Gita Vatika a Pilgrimage
What is this ‘Teerthi Kurvanti Teerthani’? In the places where Mahatma people stayed, Devaragaman took place, Bhagwat discussions took place, Saints’ knowledge sessions took place, there a great sattvikta was filled in the atmosphere, in the water, in the sky, in the dust particles, in the trees. That goodness made that land, that water to purify the atmosphere there, so it was named ‘Teerth’. Geeta Vatika is one such pilgrimage site which is situated about 3 kms from Gorakhpur Railway Station. Gita Vatika is the abode of Bhai ji, from where he continued to do penance for 35 years, with a virtuous and dedicated life like sages.
Gita Vatika was purchased for the secluded abode of Bhai ji Shri Hanuman Prasad ji Poddar editor ‘Kalyan’, Geetapress, Gorakhpur. Shri Bhai Ji Vaishakh Purnima no. 1991 V. (1934) started living here. Since then many saints Mahatma, sadhak, scholar and litterateur stayed with him and from here the editing work of ‘Kalyan’ would take place. In the year 1936, Akhand Kirtan took place here for one year, in which saints and mahatmas from all over the country had come. Since then the beauty of this place has become unique and divine.
The atmosphere here is peaceful. Radha Krishna Sadhana Temple in Vatika is a huge grand temple built in Nagara style, in which Lord Shri Radhakrishna, Shri Sitaram, Shri Shankar Parvati, besides Shri Ganesh ji, Shri Hanuman ji, Lord Suryadev, Mother Durga, Lord A grand idol of Vishnu Lakshmi and Maa Tripura Sundari is revered. There is also an idol of Shribhai Ji and his consort, Maa Ramdei Poddar, who are praying incessantly. They are worshiped daily according to scriptures. The evening aarti is very emotional in which devotees participate enthusiastically There is Akhand Sankirtan Mandal on the side of the temple, where Naam Sankirtan started by Bhai Ji continues continuously since 1968, due to which the atmosphere remains very sattvic. Now a beautiful temple has been built at that place, in which the idol of Devarshi Narad ji and Maharishi Angira is revered. This place attracts devotees.
On the right side of the temple is Bhai Ji’s holy tomb. The remains of his mortal body are preserved on the platform on which Bhai Ji had cremated his mortal body. They have been covered with a beautiful transparent cover so that rain etc. does not fall on them. There should be no effect. There is mother’s tomb and Radha Baba’s tomb next to it. Baba’s tomb has been given the form of a temple. It reminds us that understanding the nature of Bhai Ji, the way Baba had taken an unbroken vow to stay with Bhai Ji considering him to be a moving Vrindavan, he had even decided to spend the rest of his life near Bhai Ji’s tomb. There is Shri Giriraj Parikrama established by Baba, next to Bhai Ji’s Samadhi, where even today devotees keep doing parikrama.
The building located in the courtyard of the temple houses the hallowed room in which the divine speech got the opportunity to re-establish the dignity of Hindu religion, culture and philosophy in the whole world. The loving devotee who sheds the nectar of Bhagwat’s love and the one who makes the knowledge base of Maa Bharti inexhaustible resides in this room. In this room, brother has seen his God innumerable times, love has been garlanded and the love of beloved beloved is sweet. He was always immersed in Leela. In this room, the material used by brother is safe, for which people come from far and wide.
Shri Radha Baba has said- ‘The glory of this Gita Vatika is same as that of Shri Vrindavan Dham, in which for more than 35 years Shri Poddar Maharaj, who is inspired by the combination of Rasraj Mahabharata, has resided. Sitting in the body, Nandanandan Shri Krishna has done and every thing related to that body, the smallest and the biggest material that comes in the use of his work, all that is Brij Bhavappan. is becoming available. This land also exists as it is, every particle of which is marked with their footprints.
The voice of ‘Prasid me namami te padabj bhakti dehi mein’ emanating from Bhai Ji’s hallowed room continues to give peace to the visitors and inspire them to move forward on the path of love and devotion.
Bhai Ji’s converted Radhashtami festival is celebrated with pomp in Geeta Vatika, in which devotees and devotees come from far off places to participate. There is an individual guest house for the convenience of the visitors.
