together.

Kirtiraja Prabhu and other Brahmacarys distributed Prabhupada books. Many people purchased the books, requesting their books be signed by HG Kala Prabhu.

The Khmer Devotees Bhakta Khear, Shuka Mataji, Pisey Mataji, Sister Nana along with others completely enjoyed the program, a very rare happening in Phnom Phen, as we don’t have any centre here yet.  In future not so far, we plan to open Ashram / Base Camp at Shuka mataji’s place and gradually do more Namhatta/ house preaching programs. HG Kirtiraja Prabhu was ordered by Maharaja to develop Indian Community and organize regular program like this, encourage general people to support our Yashodapura Eco Village and YEV Vedic Culture Center in Siem Reap.

After the program, we spent several more days at Phnom Phen and also visited one big Buddhist monastery. We got the opportunity to meet and speak to one of the famous monks in Cambodia, Venerable Meta Phuy. He has built several Buddhist monasteries in Cambodia, in Nepal and in India (where the pastime of Sidhartha or Gautama Buddha took place about 2500 years ago). He is a very amicable person who supports our devotional activities and is even ready to help and assistance in starting our centre in Phnom Phen. We felt very happy after meeting him. We also visited other devotee’s family near Airport where HG Prasanatma prabhu’s nephew has one three-storeyed house. He always opens to programs and welcomes all the devotees when they need to stay there for a few nights.

We also went to take darshan of Lord Vishnu on the bank of the Mekong in front of the Royal Palace. Many people come here to offer prayers to the Lord, especially on special days. We also come here to do Harinam Sankirtan sometimes. The place is very beautiful, with several beautiful birds around the river bank.

Phnom Phen is a very suitable place for city preaching. We hope in the near future we can gradually develop a preaching centre here, pushing Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

Hare Krishna!